Football Manager 2019 Wonderkids: Best 11

Wonderkids are the foundation of Football Manager, so much so that even the FM19 trailer centres around signing the next great wonderkid and building the team around him. Sooner or later, you will want to sign an exciting, young prospect to fire you up the league. 

In football nowadays, it seems if you are good enough, you’re old enough, with some crazy young talent out there. RealSport looks at the best team you can make up completely from wonderkids on Football Manager 2019.

How to find the best wonderkids on Football Manager 2019

Depending on the status of your club, it can be difficult to find young talent in the transfer market. Going on your assistant’s opinion, shown by star ratings, is risky as it doesn’t give an accurate account of a player’s quality. What does is Current Ability (CA) and Potential Ability (PA). This is not shown in-game on FM19, but is the only marker you can trust.

All of these wonderkids are aged 19 or younger and have a CA of at least 150 on Football Manager 2019. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma (CA 150 – PA 160-190)

Age: 19

Position: GK

Club: AC Milan

Country: Italy

Best stats: 18 jumping, 17 teamwork, 17 reflexes

Value: £19 million

Wage: £190,000 a week

Gianluigi Donnarumma is already a quality goalkeeper, bursting onto the scene aged 16 in Italy. Now 19, the stopper has taken namesake and idol Gianluigi Buffon’s number one spot for the Italian national team. For the first time since his breakthrough, he has a challenge at AC Milan, with Pepe Reina now also at the club.

The arrival of Reina could open the door for a move for Donnarumma, and with a value of £19 million it is possible. Wages of £190,000 are expensive, but it may be worth it for his longevity, with his 150 CA able to rise to a potential between 160 and 190. His best stats on FM 19 include 18 jumping, 17 teamwork and 17 reflexes. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold (CA 146 – PA 170)

Age: 19

Position: D (R), WB (R), DM, M (RC)

Club: Liverpool

Country: England

Best stats: 16 determination, 15 crossing, 15 pace

Value: £35 million

Wage: £40,000 a week

Trent Alexander-Arnold is another man whose stock continues to rise, with an injury to Nathaniel Clyne at Liverpool last season giving him a golden ticket to success. The boyhood Reds fan has never let go of the right back spot since, and performed so well that he travelled to the World Cup with England last summer. 

On FM 19, Alexander-Arnold is valued at £35 million but with reasonable wages of £40,000 a week. Stats of 16 determination, 15 crossing and 15 pace take his CA to 146, with the potential to reach 170. 

Dayot Upamecano (CA 135 – PA 172)

Age: 19

Position: D (C)

Club: RB Leipzig

Country: France

Best stats: 18 pace, 17 balance, 16 strength

Value: £7 million

Wage: £42,000 a week

Dayot Upamecano is one of many French star centre backs, and if the 19-year-old continues to shine for RB Leipzig he may be at a bigger club next season. The U21 international made the switch from partner club RB Salzburg back in 2016 and hasn’t looked back, helping Leipzig qualify for the Europa League in just their second Bundesliga season.

18 pace, 17 balance and 16 strength are incredible stats for a defender on FM 19, which gives Upamecano a 135 CA and a potential of 172 on the game. Valued at £7 million with wages of £42,000 a week, you need to move for the teenager.

Matthijs de Ligt (CA 138 – PA 160-190)

Age: 18

Position: D (C), DM

Club: Ajax

Country: Holland

Best stats: 16 determination, 15 passing, 15 heading

Value: £7 million

Wage: £11,000 a week

Matthijs de Ligt is another incredible, affordable centre back option. The 18-year-old centre back has been heavily linked with a move to either Barcelona or Bayern Munich of late, but his decision to stay has been justified with Ajax reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2006.

Already Ajax captain, De Ligt has stats of 16 determination, 15 passing and 16 heading on FM 19. His 138 CA can improve to a potential between 160 and 190, which sees him valued at just £7 million with wages of only £11,000 a week. 

Gian-Luca Itter (CA 120 – PA 156)

Age: 19

Position: D (L), WB (L)

Club: Wolfsburg

Country: Germany

Best stats: 16 teamwork, 15 pace, 15 work rate

Value: £2.1 million

Wage: £4,000 a week

A name you may not be familiar with, Gian-Luca Itter has only notched six appearances for Wolfsburg’s first team. Despite that, he has been a regular in Germany’s youth sides, racking up 33 appearances between U15 and U20 level. If you want to pick up someone under the radar, the 19-year-old is your man.

