FIFA 17 Career Mode: Best Young Midfielders

Published: Oct 07, 2016, 12:08 pm Updated: Sep 25, 2020, 5:20 pm

Regardless of what club you manage in FIFA 17 Career Mode, there is always room for a star youngster. Whether you are training them up to one day come into the first team or pick them up early and they go straight into the side, growing as you progress. With Career Mode introducing a new feature on youth development, where you could be asked to sign a certain amount of young players, knowing the best youngsters to sign could be key. RealSport brings you the top 10 central midfield wonderkids.

Dani Ceballos (OVR 77 – POT 85)

With Renato Sanches (OVR 78 – POT 90) and Youri Tielemans (OVR 77 – POT 89) already covered in our Top 10 Wonderkids, Dani Ceballos comes in first. Ceballos is one of the top Spanish talents coming through, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he moved to a bigger club next season. He played 34 times for Real Betis last season, claiming over 80% pass success rate. On FIFA 17, the 19-year-old attacking, central or wide midfielder has 84-rated dribbling, 81 ball control and 80 vision. With his contract up at the end of the season, you need to act fast as you could sign him for as little as £6 million, with his current wages only £720.

Riechedly Bazoer (OVR 76 – POT 84)

19-year-old Dutchman Riechedly Bazoer holds 84 ball control, 83 composure and 82 short passing on the game, and he will cost around the £20 million mark. With wages of only £11,000, he is a tempting buy for any mid-table top flight side or someone to bring through for title and European contenders. The Ajax central midfielder was a regular last season scoring 5 goals and earned his fist Dutch cap November 2015.

Malcom (OVR 74 – POT 84)

French domestic football is still behind the likes of the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A, but there is some talent coming through in Ligue 1. Bordeaux man Malcom signed from Corinthians back in January, and after a settling in period, the Brazilian has started this season brilliantly. The 19-year-old has scored three goals in eight games, playing as an attacking midfielder or striker. He can bring you 92 agility, 86 acceleration and 84 balance, making him a great player to beat opponents with. He should set you back just shy of £15 million, with is current wages just £720.

Nadiem Amiri (OVR 75 – POT 83)

19-year-old Nadiem Amiri is another teenager with plenty of experience already. The German has represented Hoffenheim 37 times, picking four goals, four assists, and four yellow cards. The Germany U21 international has great agility (82), short passing (78) and dribbling (78), and with only two years left on his contract you should be able to sign him for less than £15 million, and £11,000 wages. He can play as an attacking, central or left midfielder.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (OVR 74 – POT 86)

When Manchester City signed Oleksandr Zinchenko in the summer, few would have thought very much of it, and the 19-year-old being loaned out to PSV Eindhoven looked fairly routine for a young player moving to a big club. But, attacking or right midfielder Zinchenko, who can also play as a left-wing-back, has already represented Russian side Ufa over 30 times, as well as earning eight caps for the Ukrainian national team, scoring one goal. If you sign him on Career Mode, he will give you 84 balance, 81 agility and 80 crossing, for a price of over £20 million, with his contract running all the way until 2023. His wages of £22,000 for a player of his age or not cheap either.

Amadou Diawara (OVR 74 – POT 84)

You may not have heard of new Napoli signing Amadou Diawara, but it was only a matter of time before the former Bologna man moved to a bigger club. The defensive or central midfielder made 34 appearances in his debut season in Serie A last season, making an 84% pass success rate. On FIFA 17 he has 82 aggression, 78 short passing and 78 agility, which will cost you around £13 million due to his new contract, but with £7,000 wages.

Alexis Blin (OVR 73 – POT 84)

Some French home-grown talent now, in the form of Toulouse holding midfielder Alexis Blin, who enjoyed a great season in Ligue 1 last year. The 19-year-old made 24 appearances last term and has started all eight games so far this season. For less than £10 million he can offer you 77 stamina, 75 interceptions, and 75 short passing. With wages of £720 you have nothing to lose, and if you are still unsure, you could always bring him in on loan.

Onyinye Ndidi (OVR 72 – POT 83)

Someone will need to take over the mantle from John Obi Mikel as the midfield anchor for the Nigerian national team, and Onyinye Ndidi looks to be that man. The 19-year-old is six foot two and currently, plays for Genk in Belgium. On FIFA 17, the defensive or central midfielder has 88-rated stamina, 78 sprint speed and 76 acceleration. He will cost you less than £10 million, and with minuscule wages of £720 per week.

Santiago Ascacibar (OVR 71 – POT 84)

Argentina have had some superb players over the past ten years, so many that there is no point even naming them. Santiago Ascacibar of Estudiantes could be the next one to break through after representing his country at the Olympics out in Rio. The 19-year-old has 92 jumping, 92 stamina and 87 balance on FIFA 17, and looks to have all the core ingredients to be a star holding man, straight out of the Javier Mascherano mould, as he is only five foot six inches tall.

Pablo Galdames (OVR 71 – POT 84)

19-year-old Chilean Pablo Galdames completes our top 10, and he the star young talent in the Chilean National League. The Union Espanola central or defensive midfielder has superb stamina (86), interceptions (85) and agility (82), and he has already chalked up 45 matches for his club. He is out of contract at the end of the season, so he should only set you back around £2 million, but with £14,000 wages.