Everton have had many talents rise through the ranks of their youth academy with Wayne Rooney, John Stones and Eric Dier all polishing their skills at the Merseyside club, and current manager Frank Lampard is a huge fan of developing youth talent.

The former Chelsea boss played his part in giving Reece James, Mason Mount, Armando Broja, Tariq Lamptey and Marc Guehi their Premier League debuts at Stamford Bridge, all of whom have gone on to be star players in their own rights.

Lampard's eye for rising stars will have certainly excited the youth prospects at Goodison Park upon his arrival at the club at the beginning of this year, and will all be working hard in the hope of their golden opportunities to impress the Toffees boss.

One player who has the potential to catch Lampard's eye is 19-year-old Luke Butterfield, an Everton U21s midfielder who signed a brand-new three-year contract to remain at Goodison Park just this week.

The talented youngster is currently recovering from a knee injury but has been a consistent and reliable contributor to the youth teams over his time at the club which has led to praise from the club's director of football, Kevin Thelwell.

Thelwell hailed Butterfield  "very talented" when the player penned his new deal:

“Luke is a very talented young player and we are delighted he has signed this new contract.

“As well as having a lot of strong technical attributes, he has an excellent attitude and a real desire to learn."

The Yorkshire-born talent has made 60 appearances at youth level for Everton, scoring three goals, mostly being deployed as a defensive midfielder showing glimpses of his talent in last season's EFL trophy for the U21s.

Butterfield made two appearances in that competition, where he demonstrated a wide array of skills, showcasing his immense set of attributes. He completed a bullish three tackles and one clearance per game, while winning 69% of his duels and completing 50% of his dribbles, proving that he knows how to beat a man, as well as how to dispossess them.

With that being said, Lampard could unearth his next prodigy in Butterfield and if he continues to shine at youth level, the teenager will certainly add depth and a fresh perspective to the senior squad's midfield options.