Takefusa Kubo Joao Felix Troy ParrottGetty/Goal composite

Football Manager 2020 wonderkids: Best young strikers, midfielders, defenders & goalkeepers

Football Manager 2020 is the latest edition of Sports Interactive's hugely successful franchise and the game's developers made it available for free during the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.

One of the most satisfying aspects of the management simulation is discovering wonderkids - the next Neymar or Lionel Messi, say - and helping them develop into world-class players.

Whether you want to implement a policy of bringing youth through to the first team similar to Ajax or hope to recreate something akin to 'Fergie's Fledgings' at Manchester United, scouting talented teens is essential.

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To help you on your way if you're starting a new game, Goal takes a look at some of the best young players who are worth considering in the transfer market.

Contents

  1. Football Manager 2020 wonderkid forwards
  2. Football Manager 2020 wonderkid midfielders
  3. Football Manager 2020 wonderkid defenders
  4. Football Manager 2020 wonderkid goalkeepers
  5. Related links

Football Manager 2020 wonderkid forwards

Joao Felix is probably the best known wonderkid striker in the world right now following his big-money move to Atletico Madrid from Benfica during the summer, which made him the third most expensive footballer of all time. Naturally, signing Felix so soon after his switch to Atleti might prove difficult, but he is certainly one to consider if you have the financial clout.

NxGn 2019 winner Jadon Sancho has flourished since leaving Manchester City and moving to Borussia Dortmund. Given his growing stature in the Bundesliga and as a full England international, he'll be on the more expensive side of the scale, but if you're managing a big club and can afford him, he'll be worth it.

Other wonderkid strikers worth scouting include Erling Haaland, who shone for Norway at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup and is now flying at Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United youngster Mason Greenwood and Barcelona starlet Ansu Fati.

Tottenham forward Troy Parrott has been turning heads for the Premier League club in the UEFA Youth League in recent seasons, while Porto's Fabio Silva could be a bargain signing.

The likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Vinicius Jr. are other options, but you will need to be willing to put your hands into your pockets in order to secure their services.

PlayerAge*NationalityClub
Joao Felix18PortugalAtletico Madrid
Erling Haaland19NorwayRed Bull Salzburg
Jadon Sancho19EnglandBorussia Dortmund
Danylo Sikan18UkraineDynamo Kiev
Leonardo Campana18EcuadorBarcelona SC
Lincoln18BrazilFlamengo
Willem Geubbels18FranceMonaco
Gabriel Martinelli18BrazilArsenal
Pietro Pellegri18ItalyMonaco
Mason Greenwood17EnglandManchester United
Rodrygo18BrazilReal Madrid
Vinicius Jr.19BrazilReal Madrid
Callum Hudson-Odoi18EnglandChelsea
Adil Aouchiche17FranceParis Saint-Germain
Kaio Jorge17BrazilSantos
Ansu Fati16SpainBarcelona
Troy Parrott17IrelandTottenham
Louie Barry16EnglandBarcelona
Fabio Silva17PortugalPorto
Jann-Fiete Arp19GermanyBayern Munich
Amine Gouiri19FranceLyon
Myron Boadu18NetherlandsAjax
Moise Kean19ItalyEverton
Rayan Cherki15FranceLyon
Diego Lainez19MexicoBetis ('Real Hispalis')
Emile Smith Rowe18EnglandArsenal
Emanuel Vignato18ItalyChievo
Reiss Nelson19EnglandArsenal
Sebastiano Esposito16ItalyInter
Giacomo Raspadori18ItalySassuolo

*Age at start of game

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Phil Foden Manchester City 2019-20

Football Manager 2020 wonderkid midfielders

Pep Guardiola has tipped Phil Foden for big things and the Manchester City midfielder is one who should be at the top of your shopping list, if you can get the Premier League champions to sell.

Real Madrid's Takefusa Kubo and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Xavi Simons are other wonderkids at big-name clubs who appear destined for the top. The likes of Celtic's Karamoko Dembele, Ajax starlet Ryan Gravenberch and Velez's Thiago Almada might be more readily available, if you are working to the constraints of a tight budget.

Valencia midfielder Lee Kang-in won the Golden Ball at the 2019 U-20 World Cup and is considered one of the best young players in La Liga, while Barcelona's Ilaix Moriba is one of the brightest prospects at La Masia and has been likened to Paul Pogba.

