Central and defensive midfielders are the heartbeat of the side. They are the players who will start attacks, pick out the forward players, set the tempo of a game and make important challenges in the middle of the park. With so many skills needed to play in central or defensive midfield, there are very few young talents who shine in those positions. If you can find one of these gems early in their careers, they can set you up for the next ten years, so make sure you find the right midfielder for you.
All the following wonderkids are teenagers (aged 19 and below) and have a potential ability of at least 140.
READ: FM 19 wonderkids: Best midfielders (Attacking, defensive and central) to sign
Central midfielders
If you want a box-to-box man who can do everything in the park, these are the talented youngsters you need to look at.
For a full list of ALL the wonderkid central and defensive midfielders, visit the table at the bottom of this page.
Renato Sanches (CA 140 – PA 167)
Age: 19
Positions: M (C), DM, AM (C)
Club: Swansea (on loan from Bayern Munich)
Country: Portugal
Best attributes: 18 balance, 15 agility, 15 technique
Value: £10.2 million
Wage: £25,700 a week
Regarded as one of the hottest prospects in the world, it has been a tough 12 months or so for Renato Sanches. The 19-year-old central, defensive or attacking midfielder made a name for himself at Benfica and then starred during Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph, but he suffered after making the £31 million move to Bayern Munich. A lack of consistent game-time caused Sanches’s level to drop, and he has thus been sent out on loan to Premier League side Swansea this season.
Renato’s 140 CA can rise to an impressive 167, with his best attributes being his 18 balance, 15 agility and 15 technique. You will have to wait until summer 2018 to get hold of Sanches, where he will set you back close to £40 million and £25,700 a week wages.
Wendel (CA 137 – PA 168)
Age: 19
Positions: M (C), DM
Club: FLU (Fluminese)
Country: Brazil
Best attributes: 16 stamina 15 technique, 14 first touch
Value: £5 million
Wage: £8,500 a week
A top talent in his native Brazil, the 19-year-old Wendel has chalked up 39 appearances for Fluminense in 2017. It may have been the first season on his professional career, but if he maintains this level, it won’t be long before the big guns in Europe come calling.
You can grab central or defensive midfielder Wendel for close to £30 million on FM 18, with his current wages £8,500 a week. 16 stamina, 15 technique and 14 first touch contribute to his 135 current ability, which can rise to a 168 potential.
Sander Berge (CA 123 – PA 150-180)
Age: 19
Positions: M (C), DM, AM (C)
Club: Genk
Country: Norway
Best attributes: 14 strength, 14 technique, 14 anticipation
Value: £4.2 million
Wage: £31,000 a week
Already a Norway international, Genk man Sander Berge has been tipped for a big future. The central, defensive or attacking midfielder has impressed over 40 appearances for the Belgian club, and if he continues this steady development, expect the 19-year-old to make the move to one of Europe’s big five leagues in around three seasons or so.
14 strength, 14 technique and 14 anticipation add towards Berge’s 123 current ability score, which can rise to a potential between 150 and 180. You are looking at a fee of around £30 million for Berge, with wages of £31,000 a week.
Afonso Sousa (CA 82 – PA 150-180)
Age: 17
Positions: M (C), AM (C)
Club: FCP (Porto)
Country: Portugal
Best attributes: 13 technique, 12 first touch, 12 pace
Value: £2,500
Wage £1,600 a week
A fairly unknown quantity, with Porto’s Afonso Sousa having played just twice for their UEFA Youth League side. The 17-year-old has risen up through the Portugal setup from U15 to U18 level, so look out for his name in years to come.
Sousa’s 82 current ability score consists of 13 technique, 12 first touch and 12 pace, with a potential between 150 and 180. With a value of just £2,500, you may only need £100,000 or less to sign Sousa, and his wages are only £1,600 a week.
