Wingers have emerged into perhaps the most dangerous players on the pitch over the past few years. With more space out wide, players can drive at their opponents and cut in with their dominant foot and look to strike at goal. The rise of counter-attacking has also helped these pacey players cause even more damage.
So on Football Manager 2019 who should you be signing? RealSport looks at the best right and left midfielders and wingers for you to pick up in the transfer market.
For a full list of all the wingers and wide midfielders rated with a current ability (CA) score of 150 or higher, visit the table near the end of the page.
Right wingers (AMR) & Right Midfielders (MR)
There are some dangerous players on the right side of the pitch, with many of them possessing a dominant left foot. Sign any of these guys and you will have yourself a serious weapon in your team.
Lionel Messi (CA 195 – PA 199)
Age: 31
Positions: AM (RC), ST
Club: Barcelona
Country: Argentina
Best stats: 20 finishing, 20 dribbling, 20 flair
Value: £85 million
Wage: £1.2 million a week
Lionel Messi is equally adept at paying as a right winger or striker on FM 2019, but wherever you field him, this guy will do some damage. The 31-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best players of all time, scoring over 600 goals for club and country and claiming nine league titles and three Champions Leagues with Barcelona.
On FM, Messi has 20 finishing, 20 dribbling and 20 flair to take him to a 195 CA. This has fallen from a 199 potential, but even still it is unlikely you’ll sign him due to a £85 million and massive wages of £1.2 million a week.
Gareth Bale (CA 182 – PA 186)
Age: 28
Positions: AM (LRC), ST
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Wales
Best stats: 19 long shots, 18 heading, 18 pace
Value: £81 million
Wage: £482,000 a week
With no Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, all eyes are on Gareth Bale to be their superstar. The Welshman has it in him to do just that, just look at his goals in the Champions League final, but he must stay fit to help Los Blancos push for a fourth successive European title.
Bale’s 182 potential is only four off his 186 potential, and at the age of 28 he could still improve. 19 long shots, 18 heading and pace take him to a value of £81 million and £482,000 a week.
Mohamed Salah (CA 180 – PA 188)
Age: 26
Positions: AM (LR), ST
Club: Liverpool
Country: Egypt
Best stats: 18 finishing, 18 pace, 18 off the ball
Value: £52 million
Wage: £200,000 a week
Mohamed Salah took the Premier League by storm last season, scoring 32 goals in the division, breaking the record for the most goals in a 38-game campaign. The Egyptian has formed a deadly strike trio alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, which helped Liverpool reach the Champions League final last season.
18 finishing, 18 pace and 18 off the ball make Salah super-reliable, and help take him to a 180 CA. That can rise to a potential of 188 for the 26-year-old, valuing him at £52 million with a £200,000 a week salary.
Kylian Mbappe (CA 173 – PA 196)
Age: 19
Positions: AM (R), ST
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: France
Best stats: 20 pace, 19 acceleration, 18 flair
Value: £67 million
Wage: £322,000 a week
Another man who had a crazy year is Kylian Mbappe. Following a provisional £166 million move to PSG, the winger and striker scored 21 goals and assisted a further 15 in all competitions, winning all four domestic trophies and capped it all off by winning the World Cup with France in the summer.
20 pace, 19 acceleration and 18 flair take Mbappe to a 171 CA, which could rise all the way to a frightening 196 PA. Valued at £67 million, perhaps a move isn’t out of the question in the years to come with the 19-year-old’s wages £322,000 a week.
Sadio Mane (CA 171 – PA 175)
Age: 26
Positions: AM (LR), ST
Club: Liverpool
Country: Senegal
Best stats: 17 ambition, 17 pace, 16 first touch
Value: £54.6 million
Wage: £100,000 a week
Sadio Mane is the ‘third man’ in Liverpool’s strike trio, but the Senegalese star has still managed to score 27 goals and add nine assists since Salah moved to Anfield. The 26-year-old can play on both flanks, making him a great asset to any club.
Mane’s is valued at £54.6 million with wages of £100,000 a week and could be worth a move considering his 171 CA and 175 potential. The winger’s best abilities include 17 ambition, 17 pace and 16 first touch.
All the best right wingers
Player | A | Pos | Club | Country | CA | PA | V | W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lionel Messi | 31 | AM (RC) ST | Barcelona | Argentina | 195 | 199 | £85m | £1.2m |
Gareth Bale | 28 | AM (LRC) ST | R. Madrid | Wales | 182 | 186 | £81m | £482k |
Mohamed Salah | 26 | AM (LR) ST | Liverpool | Egypt | 180 | 188 | £52m | £200k |
Kylian Mbappe | 19 | AM (R) ST | PSG | France | 173 | 196 | £67m | £322k |
Sadio Mane | 26 | AM (LR) ST | Liverpool | Senegal | 171 | 175 | £55m | £100k |
Ousmane Dembele | 21 | AM (LR) M (RL) | Barcelona | France | 162 | 185 | £52m | £207k |
Juan Cuadrado | 30 | D (R) WB (R) AM (R) M (R) | Juventus | Colombia | 161 | 163 | £53m | £128k |
Willian | 29 | AM (LRC) M (C) | Chelsea | Brazil | 160 | 162 | £52m | £120k |
Raheem Sterling | 23 | AM (LRC) M (RL) | Man City | England | 160 | 165 | £62m | £150k |
Jose Callejon | 31 | AM (R) ST | Napoli | Spain | 159 | 162 | £44m | £96k |
Left wingers and midfielders
On the left even more of the world’s stars. Cristiano Ronaldo has transitioned into a striker however, so you won’t find him here amongst this crazy talent.
