Transfer fees are reaching eye-watering heights in modern football and prices for centre backs are growing exponentially.
As a result, it can be tough to sign a top-class centre half on FIFA 20 Career Mode without a large transfer budget.
The best solution is to sign a young defender wit high potential and help them reach their full potential.
Keep reading as we list the best wonderkid centre backs to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode.
What is a wonderkid?
The players are aged 19 or younger at the start of FIFA 20 Career Mode and have the highest potentials (POT) of all the youngsters.
Note that meeting objectives for the club, and putting in strong performances on a weekly basis will see these players improve their ratings and move towards their potential - which can even be surpassed.
Note that the cards below display FUT ratings, whereas the most up-to-date Career Mode ratings are displayed next to the player names.
Matthijs de Ligt (OVR 85 – POT 92)
Age: 19
Positions: CB
Club: Piemonte Calcio (Juventus)
Country: Netherlands
Value: £42.8 million (Release clause: £79.1 million)
Wage: £68,000 a week
Matthijs de Ligt joined Serie A champions Juventus from Ajax for £67 million during the summer, and the 20-year-old has the quality and strength to become the best in the league.
De Ligt’s athleticism and remarkably high dynamic potential rating on FIFA 20 will give him the opportunity to compete with the likes of Sergio Ramos and Giorgio Chiellini.
William Saliba (OVR 75 – POT 88)
Age: 18
Positions: CB
Club: Saint-Etienne (on loan from Arsenal)
Country: France
Value: £9.9 million
Wage: £7000 a week
Having signed for Arsenal in the 2019 Summer transfer window, William Saliba will remain at Saint-Etienne on loan for the year, giving the 18-year-old Frenchman a fantastic opportunity to develop his game and prepare for Premier League football next season.
READ MORE: All the best young strikers (ST & CF) to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode
Arsenal acquired Saliba for a fee of £27 million, which heavily surpasses his £4 million value in Career Mode, making him one to steal once his loan deal is over.
Tanguy Kouassi (OVR 71 - POT 87)
TANGUY KOUASSI DOES NOT HAVE AN FUT CARD YET
Age: 17
Positions: CB, CDM
Club: PSG
Country: France
Value: £4 million (Release clause: £9.8 million)
Wage: £2000 a week
Tanguy Kouassi is a product of the PSG youth system, breaking into the first team set up in summer 2019.
The Frenchman has made 13 appearances for the Parisian club and even managed to bag himself three goals - with a potential of 87, he’s well worth signing on Career Mode (especially as he costs under £10 million).
Ozan Kabak (OVR 77 – POT 86)
Age: 19
Positions: CB
Club: Schalke
Country: Turkey
Value: £10.8 million (Release clause: £20.5 million)
Wage: £14,000 a week
Ozan Kabak is Shalke’s physically imposing Turkish centre back, who signed for the club in June 2019 as a 19-year-old.
READ MORE: Best young centre backs (CB) to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode (Aged 20-24)
What stands out most about Kabak’s defensive skills is his positioning. He is able to anticipate crosses and passes early on, taking up a necessary position. His 84 Jumping stat makes him a menace in aerial duels, and his 85 Strength enables him to establish dominance over smaller attackers.
Zinho Vanheusden (OVR 75 – POT 86)
Age: 19
Positions: CB
Club: Standard Liege
Country: Belgium
Value: £9 million (Release clause: £15.3 million)
Wage: £7000 a week
Arsenal were in serious talks last summer with Zinho Vanheusden but were snubbed by the player, who only had eyes for the first division Belgian side Standard Liege.
Vanheusden’s most impressive stats tell us that he plays in the style of an old-school centre back. Focusing mostly on positioning, marking, standing and sliding tackles, the Belgian creates a physical problem for opposition attackers on a weekly basis. Expect to see his rating improve as the season progresses.
Jean-Clair Todibo (OVR 73 – POT 86)
Age: 19
Positions: CB, CDM
Club: Schalke (on loan from Barcelona)
Country: France
Value: £6.3 million
Wage: £10,000 a week
Jean-Clair Todibo signed for Barcelona in January 2019 and earned a lot of praise for his debut performance against Huesca - since then the young Frenchman has moved to Schalke on loan.
