Football Manager 2020: All the best midfielders (DM, MC, AMC) to buy – De Bruyne, Silva, Pogba & more

Midfielders dictate the tempo of a football match.

So many skills are required to play in the middle of the park
– passing, tackling, positioning, stamina, discipline, aggression and even  shooting.

Whether you play with two central midfiedlers, a defensive
mid or a number 10 – these players make up the spin of your team, and will be crucial
to your success on Football Manager 2020.

RealSport runs through the best players in the middle of the park on the game, and you are in for a few surprises.

Kevin De Bruyne (CA 188 – PA 188)

Age: 27

Position: M (C), AM (C)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Belgium

Best Attributes: 20 vision. 19 crossing, 19 passing

Value: £88 million

Wage: £230,000 a week

Few can deny Kevin De Bruyne doesn’t deserve top billing in the midfielders,
with the Man City man claiming back-to-back Premier League titles. The Belgian
did miss much of last season down to injury niggles, but he looks back to his
best this term with nine assists in 11 Premier League games.

27-year-old De Bruyne has stats of 20 vision, 19 crossing and 19 passing
on FM20, seeing his CA at 188. With the central or attacking midfielder at his
prime, you will need close to £150 million to sign him, and match his £230,000
a week wages.

David Silva (CA 175 – PA 179)

Age: 33

Position: M (C), AM (C)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Spain

Best Attributes: 19 technique, 19 first touch, 18 dribbling

Value: £24 million

Wage: £160,000 a week

De Bruyne’s partner in crime, David Silva is still going strong aged 33. The former Spain international is in his final season at the Etihad, but has been given the captaincy by Pep Guardiola having played over 400 games for Man City.

READ MORE: All the best Wonderkid Attacking Midfielders (AMC) to sign on Football Manager 2020

The central or attacking midfielder will set you back around
£20 million, but with his contract up at the end of the season you could get
him on a pre-contract deal in January. He still holds a CA of 175, just four
off his 179 potential.

Bernardo Silva (CA 173 – PA 180)

Age: 24

Position: M (C), AM (RC)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Portugal

Best Attributes: 20 work rate, 19 agility, 18 determination

Value: £73 million

Wage: £150,000 a week

Believe it or not it’s three-from-three for Manchester City, with
Bernardo Silva shooting up the CA ratings thanks to a remarkable season in
which he won four trophies with Manchester City (Community Shield, League Cup,
Premier League, FA Cup) as well as the UEFA Nations League with Portugal. Aged only
24, the sky is the limit for the Portuguese international.

Bernardo has a 173 CA on FM20, with stats of 20 work rate, 19 agility and
18 determination. With a value of £73 million, you will need close to £200
million to prise away from Man City’s grasp due to his 180 potential.

Luka Modric (CA 173 – PA 180)

Age: 33

Position: M (C)

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Croatia

Best Attributes: 19 first touch, 18 technique, 18 decisions

Value: £18 million

Wage: £400,000 a week

Current Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric has fallen substantially since an impeccable 2017/18 season – capped with a third successive Champions League trophy and a World Cup Golden Ball. Still the heartbeat of Real Madrid’s midfield, you sense it is the final season of the Croatian anywhere close to his pomp.

READ MORE: Top 10 club to manager on Football Manager 2020

Modric’s CA has dropped to 173 from his 180 PA, with still
strong stats of 19 first touch, 18 technique and 18 decisions. With his
contract up at the end of the season, the Croatian can be yours for around £27
million.

Paul Pogba (CA 172 – PA 185)

Age: 26

Position: M (C)

Club: Manchester United

Country: France

Best Attributes: 18 balance, 18 first touch, 18 passing

Value: £67 million

Wage: £300,000 a week

Paul Pogba is a strange case, and with the Red Devils no longer relying on him, you would expect an exit from Manchester United would come inside the next year. A World Cup winner let’s not forget, but aged 26, Pogba is well off the heights expected when he signed from Juventus for a club record £89 million in 2016.

