FIFA 22 Career Mode is excellent - and we're loving the Create a Club feature.
Bringing in a young central midfielder can help you poss games for the foreseeable future.
Latest - Transfer dealings
Winter transfers are now being added to the FIFA 22 database, and we will be updating our Career Mode guides accordingly.
Defining Best Young CMs
These central midfielders will all be aged 23 or under at the start of FIFA 22 Career Mode, and are sorted by overall rating.
This means they should be in the first team frame immediately, and are likely to improve into one of the world's best in the coming years.
Federico Valverde (OVR 83 - POT 89)
Age: 22
Position(s): CM, RW, RM
Club: Real Madrid
Value: £50 million (Release clause: £112 million)
Wage: £138,000 a week
Getting game time in a Real Madrid midfield that still consists of Kroos, Modric and Casemiro may seem like an impossible challenge, but Federico Valverde has been doing just that.
Over the last few seasons he has racked up 112 appearances for the club, even playing all along the right flank, a role he is capable of doing thanks to his lightning pace.
Pedri (OVR 81 - POT 91)
Age: 18
Position(s): CM
Club: Barcelona
Value: £46 million (Release clause: £107 million)
Wage: £44,000 a week
Pedri looks set to be not just the future of football for Barcelona, but for the Spain national squad too.
Still only 18, he has become an essential part of both squads, with his great ability on the ball, whether it's dribbling past players or creating chances with his pinpoint passing.
Jude Bellingham (OVR 81 - POT 90)
Age: 18
Position(s): CM, LM
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Value: £46 million (Release clause: £88 million)
Wage: £20,000 a week
Jude Bellingham is so incredibly talented already and he will only improve.
Another player that has shown a different route to get to the top of the game by moving to the Bundesliga, Bellingham can run your midfield for over a decade.
Aurelien Tchouameni (OVR 80 - POT 87)
Age: 21
Position(s): CM, CDM
Club: Monaco
Value: £37 million (Release clause: £77 million)
Wage: £37,000 a week
A powerhouse in midfield, Aurelien Tchouameni has everything in his locker.
One of several young, French midfielders coming through at the moment, the talent the national team will have is scary.
Matteo Guendouzi (OVR 80 - POT 86)
Age: 23
Position(s): CM, CDM
Club: Marseille (on loan from Arsenal)
Value: £24 million
Wage: £63,000 a week
It feels like Matteo Guendouzi has been around for ages, but he is still just 23.
An aggressive, all-round midfielder, he is mobile and strong, so could be the juggernaut you need in the centre.
Renato Sanches (OVR 80 - POT 86)
Age: 23
Position(s): CM, RM
Club: Lille
Value: £29 million (Release clause: £60 million)
Wage: £33,000 a week
For a while, it looked like Renato Sanches wouldn't fulfil his staggering potential, with tough spells at Bayern Munich and Swansea.
Now he looks settled in a Lille team that won Ligue 1, a powerful dynamo in midfield.
Teun Koopmeiners (OVR 79 - POT 84)
Age: 23
Position(s): CM, CDM, CB
Club: Atalanta
Value: £23 million (Release clause: £41 million)
Wage: £40,000 a week
Teun Kppomeiners lacks a bit of pace, but apart from that, he seems to have everything in his locker.
Probably best employed as a defensive midfielder, he still has great passing attributes to create chances further up the pitch and has a long shot in him.
Ryan Gravenberch (OVR 78 - POT 90)
Age: 19
Position(s): CM
Club: Ajax
Value: £28 million (Release clause: £45 million)
Wage: £9,000 a week
Ryan Gravenberch's size tricks you into thinking he's more suited to a defensive role, but his stats show he is better in the attacking third.
Still playing his football in the Eredivise means he has a lower wage, so he could be a real bargain, especially as he has the potential to be one of the best midfielders in the game.
Eduardo Camavinga (OVR 78 - POT 89)
Age: 18
Position(s): CM, CDM
Club: Real Madrid
Value: £25 million (Release clause: £57 million)
Wage: £38,000 a week
A big move to Real Madrid over the summer means that you won't be able to get hold of Eduardo Camavinga straight away, but he could be worth the wait if you decide to make a bid when he becomes available.
Another Frenchman who has just about all the attributes you could hope for in a centre mid.
Matheus Nunes (OVR 78 - POT 86)
Age: 22
Position(s): CM
Club: Sporting Lisbon
Value: £27 million (Release clause: £60 million)
Wage: £12,000 a week
Matheus Nunes is one to keep an eye on having made his debut for the Portguese national team this season.
The Sporting man has played in all bar one of his side's matches this term, picking up two assists in five Champions League games.
If you find that the players in this list are a bit out of your price range, or you just want to bring in some younger options to improve your side further down the line, then check out our list of wonderkid CMs.
A couple of those wonderkids also feature on this list, showing just how strong the talent is for young players in this position.
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