Football enthusiast and staff writer Lewis Clarke (follow @FGRLewisClarke) last week revealed 6 of the most promising players aged 20 and under that currently ply their trade in the Football League. He now brings you a further 6, aged 23 and under, that could well be the future stars of the England national side.

Defender – BEN GIBSON (Middlesbrough)

To start off with I’ve chosen 22 year old centre-back Ben Gibson, who has progressed through the ranks at Boro since the age of 12. Over the course of the current season ‘Gibbo’ has forged an almost infallible defensive partnership with Spanish teammate Daniel Ayala, their rock solid performances culminating in Boro conceding an average of just 0.77 goals/game this season.

KEY STAT: In the 15 games that Gibson & Ayala have started together this season, they haven’t lost any and conceded just 6 goals in the process.

Alongside over a decade of service for the North Yorkshire based club Gibson has featured prominently in England’s youth set up, having picked up 9 caps for the Under 21’s to date, with plenty more on the horizon.

“Ben has really developed as a player and a natural leader within our group and is a mainstay of the team” – Gareth Southgate (England U21 boss)

Gibson is a strong centre-half and a relentless presence in and around the box, winning a high % of aerial battles alongside being extremely composed when on the ball, his distribution being second to none for such a young player. Having put pen to paper on a 5 year deal at the Riverside Stadium in August 2014 it would not surprise me at all to see Gibson excel in the top flight over the next couple of seasons should Boro clinch promotion.

Midfielder – JORDAN COUSINS (Charlton Athletic)

This pick may come as a surprise to some but in my experiences of seeing Cousins play, he’s been produced an array of extremely impressive performances. At 21, Cousins has already amassed 75+ appearances for the Addicks, featuring several times this campaign and receiving plaudits on many occasions.

“Ever since i’ve been at the club I’ve known how talented he is; he has a great attitude and a terrific temperament” – ex-Addicks boss Chris Powell in 2013

The versatile midfielder can operate anywhere across the midfield and has been utilised in several different midfield roles this season. Cousins has been capped by England at U16,U17,U18 and U21 level, for a combined total of 37 appearances. The Charlton midfielder is a fast, dynamic player who has a good range of passing and possesses a strong aerial game to boot.

Midfielder – WILL HUGHES (Derby County)

In my eyes the player that oozes the most quality in this list is Derby County’s Will Hughes. The Rams’ midfield dynamo has featured a staggering 116 times for the midlands club despite being just 19 years of age, exemplifying just how much talent this boy really does bring to the table.

Hughes first appeared for the Rams in February 2012 and through a natural composure on the ball alongside a killer final ball, he quickly attracted interest from Premier League titans Manchester United, who were reportedly tracking his progress. Derby fans have now become accustomed to the speculation surrounding their talented young playmaker in every transfer window. Despite this Hughes has stayed loyal and has benefitted from first team football at an extremely competitive standard.

KEY STAT: Hughes has played on 9 occasions for the England U21 side since debut in November 2012. He’s scored once and has been on the winning side 9 out of 9 times. Coincidence? You decide.

Check out this piece of sheer brilliance against Brighton towards the end of last season, you’ll almost certainly have to watch it twice to fully appreciate the level of skill involved.

Midfielder – NATHAN REDMOND (Norwich City)

Redmond is well regarded as one of the primary young talents in the Championship. His career started at Birmingham City, scoring 7 times in 62 games before moving to Norwich for a fee of £2 million + add ons at 19 years old. Now at 21, Redmond has made 61 appearances for Norwich alongside 20 for England U21s with 9 goals in total.

The 21 year-old applies his trade primarily down the right hand side of midfield but can also play on the left or in the ‘number 9’ role, slotting in just behind the striker. Although he hasn’t showed his best form this season the Birmingham born winger will be hoping for a successful bid for promotion back to the top flight with Norwich in order to be given the platform to truly prove to English football fans that, with his pace and natural ability to beat defenders, he is a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Striker – BENIK AFOBE (Wolves)

The ex-Arsenal youngster has had a truly remarkable season, having blasted a colossal 27 goals past an array of helpless goalkeepers in 44 games. Having started the season with League One outfit MK Dons, Afobe then joined Wolves and picked up where he left off in League One straight away, with 8 goals in 14 games to please the Molineux fanbase.

“He is very pacey and powerful, good technically, and has an outstanding goalscoring record. He is young and has many years ahead of him” – Kevin Thelwell, Wolves’ Head of Football Development

It’s easy to look past the fact that Afobe had only registered 13 goals to his name in the 4 years prior to this breakthrough season, in which he has averaged a goal every 1.6 games. It came as a shock to many fans when Afobe was sold by Arsenal to Wolves in January for £2 million and could be a massive oversight from the Gunners should the forward realise his full potential that has been on show this season. Watch this space as I’m predicting big big things.

Striker – CALLUM WILSON (AFC Bournemouth)

Another player who has excelled in the Championship this season is Callum Wilson. The striker’s transfer fee of £3 million certainly raised a few eyebrows pre-season but it goes without saying that he has been worth every penny for the Cherries, scoring 19 times in 43 games. Averaging just over 1 goal in every 2 games, Wilson also contributes defensively with his work rate being one of his main attributes. He is known for his speed, constantly beating defenders for pace and getting on the end of through balls, often finishing most of his chances.

“He had a very good season last year and he’s 22 so hopefully his best seasons are ahead of him, I think he is at the perfect age to kick on” – AFCB boss Eddie Howe’s spot on judgement after signing in July ’14

Should Wilson be able to assist Bournemouth in reaching the top flight for the first time in the club’s history that would surely be a huge step in the right direction for his career path, it’s to be exciting times ahead for the 22 year-old.