The future of football, is just as important to a club, as the present is. Young players are key for clubs to bring up and develop, as they will be playing when the rest of the team retires.

The Championship is full of young talented players, who all look to play this season and will be a key part of their teams set up. These are my top 10 most promising players, who are aged 22 or under, for the forthcoming Championship season.

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10.Mesca-Fulham-Midfielder

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Mesca hasn't played many matches for Fulham, actually he has only played one, but he has played numerous times for Portugal youth teams. Aged 21, he is a product of the Chelsea Academy, where he moved to from Sporting Lisbon in 2010. He signed his first professional contract with Fulham after leaving the Chelsea Academy in 2011.

He has made his début for the London club, playing in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea, the team that he joined from, last season and hasn't played against any other team for Fulham. However he has played for Crewe Alexandera, when he was on loan there. He played 6 games for them and has scored 1.

Even though his club history isn't a lot, he has played quite a few international games for Portugual under-17's, 18's and 19's. There is a lot of potential in this player, but it hasn't been shown properly.

9.Will Packwood-Birmingham City-Defender

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Will Packwood is 21 year old American defender, who has played for Birmingham for two seasons. He is a  product of Birmingham's own Academy, and signed a professional contract with them in 2011. He has played some games for them in the past two seasons, and is part of Lee Clark's set-up.

Since signing his professional contract he has played 17 games for his club.  However he was on loan to League Two side, Bristol Rovers for the first half of last season. He played 6 games for Rovers, and proved that he was good enough to play first team Football. He impressed Clark that much, Clark offered him a new one year contract with an option for a further year, this summer as his contract ran out.

He has played for the USA youth teams, over the past few years. He has represented them at Under-17,18 and 20 level. He is yet to play for the senior team, but that could easily come. It seems that Packwood is one to watch in the coming years as well as this season.

8.Jake Forest Caskey-Brighton and Hove Albion-Midfielder

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Jake Forest Caskey is a young and exiting player, who has had a good career and still has his future ahead of him. He seems to be a regular first team player for the Seagulls, and an important one. He is a 20 year old midfielder who can reach a good speed. He has played first team football, for Brighton, regularly for the past two seasons.

He has came through Brighton's academy and signed his professional contract for them in 2010 and has played 48 games for Brighton since. Last season saw his best season, as he played 33 games for them. In 2012, he went on loan to Oxford United, for the season. He played in 20 games for them and scored 3 goals. Since coming back he has  scored 5 for Brighton.

He has played at 4 levels of youth team football, for England. Under 16,17,18 and 21 he has played for. It seems that he could be a future player, but getting first team football this season will help him a lot.

 

7. Jamaal Lascelles- Nottingham Forest- Defender

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Lascelles is a promising young player who has a good future written out for him. He began his career at Forest's Academy and signed his professional contract in 2011. He made that much of a good impression, Arsenal offered £5 Million for him. Forest saw him as too valuable to sell, and rejected the offer. A big team offering a lot of money for him, showed how good he looked to himself.

He made his début for Forest in a 2-0 defeat to Burnley in 2012. He then went on a loan spell at Stevenage, later that year. He played  seven games for Stevenage, scoring one goal for them. Once returning to Forest, he played first team football regularly. He played 32 games last season for Forest and scored two goals.

Lascelles has played for England at Under-18,19 and 20 level, so far. It seems that Lascelles is one to watch this season and watch where he ends up at, because there is no telling where he will end up.

6.Jordan Mutch-Cardiff City-Midfielder

Jordan Mutch refused to sign a new Cardiff contract before joining QPR

At the age of  22 he has already had a good run in one of the worlds top league. He had a great season, last season, in the Premier League. But he is back in the Championship, after getting relegated with Cardiff City. He has had many loan spells at different clubs in his career, but seems settled at Cardiff.

He started at the academy at Derby County, but then went on to the Birmingham's academy. He signed a professional contract in 2008, with Birmingham, but went straight on loan to Hereford united. After loan spells with Doncaster and Watford, he finally played for Birmingham in 2011-12 season. He was a regular player for them, before signing for Cardiff in 2012

Since then, he has played 56 games for Cardiff and has scored 7 goals, all last season. He has played for England at under-17,19,20 and 21 level, but hasn't scored for England. He has had a good career so far, but how will he fair in the Championship?

5. Callum Wilson-Bournemouth-Striker

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22 year old, Callum Wilson has just signed for Bournemouth, the other week. It seems that Bournemouth have got their scouting all right as Wilson is a good Striker and scored quite a few for Coventry last season. He started with the League one side and signed his professional contract with them in 2009.

Since then he has been on loan to Kettering town and Tamworth. Both in 2011, and he scored one goal for each club. After that he went back to Coventry, there he played 55 games and scored 23 goals. 22 of the goals were scored last season, and was one of the league one's top scorers.

He was grabbed by Bournemouth earlier this month, on an undisclosed fee. He signed a three year deal for Bournemouth and will be a pert of their new season's squad.

4.Sam Byram-Leeds United-Defender 

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Sam Byram is a 20 year old right back, who can play on the right wing. Like most young players, Byram can play in more than one position. He is a key player in the Leeds set up and manager, Dave Hockaday, will probably start him regularly this season.

He started at Leeds Academy, and he hasn't moved since. He hasn't even been on loan to any other club. He signed a professional contract in 2012, and has played 80 games as well as scoring 4 goals. Last season he played in the majority of the games and was one of the main players for the Yorkshire club.

It seems that he has had a good career so far, but he has so many more seasons left for him to play.

3. Ben Gibson-Middlesbrough-Defender

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Nephew of chairman, Steve Gibson, Ben is a solid central defender. Going to the Boro academy was almost written out for him. He is a regular starter in managers, Aitor Karanka's, team and also a England youth player.

He signed a professional contract when then manager, Gordon Strachan, gave him the opportunity. He then went on loan to Plymouth Argyle. He went on to another 3 teams before settling back at Middlesbrough and starting in the first team. Last season he played 31 games last season.

He has played for England at under 17,18 and 21 level. He is a great player and is very solid and exciting.

2.Will Hughes-Derby County-Midfielder

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Will Hughes has been predicted to have a successful future. Like Byram, Hughes has been been at one club all his career. He is a Key player in managers, Steve McClaren, first team plans. He will probably be a key part of this seasons possible promotion push.

He signed his professional contract in 2011. He made his professional debut in 2012, in a 3-2 loss to Peterborough. He has gone on to play in 89 games for Derby and has scored 7 goals. At only 19 years old, it seems he has had a career some professionals would be envious of.

He has also played for England at under 17 and 21 level. He has ha a good career all ready, and he has another 15 to 20 years left of it, and it looks like he will be a world beater.

 

 

 1.Steven Caulker-Cardiff City-Defender

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Steven Caulker is only 22 year old, and he is the current captain of the team. He has played for few clubs before going to Cardiff City. He obviously is a major part of mangers, Ole Gunnar Solskgaer's, setup.

He signed a professional contract for Tottenham Hotspurs, in 2009.He went on loan to Yeovil, Bristol City and Swansea City before moving onto Cardiff last summer. He played 29 games for Tottenham, scoring  goals. Since joining  Cardiff, he has played 39 games and scored 5 goals last season.

He has played for England under 19 and 21, Great Britain's Olympic team, and has even played for the England senior team. He has impressed so many people, it is unbelievable that he isn't playing in the Champions League. He has definitely had career that some professionals would envious of. He is definitely one to watch.