Football Manager 2019 Wonderkids: Best Strikers to Sign

Scoring goals wins games. It's a pretty simple statement and yet hard to accomplish. Having someone who can consistently put the ball in the back of the net is often the difference between a competitive team and one that lifts silverware. It is no coincidence that Real Madrid and Barcelona, home of this generations best goal-scorers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have dominated club football's biggest prize over the last decade.

How to choose the best wonderkid strikers in Football Manager 2019

In this article we are looking at the wonderkid strikers in FM 19. These are players who are teenagers when you start a new game in June 2018 and are naturals at the striker position. They all have a potential ability range above 130, and could be greats if developed correctly. Not all of these players are ready to jump into Premier League or Serie A action right away, but they all have the talent to be game-changers for almost any team in Football Manager 2019.

Kylian Mbappe (CA 173 - PA 196)

Age: 19

Position: AM (R), ST

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: France

Best Attributes: Pace (20), Acceleration (19), Flair (18)

Value: £71 million

Wage: £325,000 a week

It should be no surprise to see Kylian Mbappe top our list of wonderkid strikers. The Paris Saint-Germain man exploded onto the scene for Monaco during their remarkable 2016-17 campaign. The club won their eighth French League title and made a terrific run to the semi-finals of the Champions League, with Mbappe scoring 26 goals in all. He made a massive €180 million transfer to PSG and became a national hero this summer as he was France's best player during their 2018 World Cup triumph.

In FM 19 Mbappe is already an incredible player. He has sensational athleticism (20 pace, 19 acceleration) and is exceptional on the ball (18 technique, 17 dribbling, 16 first touch) he is deadly in front of goal (16 finishing) and can bring others into play too (13 vision, 13 passing).

Fiete Arp (CA 118 - PA 167)

Age: 18

Position: ST

Club: Hamburg

Country: Germany

Best Attributes: Finishing (16), First Touch (15), Off The Ball (15)

Value: £2.9 million

Wage: £26,000 a week

Fiete Arp started his career with Hamburg and was the first Bundesliga player born in the 2000s after he made his debut this time last year. He has already made several appearances for Hamburg despite his age and has scored for them too. He has progressed up to the Germany Under-17 team, scoring 18 times in 19 games.

While not on Kylian Mbappe's level, Fiete Arp is a very good talent in Football Manager 2019. He already has very good finishing (16) and ball skills (15 first touch, 13 technique). He is a strong athlete (14 pace, 14 natural fitness, 12 strength) for a teenager and has solid mental attributes too (15 teamwork, 15 off the ball, 14 anticipation).

Pietro Pellegri (CA 114 - PA Range 160-190)

Age: 17

Position: ST

Club: Monaco

Country: Italy

Best Attributes: Jumping (15), Strength (14), Finishing (14)

Value: £1.3 million

Wage: £17,500 a week

Pietro Pellegri came up through the Genoa youth system, making his senior debut with the team in December 2016. He ended up making just nine appearances for them, scoring three times, before making a €25 million move to Monaco in January 2018 at just 16 years old.

In FM 19 Pietro Pellegri is a terrific talent for the future and is already capable of competing for lower sides. He has very good instincts in front of goal (14 finishing, 13 penalty taking) and is a good physically too (15 jumping, 14 strength, 13 pace). He has a few good mental attributes which will help his development as well (15 determination, 14 bravery, 13 work rate).

Juan Hernandez (CA 125 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 19

Position: AM (C), ST

Club: Huesca

Country: Colombia

Best Attributes: Penalty Taking (15), Finishing (14), Pace (14)

Value: £8.5 million

Wage: £17,000 a week

Juan Hernandez started his career with Deportivo Pereira in Colombia. He played 55 games there, scoring 23 times and making his debut at just 15 years old. He signed with Spanish side Granada in September 2016 but didn't play a game for them, instead going on loan to America de Cali. He then had his rights assigned to Watford but is yet to play for them, instead joining Spanish side Huesca on loan for the 2017-18 season where his 16 goals helped them win promotion to La Liga, he remains on loan with them to start FM 19.

Hernandez is not battle-tested at the highest level, but he is still a fantastic prospect for the future. He is already good in front of goal (15 penalty taking, 14 finishing) and has decent speed too (14 pace, 13 acceleration). Mentally he is solid for a teenager too (14 determination, 14 flair, 13 composure).

Moise Kean (CA 120 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 18

Position: AM (L), ST

Club: Juventus

Country: Italy

Best Attributes: Natural Fitness (18), Determination (15), Off The Ball (15)

Value: £2.5 million

Wage: £17,500 a week

Moise Kean joined Juventus at age 10 and made his full debut for them in November 2016 at just 16 years old. He has played only three times for them, scoring once. He spent the 2017-18 season on loan to Verona, where he played 19 times and scored four goals. He's also been capped up to Italy's Under-21 side.