PlayerAge*NationalityClub
Lee Kang-in18South KoreaValencia
Heorhiy Tsitaishvili18UkraineDynamo Kiev
Takefusa Kubo18JapanReal Madrid
Mohammed Ihattaren17NetherlandsPSV
Thiago Almada18ArgentinaVelez Sarsfield
Sergio Gomez18SpainBorussia Dortmund
Ryan Gravenberch17NetherlandsAjax
Domink Szoboszlai18HungaryRed Bull Salzburg
Hugo Felix15PortugalBenfica
Sandro Tonali19ItalyBrescia
Phil Foden19EnglandManchester City
Efrain Alvarez17MexicoLA Galaxy
Steve Mvoue17CameroonAzur Star Yaounde
Matias Palacios17ArgentinaSan Lorenzo
Pedri16SpainLas Palmas / Barcelona
Giovanni Reyna16United StatesBorussia Dortmund
Daniel Maldini17ItalyAC Milan
Eduardo16AngolaRennes
Xavi Simons16NetherlandsParis Saint-Germain
Harvey Elliott16EnglandLiverpool
Karamoko Dembele16ScotlandCeltic
Florentino Luis19PortugalBenfica
Nohan Kenneh16EnglandLeeds United
Alessio Riccardi18ItalyRoma
Hamed Junior Traore19Ivory CoastEmpoli
Ilaix Moriba16GuineaBarcelona
Riqui Puig19SpainBarcelona
Hannibal Mejbri16FranceManchester United
Angel Gomes18EnglandManchester United

*Age at start of game

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Sergino Dest Ajax 2019-20Getty Images

Football Manager 2020 wonderkid defenders

Liverpool boast a Dutch defensive duo who have naturally been likened to their first-team hero Virgil van Dijk. Sepp van den Berg and Ki-Jana Hoever are highly rated by the Anfield club but could be decent loan options if you're managing a team in the lower leagues. Manchester City's Eric Garcia and Chelsea's Ethan Ampadu are other bright prospects from the Premier League.

Ajax full-back Sergino Dest, who recently declared for the U.S. national team, has already broken into the first team at the Amsterdam Arena, while Cagliari's Sebastian Walukiewicz is deemed one of the best young defenders in Serie A. In Germany, a Scottish centre-back who has been likened to Mats Hummels - Liam Morrison - will be hoping to make a breakthrough at Bayern Munich.

PlayerAge*NationalityClub
Ozan Kabak19TurkeySchalke
Juan Miranda19SpainBarcelona
Ki-Jana Hoever17NetherlandsLiverpool
Benoit Badiashile18FranceMonaco
Eric Garcia18SpainManchester City
Ethan Ampadu18WalesChelsea
Sergino Dest18United StatesAjax
Sebastian Walukiewicz19PolandCagliari
Luan Candido18BrazilRB Leipzig
Rayan Ait-Nouri18FranceAngers
Jonathan Panzo18EnglandMonaco
Max Aarons19EnglandNorwich City
Sepp van den Berg17NetherlandsLiverpool
Timothee Pembele16FranceParis Saint-Germain
Liam Morrison16ScotlandBayern Munich
Matthijs de Ligt19NetherlandsJuventus
Jean-Clair Todibo19FranceBarcelona
Nicolo Armini18ItalyLazio
William Saliba18FranceArsenal

*Age at start of game

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Football Manager 2020 wonderkid goalkeepers

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Christian Fruchtl has naturally drawn comparisons to Manuel Neuer and has been working as an understudy to the iconic shot-stopper for a number of years now.

Brazilian goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao, who is on the books at Inter, is a player who will hope to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Alisson and Ederson, while Manchester City's Gavin Bazunu is tipped for a bright future.

Italy is known for producing top class goalkeepers and the likes of Udinese's Manuel Gasparini and AC Milan's Alessandro Plizzari will be worth scouting.

PlayerAge*NationalityClub
Christian Fruchtl19GermanyBayern Munich
Gabriel Brazao18BrazilInter
Gavin Bazunu17IrelandManchester City
Lucas Bergstrom16FinlandChelsea
Lucas Canizares17SpainReal Madrid
Coniah Boyce-Clarke16EnglandReading
Gabriel Slonina15United StatesChicago Fire
Diogo Costa19PortugalPorto
Ivan Martinez17SpainOsasuna ('Atletico Pamplona')
Manuel Gasparini17ItalyUdinese
Alessandro Plizzari19ItalyAC Milan

*Age at start of game

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