READ MORE: All the best young strikers (ST & CF) to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode
Todibo’s value has increased exponentially in recent years and it is likely to continue increasing as he puts in solid performances. If your squad is crying out for a physical, composed centre back for a bargain price, look no further.
Mohamed Simakan (OVR 72 - POT 86)
Age: 19
Positions: CB, RB
Club: Strasbourg
Country: France
Value: £5.4 million (Release clause: £14.2 million)
Wage: £9000 a week
19-year-old Mohamed Simakan only broke into the first team Strasbourg squad last season and didn’t even make one appearance.
However, this year he’s really come into his own, making 19 league appearances and five Europa League appearances so far in the 2019/20 season. For around £14 million you’ll sign a young centre back with a huge 86 potential rating.
Marash Kumbulla (OVR 72 - POT 86)
Age: 19
Positions: CB
Club: Hellas Verona
Country: Albania
Value: £5.4 million (Release clause: £13.1 million)
Wage: £3000 a week
Another one club man, Marash Kumbulla worked his way up through the Hellas Verona youth system and broke into the first team back in summer 2018.
READ MORE: All the best wonderkid attacking midfielders (CAM) to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode
He’s earned a regular playing spot with the Italian side, making 18 Serie A appearances in the 2019/20 season - with 86 potential he’s well worth investing in, and his current 72 overall means he can start playing straight away.
Ethan Ampadu (OVR 68 – POT 86)
Age: 18
Positions: CB, CDM
Club: RB Leipzig
Country: Wales
Value: £1.5 million (Release clause: £3.6 million)
Wage: £4000 a week
After getting plenty of opportunities for Chelsea under Antonio Conte, Ethan Ampadu was sidelined by Maurizio Sarri, despite making his Wales debut aged 17. As a result, he was loaned out to RB Leipzig, before making the move permanent.
The 18-year-old Ampadu has 74 jumping, 70 short passing and 69 standing tackle, making up his 68 overall, which can grow to a bright potential of 86.
Marco Kana (OVR 66 - POT 86)
Age: 16
Positions: CB, CDM
Club: Anderlecht
Country: Belgium
Value: £1.1 million (Release clause: £2.7 million)
Wage: £450 a week
After working his way up through the youth teams, Marco Kana broke into the Anderlecht first team squad last summer - he’s made 15 league appearances this season and even bagged himself a goal.
READ MORE: How to score free kicks on FIFA 20 Career Mode
His FIFA 20 potential of 86 is well worth snapping up for his £2.7 million release clause, so act fast if you want to sign him.
Full List of Wonderkid CBs
Player | Age | Pos | OVR | POT | Club | Country | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M. de
Ligt | 19 | CB | 85 | 92 | Piemonte | Netherlands | £42.8m | £68k |
W.
Saliba | 18 | CB | 75 | 88 | Saint-Etienne | France | £9.9m | £7k |
T. Kouassi | 17 | CB CDM | 71 | 87 | PSG | France | £4m | £2k |
O.
Kabak | 19 | CB | 77 | 86 | Shalke | Turkey | £10.8m | £14k |
Z.
Vanheusden | 19 | CB | 75 | 86 | Standard Liege | Belgium | £9m | £7k |
J.
Todibo | 19 | CB CDM | 73 | 86 | Schalke* | France | £6.3m | £10k |
M. Simakan | 19 | CB RB | 72 | 86 | Strasbourg | France | £5.4m | £9k |
M. Kumbulla | 19 | CB | 72 | 86 | Hellas Verona | Albania | £5.4m | £5k |
E.
Ampadu | 18 | CB CDM | 68 | 86 | RB Leipzig | Wales | £1.5m | £4k |
M. Kana | 16 | CB CDM | 66 | 86 | Anderlecht | Belgium | £1.1m | £450 |
*Denotes player is on loan
READ MORE: Best young centre backs (CB) to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode (Aged 20-24)