Salih Ozcan (CA 124 – PA 149)
Age: 18
Positions: M (C), AM (C), DM
Club: Koln
Country: Germany
Best attributes: 15 movement, 15 balance, 14 technique
Value: £3 million
Wage: £4,000 a week
Koln’s Salih Ozcan made his Bundesliga debut last season, going on to make 13 appearances, and he looks like an accomplished player. The German U20 international now starts more games than not, but with Koln propping up the Bundesliga table, it will be a massive test of the 18-year-old’s character.
You will need around £25 million to secure the central, attacking or defensive midfielder's services, with his wages currently only £4,000 a week. 15 movement, 15 balance and 14 technique help make up Ozcan’s 124 current ability score, with his potential a respectable 149.
Defensive midfielders
If you want more protection in midfield, you will want a defensive midfielder. If you play in a formation with ‘DM’ in the title these are the wonderkids for you.
Douglas Luiz (CA 134 – PA 152)
Age: 19
Positions: DM, M (C)
Club: Girona (on loan from Manchester City)
Country: Brazil
Best attributes: 15 marking, 14 agility, 14 acceleration
Value: £14 million
Wage: £40,000 a week
Manchester City have a plethora of talent at their disposal, but you may not know that they have the talented Douglas Luiz currently away on loan at Girona. The defensive or central midfielder’s performances at former club Vasco da Gama, getting them promoted, earned him a move to City, but his loan spell at Girona has been difficult, making just two starts so far this season.
Luiz has a 134 current ability score, which can rise to a strong potential of 152. His 15 marking, 14 agility and 14 acceleration can be yours for a price of close to £30 million, with wages of £40,000 a week.
Claudio Gomes (CA 92 – PA 150-180)
Age: 17
Positions: DM
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: France
Best attributes: 14 agility, 14 balance, 13 pace
Value: £186,000
Wage: £1,200 a week
Captain of the French U18 side, it may not be long before the 17-year-old Claudio Gomes gets a look in with the PSG first team. With a lack of conventional holding midfielders at the club since the departure of Blaise Matuidi, a couple of injuries to the squad could being Gomes into the fold.
The defensive midfielder has 14 agility, 14 balance and 13 pace to his game, which will cost you as little as £1 million. For his wages of £1,200 a week you can get Gomes’s 92 current ability score with a potential between 150 and 180.
Assane Diousse (CA 128 – PA 149)
Age: 19
Positions: DM, M (C)
Club: Saint-Etienne
Country: Senegal
Best attributes: 15 strength, 15 stamina, 15 balance
Value: £4.6 million
Wage: £9,300 a week
After impressing in Italy with Empoli, defensive or central midfielder Assane Diousse made the switch to French club Saint-Etienne. The 19-year-old is slowly asserting himself in France, making seven starts, and with ASSE once again sat in mid-table, the Senegalese Diousse just needs to concentrate on his own performances.
You are looking at a fee upwards of £25 million for Diousse, with his current wages £9,300 a week. 15 strength, 15 stamina and 15 balance make up his solid 128 CA, with his potential ability at 149.
Dennis Geiger (CA 124 – PA 148)
Age: 19
Positions: DM, M (C)
Club: Hoffenheim
Country: Germany
Best attributes: 15 technique, 15 agility, 14 passing
Value: £4 million
Wage: £1,300 a week
Hoffenheim are big investors in youth, and defensive or central midfielder Dennis Geiger looks to be one of the next prospects coming through the club. The 19-year-old has chipped in with two goals in ten Bundesliga games this season and has worked his way up to the Germany U21 side.
Geiger as a 124 CA and 148 PA on the game, with his attributes being 15 technique, 15 agility and 14 passing. For those skills you will need close to £35 million and increase his wages of £1,300 a week.
Dzenis Burnic (CA 117 – PA 143)
Age: 19
Positions: DM, M (C)
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Country: Germany
Best attributes: 15 passing, 15 vision, 15 technique
Value: £2.5 million
Wage: £4,000 a week
Also in Germany we find the 19-year-old Dzenis Burnic. The Borussia Dortmund man made his debut for the club last season, and the defensive or central midfielder has built on that with six appearances this year.