Neymar (CA 189 – PA 194)
Age: 26
Positions: AM (LC), M (L), ST
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Brazil
Best stats: 20 dribbling, 20 technique, 19 ambition
Value: £94 million
Wage: £633,000 a week
Neymar left Barcelona just over a year ago to become the star, and although he picked up the Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, he may already be playing second fiddle to Kylian Mbappe in Paris. Neymar has the greater skill however, and has still managed to back 39 goals and 22 assists in just 43 games in a PSG shirt.
Left winger Neymar has crazy stats of 20 dribbling, 20 technique and 19 ambition on FM, which give him a 189 CA. That can rise to a scary potential of 194 for the 26-year-old, but a transfer seems unlikely due to a £94 million vale and £633,000 a week wage.
Eden Hazard (CA 180 – PA 185)
Age: 27
Positions: AM (LRC)
Club: Chelsea
Country: Belgium
Best stats: 20 dribbling, 20 agility, 19 penalty taking
Value: £80 million
Wage: £224,000 a week
A scintillating start to the season following on from on a brilliant World Cup, Eden Hazard has entered the conversation for the best player in the world. The Chelsea man has eight goals and three assists in his first 11 matches of the campaign so far, and with him in this form, the Blues are genuine title contenders.
Belgium star Hazard has 20 dribbling, 20 agility and 19 penalty taking take the left winger to a 179 CA which can improve to a 185 potential. An £80 million value and £224,000 a week wage sounds step, but the 27-year-old’s contract is up at the end of next season, opening the door for a transfer.
Philippe Coutinho (CA 174 – PA 179)
Age: 26
Positions: AM (LRC)
Club: Barcelona
Country: Brazil
Best stats: 18 dribbling, 18 flair, 18 technique
Value: £69 million
Wage: £404,000 a week
A very versatile player, Coutinho can play anywhere in the attacking positions behind the striker. The 26-year-old has improved since moving to Barcelona, helping fill the void left by Neymar with 15 goals and nine assists in 36 games.
Coutinho has a 174 CA on the game, which can rise to a 179 potential for the 26-year-old. 18 dribbling, 18 flair and 18 technique value him at only £69 million but with £404,000 a week wages.
Douglas Costa (CA 170 – PA 172)
Age: 27
Positions: AM (LR), M (L)
Club: Juventus
Country: Brazil
Best stats: 19 acceleration, 19 dribbling, 18 pace
Value: £65 million
Wage: £192,000 a week
Douglas Costa has lost a regular place at Juventus due to the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Brazilian still offers the club plenty. 13 Serie A assists last season shows he is a serious threat, but at the age of 27 he needs to playing week-in, week-out, with just too much competition to do so in Turin.
Costa has a 170 CA which can creep up to a potential of 172 in the near future. 19 acceleration, 19 dribbling and 18 pace value him at £65 million with a £192,000 a week wage.
Marco Reus (CA 167 – PA 168)
Age: 29
Positions: AM (LC), ST
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Country: Germany
Best stats: 18 off the ball, 18 acceleration, 17 finishing
Value: £61 million
Wage: £138,000 a week
One of football's great characters, Marco Reus has endured a difficult few seasons at Borussia Dortmund blighted by injury, but looks to be firmly on his way back to the top. Handed the captaincy at the Westfalenstadion this season, the 29-year-old has been at the fore with eight goals and seven assists in all competitions (14 matches), with BVB top of the Bundesliga.
On FM, Reus has 18 off the ball, 18 acceleration and 17 finishing to his game, which help him to a 167 CA. This is just one shy of his 168 potential, so with a value of £61 million and £138,000 a week wages, he is certainly one to consider.
All the best left wingers
Player | A | Pos | Club | Country | CA | PA | V | W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neymar | 26 | AM (LC) M (L) ST | PSG | Brazil | 189 | 194 | £94m | £633k |
Eden Hazard | 27 | AM (LRC) | Chelsea | Belgium | 18e | 185 | £80m | £224k |
Philippe Coutinho | 26 | AM (LRC) | Barcelona | Brazil | 174 | 179 | £69m | £404k |
Sadio Mane | 26 | AM (LR) ST | Liverpool | Senegal | 171 | 175 | £55m | £100k |
Douglas Costa | 27 | AM (LR) M (L) | Juventus | Brazil | 170 | 172 | £65m | £192k |
Marco Reus | 29 | AM (LC) M (L) | Borussia Dortmund | Germany | 167 | 168 | £61m | £138k |
Lorenzo Insigne | 27 | AM (LC) ST | Napoli | Italy | 166 | 169 | £60m | £147k |
Alexis Sanchez | 29 | AM (LR) ST | Man United | Chile | 165 | 182 | £65m | £250k |
Leroy Sane | 22 | AM (LR) M (L) | Man City | Germany | 164 | 177 | £62m | £95k |
Ivan Perisic | 29 | AM (LR) M (L) | Inter | Croatia | 159 | 160 | £49m | £128k |
A = AgeCA = Current AbilityPA = Potential AbilityV = ValueW = Wage