Football Manager 2019: Best Young Players

On FM19, it is easy to be attracted to the best players on the planet. You must take into account the longevity of these players however, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi now the wrong side of 30. 

Going for younger players, aged 23 and under, do come at a steep price, but it is understandable given they have around a decade at the top remaining, and they are yet to reach their potential.

How to find the best young players on Football Manager 2019

All the following players are aged 23 and under on FM19. These youngsters all have a Current Ability (CA) rating of at least 150 on the game and have a Potential Ability (PA) of at least 160. They may not be absolutely world class at the moment, but it is only a matter of time. 

Kylian Mbappe (CA 173 – PA 196)

Age: 19

Positions: AM (R), ST

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: France

Best stats: 20 pace, 19 acceleration, 18 technique

Value: £71 million

Wage: £325,000 a week

Aged just 19, Kylian Mbappe is already a certified world class player. The right winger or striker already has two Ligue 1 titles to his name, and the £140 million man then went on to lift the World Cup with France last summer. At his age, could the PSG star be the man to rival the sustained brilliance of Ronaldo and Messi?

On FM 19, Mbappe has stats of 20 pace, 19 acceleration and 18 technique, giving him a current ability rating on 173. This can improve to a crazy 196 potential, but with a £71 million value and £325,000 a week wage, it is unlikely you will be able to sign him anytime soon.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (CA 166 – PA 184)

Age: 23

Positions: M (C)

Club: Lazio

Country: Serbia

Best stats: 20 natural fitness, 19 bravery, 19 balance

Value: £57 million

Wage: £96,000 a week

A technically gifted footballer, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic looks to be the next top-quality central midfielder. Blessed with power as well as ability, the central midfielder has shone in Italy for Lazio and has been linked with several clubs including Manchester United and Inter Milan.

Milinkovic-Savic has a 166 CA rating on the game, growing to a potential of 184. His 20 natural fitness, 19 bravery and 19 balance value him at a reasonable £57 million with £96,000 a week wages.

Leroy Sane (CA 164 – PA 177)

Age: 22

Positions: AM (L)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Germany

Best stats: 19 pace, 17 dribbling, 17 off the ball

Value: £62 million

Wage: £95,000 a week

Perhaps the most dangerous of Manchester City’s wide options, Leroy Sane has all the tools to be a powerful, goal scoring winger just like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Last season, the German scored 14 goals and picked up 19 assists as City won the Premier League and EFL Cup, but it still wasn’t enough to take him to the World Cup.

Left winger Sane holds abilities of 19 pace, 17 dribbling and 17 off the ball to give him a 164 CA. His 177 potential brings his value to a tempting £62 million, with a £95,000 a week wage. 

Ousmane Dembele (CA 162 – PA 185)

Age: 21

Positions: M (RL), AM (RL)

Club: Barcelona

Country: France

Best stats: 18 pace, 18 acceleration, 17 flair

Value: £52 million

Wage: £205,000 a week

After losing Neymar, the £136 million Ousmane Dembele was meant to help fill the void, but such is the demands at the Nou Camp, the Frenchman hasn’t been able to justify the transfer fee. Ten goals and ten assists in 38 games for the club is by no means a bad return, but he has not been able to nail down a starting place, even though he was part of France’s World Cup winning squad in Russia.

Dembele’s £52 million value makes him a possible signing, despite his £205,000 a week wages. His 162 CA can rise to a PA of 185, with his best stats 18 pace, 18 acceleration and 17 flair. 

Bernardo Silva (CA 161 – PA 170)

Age: 23

Positions: M (C), AM (RC)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Portugal

Best stats: 18 agility, 17 dribbling, 17 technique

Value: £52 million

Wage: £100,000 a week

Bernardo Silva showed his quality during the second half of last season for Manchester City, and this year he has emerged as a key component of the squad. Pep Guardiola has used the 23-year-old in central midfield this term to mimic the roles of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, making Bernardo a versatile asset to any squad. 

