When it comes to the best player to have represented West Ham United in the modern era, you really are spoilt for choice.

However, if you then limit that to those who are homegrown and have come up through the academy, it's hard to ignore one man: Declan Rice.

The England international might have broken some hearts with his move to Arsenal, but it's impossible to deny the fact that he was a superstar for the Hammers, making 245 appearances, wearing the captain's armband and most crucially of all, playing a significant role in the club's Conference League triumph.

The Irons are yet to produce another prospect quite as talented as Rice, and while it will come eventually, they've already lost a youngster who's being touted for big, big things.

West Ham's exciting prospects

While it feels like they are unlikely to be as impactful as Rice was, or the youngster they lost a couple of years ago, West Ham still have several exciting prospects emerging from the academy.

For example, with how poorly the club's current crop of strikers are doing, it might not be too long before the London Stadium faithful get to see Josh Landers in action.

The Scottish forward joined the Hammers from Hibernian in February of this year and has been on fire ever since.

In just 12 games for the U18s he has scored nine goals, and since moving up to the U21s, the Innerleithen-born poacher has found the back of the net five times.

Another dangerous gem, but one who spends time at left-back or on the left-hand side of midfield is Emeka Adiele.

The 18-year-old, who, according to one analyst, is blessed with "confidence & tenacity," has already provided seven goal involvements in just eight appearances for the U21s this season.

Finally, someone who could potentially come is a long-term heir to Bowen on the right, Elisha Sowumni.

The 18-year-old was a force of nature for the youth sides last season, scoring 14 goals and providing two assists in just 25 appearances.

Moreover, while he is considered a right-winger, he has shown an impressive ability to play all over the pitch, which could help him earn some first-team minutes in the coming years.

However, while these three are certainly exciting prospects, they all pale in comparison to someone who left West Ham a couple of years ago.

The incredible prospect West Ham lost for nothing

All teams lose promising prospects; it's just the way football goes sometimes, but Divine Mukasa does not appear to be any ordinary prospect.

The hugely exciting youngster joined West Ham at just five years old, but in September 2013, he moved to Manchester City for free.

He made his senior debut for Pep Guardiola's side this season, in a League Cup game against Huddersfield Town, a game in which the teenager registered his first senior goal involvement, an assist for Phil Foden.

However, while it's certainly an encouraging sign regarding his development to see him already playing in the first team, it's his unreal form in the junior sides that has turned so many heads, and why he might've been the Hammers' most talented prospect since Rice had he remained in London.

For example, in 41 appearances across various age groups last season, totalling 2807 minutes, the incredible midfielder racked up an outrageous tally of 17 goals and 25 assists.

In other words, the youngster averaged a 1.02 goal involvement per game, or one every 66.83 minutes all season.

Such an out-of-this-world rate of return goes some way in justifying journalist Nassali Sandrah's claim that the 18-year-old is "the best academy player in Europe."

As if that weren't enough, he has also flown through the international youth teams and currently has three caps for England's U19s.

Ultimately, West Ham have got their fair share of exciting talents in the academy at the moment, but had they kept hold of Mukasa, he would undoubtedly be the jewel in the crown.