Across every Football Manager game, there remains one consistent - everyone loves a wonderkid.
With the right guidance, the following players have the potential to become some of the most dangerous players in the world.
As a result, some of these youngsters carry some seriously hefty price tags - think 19 year old Joao Felix's £113 million move to Atletico Madrid over the summer.
Get ready to part with some cash.
How to choose the best wonderkid left midfielders/wingers in Football Manager 2020
In this article, we are looking for the very best wonderkid left midfielders or wingers.
These players are teenagers when you start a new save (usually in July 2019) and have a Potential Ability (PA) over 140.
We are not following there Current Ability (CA), but it's worth noting that those with a higher CA will be able to play in your first team sooner, helping them on their way to hitting the top of their potential ability.
READ MORE: FM 20 Review: Subtle tweaks to winning formula take game to the next level
They will also be natural at either left midfield (ML) or left wing (AML).
So who are the best left-sided wonderkids that can make the difference for your team in the years to come?
Jadon Sancho (CA 150 - PA 178)
Age: 19
Position(s): M (RL), AM (RL)
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Country: England
Best Attributes: 18 agility, 17 dribbling, 17 technique
Value: £30 million
Wage: £99,000 a week
England winger Jadon Sancho may still be a teenager but he is a quality first-team option for nearly any club in the world. Sancho made his move to Dortmund in August 2017, and got his first Bundesliga start with the team in January 2018. Since then he has earned inclusion in the England team and netted 18 league goals to date.
Sancho is a mazy little winger on FM 20. With 18 agility, 17 acceleration, and 17 dribbling he can go round anyone. He's also impressively creative with 17 technique, 16 flair, and 16 vision. His 178 PA will make him among the best wingers in the post-Messi/Ronaldo world.
Vinicius Junior (CA 144 - PA 160-190)
Age: 18
Position(s): AM (L), ST
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Brazil
Best Attributes: 18 determination, 17 acceleration, 17 dribbling
Value: £22.5 million
Wage: £59,000 a week
Next up is a Real Madrid star-in-the-making; Vinicius Junior. In May 2017 Real Madrid agreed terms to by the teenager and made him the second-most expensive transfer in Brazilian football with a £40 million move. Since then Vinicius Junior has burst into the Real Madrid first team and is beginning to find his eye for goal.
READ MORE: All the best wonderkid strikers in FM20
Vinicius Junior is similar to Sancho with his 17 acceleration, 17 dribbling, and 16 technique. However, he brings 18 determination and 16 pace to his game. His PA range of 160-190 means he could be an absolute world-beater, but if not handled correctly he could end up short of the mark.
Rodrygo (CA 130 - PA 160-190)
Age: 18
Position(s): AM (L), ST
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Brazil
Best Attributes: 16 agility, 15 dribbling, 15 first touch
Value: £6 million
Wage: £71,000 a week
Another Real Madrid wonderkid, Rodrygo was signed by Madrid for a rumoured £38 million in June 2018. He got his first team debut in September 2019 and scored within a minute, and he is also the first player born in the 21st century to score a Champions League goal as he put three past Galatasary.
Rodrygo is not as first team ready as Sancho & Vinicius Junior, but he'll be there soon. With just one attribute over 15 you can't play him in big games, but with 15 first touch, 15 dribbling, and 14 finishing he can make a splash against weaker opponents. With the same PA range as Vinicius, he can become a world-beater if you play your cards right.
Ansu Fati (CA 120 - PA 160 - 190)
Age: 16
Position(s): AM (L), ST
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Best Attributes: 17 agility, 17 flair, 16 acceleration
Value: £825,000
Wage: £5,000 a week
Ansu Fati joined Barcelona in 2012 at the age of 10 and has been in their famed La Masia youth academy ever since. The 16-year-old made his first La Liga start in September 2019 and became the youngest player in league history to register a goal and an assist in the same game.
READ MORE: All the best cheats in Football Manager 2020
In FM 20, Fati has boundless potential but is far from first-team ready. His 17 flair, 17 agility, and 16 acceleration are good, but with just 11 passing, and 6 work rate his first-team minutes will need to be limited to start with. That PA range of 160-190 and a sub-£1 million value make him tempting, but Barcelona will want upwards of £80 million for him.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (CA 140 - PA 150-180)
Age: 18
Position(s): AM (RLC)
Club: Chelsea
Country: England
Best Attributes: 16 acceleration, 15 dribbling, 15 First Touch
Value: £25 million
Wage: £120,000 a week
With their one-year transfer ban you will have to lean on Callum Hudson-Odoi early as Chelsea manager, but that is no bad thing. He has come through the Chelsea academy and made his first team debut in January 2018. He's made over 30 Premier League appearances already.
