Signing a central defensive midfielder on Career Mode is often overlooked, but they can really make your team tick.
Offering defensive cover, breaking down the play and building up from the back, the CDM plays a vital role in the side.
Discover who the best young CDMs to sign on FIFA 22 are below.
After Wonderkids instead?
If the best young CDMs aren't young enough, why not take a look at the Best Wonderkid CDMs.
Not only can they rival the potential of many players on this list, but they will be an absolute snip of the price!
The only drawback is training them up, but if you don't mind playing a marathon Career Mode then that won't be any trouble.
There is a man from Man City who is definitely worth a look, as well as quite a few players from Ligue 1!
Defining Best Young CDMs
These central defensive midifelders will all be aged 23 or under at the start of FIFA 22 Career Mode.
That means the likes of Wilfred Ndidi and Franck Kessie just miss out on the list.
Declan Rice (OVR 82 - POT 87)
Age: 22
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: West Ham
Value: £37 million (Release clause: £73 million)
Wage: £59,000 a week
Declan Rice has just been getting better and better.
Always consistent for West Ham, he is now one of the first choices for Gareth Southgate when picking the England team.
The big clubs are now circling, with Chelsea and Manchester United being heavily linked with a move.
Manuel Locatelli (OVR 82 - POT 87)
Age: 23
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Juventus
Value: £36 million (Release clause: £62 million)
Wage: £64,000 a week
Making a loan move with Piemonte Calcio permanent, Manuel Locatelli has been catching the eye for a few years now and shone on the world stage for Italy during the early stages of Euro 2020.
He is getting goal involvements in Serie A this season, showing he is a threat going forward as well as being more than capable as a deep-lying midfielder.
Boubacar Kamara (OVR 81 - POT 86)
Age: 21
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Marseille
Value: £32 million (Release clause: £62 million)
Wage: £28,000 a week
Boubacar Kamara has been a vital part of Marseille's midfield for a few seasons now, even captaining them at a young age.
He is far more capable defensively than going forward and can slip into CB if needed.
Bruno Guimaraes (OVR 80 - POT 85)
Age: 23
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Lyon
Value: £25 million (Release clause: £49 million)
Wage: £47,000 a week
Bruno Guimaraes learnt his trade in Brazil, before a move to Ligue 1 where he is becoming a regular player for Lyon.
He is decent in possession and can spray the ball about well, making him a great choice if you're looking for a player to control the tempo of the game.
Xaver Schlager (OVR 80 - POT 84)
Age: 23
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: VFL Wolfsburg
Value: £24 million (Release clause: £42 million)
Wage: £46,000 a week
A bit more of an attack dog than previous players on the list, Xaver Schlager gets about the pitch, despite not having a great top speed.
Unfortunately, his season came to an early halt this year as he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture.
Sandro Tonali (OVR 78 - POT 87)
Age: 21
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: AC Milan
Value: £26 million (Release clause: £49 million)
Wage: £22,000 a week
There is pressure on Sandro Tonali to become a superstar, and he does have the quality to reach that expectation.
He is good at nearly all aspects of the game, with mostly green stats and only one that is in the orange.
Maxence Caqueret (OVR 78 - POT 85)
Age: 21
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Lyon
Value: £26 million (Release clause: £54 million)
Wage: £34,000 a week
Another Lyon player, Maxence Caqueret is also a decent playmaker.
He has good pace for the centre of the park, but poor attacking qualities, so don't expect him to bag many goals.
Boubakary Soumare (OVR 78 - POT 85)
Age: 22
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Leicester City
Value: £23 million (Release clause: £49 million)
Wage: £58,000 a week
Leicester City's new summer signing, Boubakary Soumare is a physical presence on the pitch.
At 6'1" with 81 Strength and by no means bad movement abilities, he can get into tussles with the opposition and usually come out on top.
Yangel Herrera (OVR 78 - POT 84)
Age: 23
Position(s): CDM, CM, CAM
Club: Espanyol (on loan from Manchester City)
Value: £18 million
Wage: £71,000 a week
An all-rounder who can do a job pretty much anywhere on the pitch, the only downside in Yangel Herrera's stats is his pace.
Aside from that he can offer great defensive cover and be a playmaker.
Douglas Luiz (OVR 77 - POT 84)
Age: 23
Position(s): CDM, CM
Club: Aston Villa
Value: £17 million (Release clause: £36 million)
Wage: £40,000 a week
Douglas Luiz couldn't find a way to get into a very competitive Manchester City team, but the fact he was in contention shows what a player he could be.
Comfortable on the ball and at breaking down play, he could be your sides very own Fernandinho.
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