Itter’s 120 CA consists of 16 teamwork, 15 pace and 15 work rate. Those will receive greater support as he grows to a potential of 156, making his £2.1 million value and £4,000 a week wages very appealing, 

Mickael Cuisance (CA 125 – PA 168)

Age: 18

Position: AM (C), M (C)

Club: Borussia Monchengladbach

Country: France

Best stats: 16 vision, 16 passing, 16 technique

Value: £4.3 million

Wage: £26,000 a week

32 first team appearances for ‘Gladbach aged 18, expect Mickael Cuisance to emerge as one of the top central midfielders in the world. A conventional box-to-box midfielder, the French U20 international has been linked with a move back to his homeland with PSG, whilst their midfielder Adrien Rabiot seeks a move away.

Cuisance has a 125 CA on FM 19, which can improve to a 168 potential. His £4.3 valuation and £26,000 a week wages are earned through his 16 vision, 16 passing and 16 technique. 

Kai Havertz (CA 140 – PA 176)

Age: 19

Position: AM (C), M (C)

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Country: Germany

Best stats: 17 vision, 17 composure, 16 pace

Value: £19 million

Wage: £26,000 a week

The second best wonderkid in the game, Kai Havertz epitomises the amount of young talent in the Bundesliga. The 19-year-old has chalked up 67 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, which saw him claim his first of two German caps in September 2018. With seven goals and six assists in 19 games already this season, keep an eye on the attacking midfielder.

Havertz has stats of 17 vision, 17 composure and 16 pace to take his CA to 140. This can improve to a potential of 176, meaning he is valued at £19 million with wages of £26,000 a week. 

Phil Foden (CA 130 – PA 175)

Age: 18

Position: AM (C)

Club: Manchester City

Country: England

Best stats: 16 vision, 16 flair, 16 agility

Value: £31 million

Wage: £12,000 a week

England had a fantastic World Cup, but things are set to get even better, with Phil Foden one of the top talents coming through. The Manchester City man won the Golden Ball at the 2017 U17 World Cup as England lifted the trophy, and is now a firm part of City’s plans under Pep Guardiola. The 18-year-old has now made 22 appearances for the first team, and has been promoted to England’s U21 squad.

Attacking midfielder Foden has a 130 CA on FM 19, which can improve to a very impressive potential of 175. Stats of 16 vision, 16 flair and 16 agility do come with a heavy value of £31 million and wages of £12,000 a week. A loan move may be more sensible for now.

Kylian Mbappe (CA 173 – PA 196)

Age: 19

Position: AM (R), ST

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: France

Best stats: 20 pace, 19 acceleration, 18 flair

Value: £71 million

Wage: £325,000 a week

THE wonderkid. Kylian Mbappe is already a world class player aged just 19. The right winger or striker has had a crazy first few years in professional football, winning two Ligue 1 titles back-to-back with different clubs, being subject to a £140 million move and claiming a World Cup with France. With so much achieved already, you wonder how much the youngster will accomplish by the end of his career.

20 pace, 19 acceleration and 18 flair see Mbappe reach a 175 CA which can rise to a crazy PA of 196. Valued at £71 million, it will be near impossible to sign him with a further £325,000 required for his wages. 

Fiete Arp (CA 118 – PA 167)

Age: 18

Position: ST

Club: Hamburg

Country: Germany

Best stats: 16 finishing, 15 teamwork, 15 first touch

Value: £2.9 million

Wage: £26,000 a week

Following relegation from the Bundesliga, Fiete Arp should now get his opportunity to impress at Hamburg. After scoring on his debut in the top-flight last season, Arp has struggled but so has the rest of the squad, and aged 18 and with a sensational youth record, he should come good. For Germany U17s he bagged 18 goals in 19 games, but has scored just the once in his first ten first team games.

16 finishing, 15 teamwork and 15 first touch see Arp receive a 118 CA, which can continue to grow to a potential of 167. Valued at £2.9 million with £26,000 a week wages, this is a man who could be snapped up in the near future.

Jadon Sancho (CA 137 – PA 175)

Age: 18

Position: AM (RL), M (RL)

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Country: England

Best stats: 18 agility, 17 acceleration, 16 dribbling

Value: £14 million

Wage: £34,500 a week

England’s new star, it is only a matter of time before Jadon Sancho has a regular starting spot for the Three Lions. The 18-year-old has taken Germany by storm this season, notching nine assists and five goals in all competitions. The Borussia Dortmund number 7 joined the club from Manchester City at the start of last season to replace Ousmane Dembele, and was deemed too important from the get-go, that he was not allowed to compete in the knockout stages of England’s U17 World Cup win.

A 137 CA for Sancho can grow to a potential of 175, with his best stats being his 18 agility, 17 acceleration and 16 dribbling. A value of £14 million and £34,500 a week wages make a move possible, but move quick to avoid those rising.

Football Manager Wonderkid XI

ALL the best wonderkids on Football Manager 2019