Bernardo has 18 agility, 17 dribbling and 17 technique to his game on FM 19, which give him a 161 CA. A 170 potential values him at £52 million with a £100,000 a week wage. 

Gabriel Jesus (CA 160 – PA 175)

Age: 21

Positions: ST

Club: Manchester City

Country: Brazil

Best stats: 17 off the ball, 17 agility, 16 finishing

Value: £47 million

Wage: £90,000 a week

Up front for Manchester City, Gabriel Jesus may have to play second fiddle to Sergio Aguero, but the 21-year-old Jesus is constantly putting pressure on the Argentine. Jesus has 29 goals in 68 games for the Citizens, and won the Premier League and EFL Cup last season, but has just one goal in his opening nine league games this year. 

Jesus’s £47 million value and £90,000 a week wage seriously opens the door for a move in the transfer market, with his 160 CA up for grabs. Stats of 17 off the ball, 17 agility and 16 finishing can improve as he approaches a 175 potential. 

Raheem Sterling (CA 160 – PA 165)

Age: 23

Positions: AM (RL)

Club: Manchester City

Country: England

Best stats: 19 agility, 18 acceleration, 18 off the ball

Value: £62 million

Wage: £150,000 a week

Yet another Manchester City player, it is crazy to think Raheem Sterling is just 23 years old, especially with the winger holding the most caps in the current England squad. He has been on fire for Manchester City of late, scoring 23 goals with 17 assists last season, and starting this year with seven goals and seven assists.

Surprisingly valued at only £62 million with a £150,000 a week wage, Sterling has a 160 CA with a 165 PA on FM 19. His best attributes include 19 agility, 18 acceleration and 18 off the ball. 

Milan Skriniar (CA 159 – PA 172)

Age: 23

Positions: D (C)

Club: Inter Milan

Country: Slovakia

Best stats: 17 marking, 17 determination, 16 strength

Value: £45 million

Wage: £54,000 a week

A superb defender, Milan Skriniar is the defensive linchpin at Inter Milan, which is no mean feat considering that manager Luciano Spalletti has other centre backs Miranda and Stefan de Vrij at his disposal. His rise from his native Slovakia to Sampdoria and then Inter has caused him to be another man linked with Manchester United and could make a big money move soon.

17 marking, 17 determination and 16 strength give Skriniar a £45 value and wages of £54,000 a week. His 159 CA can still grow plenty, with the 23-year-old able to reach a 172 potential on FM 19. 

Joshua Kimmich (CA 158 – PA 169)

Age: 23

Positions: D (R)

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Germany

Best stats: 18 teamwork, 18 stamina, 17 natural fitness

Value: £40 million

Wage: £140,000 a week

Perhaps the best right back in the world (third-best on FM 19 behind Dani Carvajal & Daniel Alves) aged just 23, Joshua Kimmich has a very bright future. The defender looks be a Germany captain in the making, having already played over 140 times for Bayern Munich and picked up 36 caps for his country.

Kimmich’s 158 CA on the game can improve to a potential of 169, so his 18 teamwork, 18 stamina and 17 natural fitness attributes will receive greater support. A value of £40 million comes with a wage of £140,000 for the versatile Bayern man. 

Dele Alli (CA 158 – PA 176)

Age: 22

Positions: AM (C)

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Country: England

Best stats: 17 off the ball, 17 work rate, 17 flair

Value: £45 million

Wage: £100,000 a week

Dele Alli is another player who is surprisingly young, having played over 150 games for Tottenham and close to 90 times for previous club MK Dons. The attacking midfielder also has 33 England caps to his name, and is one of the Premier League’s most dangerous goal scoring midfielders, with 38 goals to his name for Spurs.

Alli’s 158 CA consists of 17 off the ball, 17 work rate and 17 flair which can improve as he rises to a 176 potential. Valued at £45 million, Dele currently has a £100,000 a week wages.

All the best young players on Football Manager 2019

A = AgeCA = Current Ability ratingPA = Potential Ability ratingV = ValueW = Wage