In FM 19 Kean is already a solid player. His terrific natural fitness (18) means he can log more minutes than most teenagers and will develop quickly, while his talent in front of goal (14 finishing, 13 dribbling, 11 first touch) will make him immediately useful for a lower league side. He has good mental attributes (15 off the ball, 15 determination, 13 decisions) too.

Amine Gouiri (CA 108 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 18

Position: ST

Club: Olympique Lyonnais

Country: France

Best Attributes: Finishing (14), Natural Fitness (14), Dribbling (13)

Value: £800,000

Wage: £7,300 a week

Amine Gouiri came up through Lyon's youth system and made his first-team debut with the club at just 17. He logged 17 appearances, with four goals, for the reserve side before becoming a regular with the first team, where he is yet to score. He has progressed to the France Under-19 side however, scoring seven goals in eight games.

In FM 19 Gouiri is an exciting prospect who will need a little seasoning before you can play him every week in the Premier League or La Liga. He is good in front of goal (14 finishing, 13 first touch, 12 penalty taking) and can move the ball in possession (13 dribbling, 13 technique, 12 passing). He has fine athleticism (14 natural fitness, 12 pace, 12 strength) and some solid mental attributes to help his development (13 off the ball, 13 determination, 13 composure).

Abel Ruiz (CA 107 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 18

Position: ST

Club: Barcelona

Country: Spain

Best Attributes: Determination (20), Pace (15), First Touch (15)

Value: £625,000

Wage: £2,700 a week

Abel Ruiz began his youth career with Valencia but at the age of 12 moved to Barcelona and has risen through their ranks. He debuted for the reserve side in April 2017 and has played 16 games for Barcelona B so far, scoring three times. He is yet to make his senior first team debut but has progressed to Spain's Under-19 side, scoring five times in his eight games to date.

In Football Manager 2019 Ruiz is a rather extreme striker. He has some excellent stats, like his ability in front of goal (15 finishing, 15 heading, 15 technique) and has excellent determination (20) which will help him improve quickly, but unlike some others he is weak in open play (9 passing, 8 crossing). He does have good speed (15 pace, 15 acceleration) with which to torment defenders though.

Willem Geubbels (CA 106 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 16

Position: AM (L), ST

Club: Monaco

Country: France

Best Attributes: Flair (15), Pace (14), Jumping (14)

Value: £675,000 

Wage: £8,000 a week

Willem Geubbels came up through the Lyon youth system and made his first-team debut with OL in September 2017, becoming the first 21st century born player in Ligue 1. He made just two appearances, both as a substitute, for Lyon however. He made a €20 million move to Monaco in June 2018 and also made it to the France Under-18 team, where he has scored twice in seven games.

Geubbels starts FM 19 at just 16 years old, and with that in mind he is already a remarkable player. He has good athleticism (14 natural fitness, 14 pace, 14 jumping) and is solid in front of goal (12 finishing, 12 penalty taking, 12 first touch). He has a good head on his shoulders (15 flair, 14 determination, 12 work rate) to aid his development and can also help somewhat with build-up play (13 technique, 12 dribbling, 10 passing).

Fabio Silva (CA 80 - PA Range 150-180)

Age: 15

Position: ST

Club: FCP

Country: Portugal

Best Attributes: Determination (14), Composure (13), Technique (13)

Value: £9,000

Wage: £55 a week

Fabio Silva has risen through the ranks at Porto and is currently in the Under-19 side despite being just 16. He has also been capped four times by Portugal in their Under-19 side, having scored eight goals in 13 games for younger national sides.

Silva starts FM 19 at just 15, which is crazy and yet he is already a solid player. He has good mental attributes for a player so young (14 determination, 13 composure, 12 off the ball) which will help him develop, and he is already pretty good in front of goal (13 technique, 12 finishing, 12 penalty taking). Physically he is not yet matured, as you'd expect, but as a prospect for three or four years down the line Fabio Silva is well worth developing. 

Musa Barrow (CA 132 - PA Range 140-170)

Age: 19

Position: ST

Club: Atalanta 

Country: Gambia

Best Attributes: Acceleration (15), Pace (15), Finishing (14)

Value: £6.75 million

Wage: £8,000 a week

Musa Barrow joined Atalanta in 2016 from Gambia where he didn't have an official team. In his first appearance for the youth team he scored twice and was soon moved up front. He made his professional debut with the team at 18 in a Coppa Italia tie against Juventus and has gone on to make 13 appearances to date, scoring three goals. He also won his first full international cap in September 2018.

In FM 19 Musa Barrow is already a well-developed athlete (15 pace, 15 acceleration, 14 natural fitness) and has several strong mental attributes (14 anticipation, 14 off the ball, 13 composure). This all combines with good ability in front of goal (14 finishing) and some skill with the ball that can help in build up play (13 first touch, 13 dribbling, 13 technique, 12 passing).

All the best wonderkid strikers on Football Manager 2019