French international Pogba has a CA of 172 but is way behind
his potential of 185. With the right manager he can grow to those heights and
those stats of 18 balance, 18 first touch and 18 passing could all become
perfect 20s.

Paulo Dybala (CA 168 – PA 182)

Age: 25

Position: AM (C), ST

Club: Zebre (Juventus)

Country: Argentina

Best Attributes: 19 technique, 17 agility, 17 dribbling

Value: £61 million

Wage: £225,000 a week

Linked with moves to Manchester United and Tottenham last summer, Paulo Dybala priced himself out of switch to the Premier League, but returned to Juventus to fight for his place. The attacking midfielder or striker already has half of the amount of goals (5) he had in the whole of last season (10) and already has more assists with three.

READ MORE: All the best wonderkid left midfielders (ML) and wingers (AML) to sign on Football Manager 2020

Argentine Dybala could be pinched from Zebre for a reasonable £73
million on FM20, so if you are looking to splash the cash early, he is the man
to go for. You will receive a 25-year-old with a 168 CA, which can grow to a
very strong 182.

Christian Eriksen (CA 168 – PA 178)

Age: 27

Position: M (C), AM (C)

Club: Tottenham

Country: Denmark

Best Attributes: 17 natural fitness, 17 stamina, 17 long shots

Value: £67 million

Wage: £75,000 a week

Another man with a contract up this summer, Christian Eriksen
is in limbo at Tottenham. Too good a player to leave out, but with him keen on
a move away, it will be an interesting situation for Jose Mourinho to handle.
Still only 27, the Dane is in the top 20 of all-time Premier League assist makers
with 19.

On FM20, 17 natural fitness, 17 stamina and 17 long shots
take his CA to 168, which can still lean back towards his potential of 178.
Despite being in his final year, Spurs will not consider anything less than £80
million for him.

Thiago (CA 167 – PA 173)

Age: 28

Position: DM, M (C)

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Spain

Best Attributes: 19 vision, 18 composure, 18 anticipation

Value: £64 million

Wage: £200,000 a week

An underrated player, Thiago can do it all in midfield. The Spanish international can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder, and was Pep Guardiola’s only player to follow him from Barcelona to Bayern Munich back in 2013.

READ MORE: All the best Wonderkid Goalkeepers (GK) to sign on Football Manager 2020

A 167 CA for Thiago is just six of his potential of 173, and aged 28,
there is just enough time for him to hit that peak. For his 19 vision, 18 composure
and 18 anticipation you will need to bid just under £100 million.

Philippe Coutinho (CA 165 – PA 172)

Age: 27

Position: M (L), AM (LC)

Club: Bayern Munich (on loan from Barcelona)

Country: Brazil

Best Attributes: 19 technique, 18 vision, 18 flair

Value: £60 million

Wage: £375,000 a week

Another man at Bayern Munich, with Philippe Coutinho on loan
from La Liga champions Barcelona. The Brazilian international is also a versatile
customer, being able to operate as a number 10 as well as out on the left-hand
side.

Bayern have an £103 million option to buy on former Liverpool
man Coutinho, but that does seem an unlikely switch. Be patient and you can pick
up his CA of 165 with stats of 19 technique, 18 vision and 18 flair.

Miralem Pjanic (CA 165 – PA 171)

Age: 29

Position: DM, M (C)

Club: Zebre (Juventus)

Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Best Attributes: 18 anticipation, 18 free kick taking, 18 passing

Value: £56 million

Wage: £200,000 a week

Juventus maestro Miralem Pjanic joins Coutinho on a 165 PA in an incredible five-way tie for ninth place alongside Sergio Busquets, N’Golo Kante and Fernandinho. The Bosnian Pjanic has been an underrated member of Juve’s side since his £25 million move from Roma in 2016, missing just 28 games out of 178.

READ MORE: All the best Wonderkid Strikers (ST) to sign on Football Manager 2020

On FM, he can be purchased for a reasonable £71 million, which is worth for a calming midfielder with a 165 CA. His best stats are 18 anticipation, 18 free kick taking and 18 passing, so will lend a hand if you are struggling to score from set pieces.

All the best midfielders on FM20

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