The German U20 international will cost you around £20 million and a further £4,000 a week in wages. His 15 passing, 15 vision and 15 technique contribute to a 117 current ability score, which can rise to a potential of 143.
More wonderkid central midfielders
Player | A | Pos | Club | Country | CA/ PA | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dennis Geiger | 19 | DM M (C) | Hoffenheim | Germany | 124/ 148 | £4m | £1k |
Vasilije Janjicic | 19 | M (C) DM AM (C) | Hamburg | Switz’land | 121/ 145 | £2m | £7k |
Aymen Barkok | 19 | M (C) AM (C) | Frankfurt | Germany | 123/ 144 | £3m | £4k |
Orel Mangala | 19 | M (C) AM (C) | Stuttgart | Belgium | 118/ 144 | £3m | £4k |
Laszlo Benes | 19 | M (C) AM (C) | BMG | Slovakia | 120/ 140 | £3m | £4k |
Manuel Locatelli | 19 | M (C) DM | AC Milan | Italy | 132/ >140 | £8m | £25k |
Tom Davies | 19 | M (C) DM AM (C) | Everton | England | 132/ >140 | £4m | £25k |
Timothy Fosu-Mensah | 18 | M (C) D (RC) DM | Man United* | Holland | 130/ >140 | £15m | £15k |
Carles Alena | 19 | M (C) AM (C) | Barcelona B | Spain | 120/ >140 | £1m | £4k |
Mickael Cuisance | 17 | M (C) AM (C) | BMG | France | 118/ >140 | £3m | £2k |
Gedson Fernandes | 18 | M (C) D (R) AM (R) | SLB B | Portugal | 116/ >140 | £200k | £2k |
Andrija Balic | 19 | M (C) DM AM (C) | Udinese | Croatia | 116/ >140 | £2m | £10k |
Mamadou Coulibaly | 18 | M (C) DM | Udinese | Senegal | 112/ >140 | £400k | £2k |
Atakan Akkaynak | 18 | DM M (C) | Leverkusen | Germany | 110/ >140 | £400k | £2k |
Filippo Melegoni | 18 | M (C) DM | Atalanta | Italy | 105/ >140 | £500k | £1k |
Matt O’Riley | 16 | M (C) AM (C) DM | Fulham | England | 100/ >140 | £170k | £100 |
Tiago Dantas | 16 | M (C) | SLB | Portugal | 90/ >140 | £500 | £50 |
Manolo Portanova | 17 | M (C) DM | Juventus | Italy | 88/ >140 | £170k | £200 |
Fabrizio Caligara | 17 | M (C) | Juventus | Italy | 86/ >140 | £150k | £200 |
Gaspar Campos-Anso | 17 | M (C) AM (C) | S. Gijon B | Spain | 82/ >140 | £90k | £400 |
More wonderkid defensive midfielders
Player | A | Pos | Club | Country | CA/ PA | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weston McKennie | 18 | DM M (C) | Schalke | USA | 124/ >140 | £3m | £13k |
Federico Valverde | 19 | DM M (C) | R. Madid B* | Uruguay | 120/ >140 | £1m | £4k |
Atakan Akkaynak | 18 | DM M (C) | Leverkusen | Germany | 110/ >140 | £450k | £2k |
Florentino Luis | 18 | DM | SLB | Portugal | 95/ >140 | £60k | £1k |
Manuel Morlanes | 18 | DM M (C) | Villarreal B | Spain | 90/ >140 | £200k | £50 |
Martin Calderon | 18 | DM M (C) | R. Madrid B | Spain | 84/ >140 | £65k | £50 |
Ben Godfrey | 19 | DM M (C) | Norwich | England | 111/ 140 | £1m | £1k |
*Denotes player is on loan
Who have you signed on Football Manager 2018? Let us know in the comments section below.
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