With the obvious exception of Jack Grealish, Aston Villa have really struggled to see any of their rising stars make the step-up into the first-team.

However much of a buzz or excitement that gets created at youth level, the gap to the senior side is still significant at any club, and moreso for a team battling in the Premier League, when the margins for error become that much closer.

And whilst Dean Smith's side have enjoyed a fine start to the new season, the kinds of young players who are making waves behind the scenes has surely been just as exciting for the club.

None more so perhaps than recently turned 17-year-old, Carney Chukwuemeka. Villa tied down the teenager to a new contract back in October, and that was a significant coup given that The Athletic have reported the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham were all hovering around looking to lure him away.

Chukwuemeka is the prodigy that Christian Purslow went so far as to describe as the best player for his age last year, and there have been glowing reports about his abilities.

One scout told The Athletic: "He’s the best player Villa have got coming through. He can do everything in the midfield area and there are a lot of clubs monitoring his situation at Villa."

The club only have to look across at arch-rivals Birmingham to see the kind of rewards potentially at stake when giving a young player an opportunity, with Jude Bellingham now plying his trade for European giants Borussia Dortmund.

Given Villa of course are playing at a much higher level than Birmingham, potential first-team chances for Chukwuemeka may be few and far in between.

But he is undoubtedly someone who has all the ability to be one of the most exciting talents Villa bring through in many a year, and could maybe even surpass fellow prospect Jacob Ramsey.