West Ham United have continually churned out impressive young talent over the years, with the club having become famed for its knack of developing and nurturing exciting academy assets who can go on to thrive in the first-team.

The likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole are some of the more notable success stories in the modern era, while more recent times have seen the emergence of current captain, Declan Rice, as well as versatile defender, Ben Johnson.

The wait is on to see just who will be that next emerging prospect to force their way into David Moyes' plans at first-team level, with there undoubtedly a number of highly-rated figures just waiting for a chance in the senior ranks.

One such talent who has caught the eye of late is that of midfielder, Patrick Kelly, with the 18-year-old already making waves in east London having only joined the club from Northern Irish outfit, Coleraine, back in July.

The teenager was lauded as a player with "true ability" by Irons academy boss Ricky Martin upon his arrival at the London Stadium over the summer, after previously starring in the senior set-up at his former club, scoring once and laying on four assists in 29 appearances in all competitions.

That brief experience at such a young age has demonstrated the playmaker's undoubted potential, having shown "so much quality" during his time with the NIFL Premiership side, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

The youngster had "wowed" those at his previous club with that quality - as per former teammate Lyndon Kane - with his "technical ability second to none", according to the aforementioned Bunting.

That glowing praise will likely be of interest to Moyes, with the centre of the park still seemingly an area in need of bolstering for the former Everton boss, particularly after seeing long-serving skipper Mark Noble announce his retirement at the end of last season.

Like the names previously mentioned, the one-club man had been another diamond to have emerged from the club's youth ranks - racking up 550 appearances across all fronts in a lengthy career at the elite level - proving that there is a clear pathway to the first-team for the current academy gems.

In the case of Kelly, the Northern Ireland U19 international could well be a player to keep an eye on in the near future, with the midfielder possessing the tools to pick up the mantle from Noble having already showcased his creative flair so far this term, with two assists in just five Premier League games at U18 level.

Having only been at West Ham for a matter of months it may take time for the £113k-rated starlet to be handed a chance by Moyes, although it is encouraging for the club to know that they have such a prospect just waiting to be unleashed.