On Breakouts: Top ten players to watch for this season.

As a general rule, it seems like a changing of the guard is imminent in world football. Household names are on their way out and a new class of spry youngsters are stepping in. This is my list of the top 10 breakout players to watch for. But they're not all young upstarts, some of these guys have been in the game for a while. They've just needed a good shove in the right direction.

Let's not waste any time and get right to number 10:

10. Andy Najar. LW (Left winger)

Andy Najar is an 18 year old Honduran national who currently plays for DC United. He is the pinnicle example of the first class of youth program grads in the United States. This kid has got it all and could be the spark that DC has needed to break into the MLS elite teams.

Najar was the youngest player selected for the MLS All Stars team that faced Manchester United last week. I think he could stand to become one of the MLS' elite players, especially in midfield.

Other news on Najar: he recently decided not to commit to Honduras in international play. Which means that the United States could land him for what could be one of the biggest breakout streaks from a Honduran national in history.

9. Gareth Bale. LM

This Welsch youngster currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur. Bale has immense speed, strength, and field vision. His service into the box will be vital to get Crouch and Defoe on the scoresheet for Spurs.

Bale also has immense prowess with his left foot and a lethal free kick ability, both are things that Spurs could definitely use on their first team.

I think Bale could become one of the best left backs in the Premier League, and you will probably see him explode this season.

8. Gabby Agbonlahor (pictured above). ST (Striker)

Along with having one of the most fun names in soccer to say, Gab has the immense distinction of being considered the fastest player in the Premier League. Agbonlahor has been at Aston Villa for a long time and has always been a good player, but this could be the year that he breaks into becoming great. There are two reasons why:

-Heskey's old. Emile Heskey retired from international play after the World Cup and he's on the way out, one would think, from club play as well. That means that the goal scoring is going to fall on the Bong.

-Motivation. Gabby has been vocal after the World Cup about wanting to be Wayne Rooney's strike partner. At this point, Capello has to take his thumb out of his ass and think about that. Rooney always claimed that he liked playing with Heskey the most, but obviously that isn't going to happen anymore. The thing about Rooney is that he needs room. And maybe Gab will let him have it, he'll be so busy zooming around the field making runs that maybe he'll be the perfect fit for the Roo.

Agbonlahor may have the season of his life, and could even crack the top ten in Premier League goal scoring.

7. Angel Di Maria. LW (Left winger)

Di Maria is an Argentine national who was just transfered to Real Madrid. If Mourinho wants you, you know you're good. But there's one major reason why Di Maria is going to be so important this year for Real: Kaka is out for four months after his knee surgery.

Di Maria is going to have to bring his creative spark, set-up play, and passing ability to Real Madrid and break out in a big way for them.

6. Stefan Keissling. ST (Striker)

Keissling is a German who currently plays for Bayern Leverkusen. Last year, he was just behind Edin Dzeko in goal scoring in the Bundesliga. Keissling needs to make his claim this season to leave Leverkusen for a premier club in Europe, and he can certainly do it.

Keissling has plenty of critics that call him a fluke, but the fact is, he produces when he has to, and he could be on the brink of greatness.

5. Alexandre Pato. ST (Striker)

The prime example of the changing of the guard, Pato is a Brazilian national, who, at the tender age of 20, could stand to be the key player in the 2014 World Cup in his home country at Rio.

But Pato is just breaking onto his club, AC Milan, where sages Marco Borriello and Inzaghi are preferred to him. But this season he's going to be absolutely vital to this team, and he needs to make an announcement to his country that he can and will produce glory for them.

4. Fernando Llorente. ST

This 20 year old Spanish national was only a couple of goals behind Higuian, Messi, and Ronaldo in the Spanish Primera Division. A Benfica man, Llorente is another one that could be just weeks away from the biggest audition of his life for a dream move to a bigger club with worldwide exposure.

Scouts should be drooling over this guy, he's a big target who's also got pace and a good football IQ.

3. Joe Hart. GK

Hart's been sitting on the bench at Manchester City for years, and I for one am ecstatic that he's getting first team exposure. Hart will give City the best chance they've ever had in the Premier League, I can guarantee that.

This is also a vital season for Hart because he has to announce himself as the number one for the English national team. He's long been the favorite of experts, but Capello is a bit challenged, as we've all learned by now, about squads, so he hasn't gotten a chance. But now he has no choice. Robbie Green can most likely never play for England again after he fumbled away the victory over the US, and David James is 40 years old.

2. Winston Reid. FB (Full back)

I should probably explain why Reid is my number two. I personally think that West Ham United is on it's way up in a big way in the Premier League, and I think the addition of New Zealand hero Winston Reid is a big step in the right direction. Reid scored the first goal that New Zealand has ever scored in the World Cup, and also handed them their first point in his miraculous stoppage time goal against Slovakia. Reid was also integral in the Kiwi's tie with Italy, knocking the Azzuri out of the group stage for the first time in 8 World Cups.

Reid is now probably the most famous New Zealand footballer in the world, and he could become a lot more than that this season. You might want to think twice about looking over the West Ham v. West Brom match in your stream list, that's all I'm saying.

1. Joe Cole. RAM

This is the obvious choice for the number one breakout. I watched Liverpool's second leg match against Rabotnicki in the Europa Cup today and I have to say, Cole looked incredible. In the 22nd minute, he arced a perfect cross to Ngog that was finished with an upper 90 header. I think he took like ten shots or something, and all of them looked threatening.

He also showed a great amount of creative grace on the ball and really inspired his team during the build-up. And I don't know what Ancelotti was whining about, because Cole looked tenacious as hell on defense and created a lot of chances by doing so.

This is my list of the biggest potential breakout players this season. Have some of your own? I'm sure you do. Let's talk about it. Thanks for reading.