Callum Hudson-Odoi may be a first team option for Chelsea, but his FM stats don't blow you away. His 16 acceleration and 15 pace are nice, but with 13 crossing, 11 passing, and 10 finishing his final product is lacking. Still, that PA range of 150-180 means he can be a star in the right hands.
Diego Lainez (CA 124 - PA 150-180)
Age: 19
Position(s): AM (L)
Club: Real Hispalis (Real Betis)
Country: Mexico
Best Attributes: 16 acceleration, 15 dribbling, 15 technique
Value: £2.9 million
Wage: £7,250 a week
Diego Lainez started his career in Mexico with Club America, but only played there for 3 years before making a $14 million move to Real Betis in January 2019 where he quickly became a part of the first-team.
READ MORE: How to download and use the FM20 Editor
In FM 20, Lainez has a very good PA range of 150-180, meaning those iffy stats like 9 finishing and 4 positioning will improve with time. He brings an immediate pace injection with 16 acceleration and 14 pace, along with 15 dribbling to beat defenders.
Rayan Cherki (CA 92 - PA 150-180)
Age: 15
Position(s): AM (LC)
Club: Lyon
Country: France
Best Attributes: 16 flair, 15 determination, 15 technique
Value: £175,000
Wage: £60 a week
Rayan Cherki is yet to make his first-team debut with Lyon, but the youngster is hotly tipped to be a star and has made his way to the U16 French national side.
At just 15, Cherki is a long way from first team football, but he already has 16 flair, 15 determination, 15 technique, and 14 dribbling, which will make him a force in a few years, especially if you can push him toward the top of that 150-180 PA range.
Naci Unuvar (CA 90 - PA 150-180)
Age: 16
Position(s): AM (LC)
Club: Ajax
Country: Holland
Best Attributes: 18 determination, 15 finishing, 15 natural fitness
Value: £175,000
Wage: £85
Ajax are coming off yet another golden generation from their famed youth system, and the next gem on their conveyor belt could be Naci Unuvar. The teenager has only just turned 16, but he is the youngest goalscorer in the Dutch Youth League.
READ MORE: All the best players in FM20
Unuvar is just 16 so won't be breaking into Ajax's first team immediately, but with 18 determination, 15 finishing, and 15 technique he can develop quickly and push his CA up toward that 150-180 PA range cap.
Bukayo Saka (CA 133 - PA 158)
Age: 17
Position(s): AM (RL)
Club: Arsenal
Country: England
Best Attributes: 17 acceleration, 16 agility, 16 pace
Value: £16.5 million
Wage: £5,000 a week
Bukayo Saka has been with Arsenal for his entire career to date, getting his senior competitive debut in the Europa League in November 2018. This season Saka has seen himself a consistent part of Premier League matchday squads as well as part of the England U19 setup.
In FM20 Saka is a pacey player, with 17 acceleration, 16 pace, and 16 agility. Add that to his 15 dribbling and 14 technique and he can do some damage pretty quickly. It is the mental side of his game that needs work, with just 10 decisions and 9 concentration, but with a solid PA of 158 he can be good if you put the work in.
Emile Smith Rowe (CA 135 - PA 156)
Age: 18
Position(s): AM (LC)
Club: Arsenal
Country: England
Best Attributes: 16 acceleration, 16 Agility, 15 technique
Value: £20 million
Wage: £10,000 a week
Another Arsenal player, Emile Smith Rowe has come up through the Gunners academy but is yet to make his mark on the first team beyond Europa League and Carabao Cup appearances.
Smith Rowe is fairly proficient for a teenager, with 15 technique, 15 off the ball, and 15 vision. He can also deliver a decent ball with 12 crossing and 13 passing. His 156 PA isn't massive, but he can be a very useful player for a lot of teams.
All the best wonderkid left midfielders (ML) & wingers (AML) in Football Manager 2020
Player | Age | Pos | Club | Country | CA | PA | V | W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jadon Sancho | 19 | M (RL) AM (RL) | Borussia Dortmund | England | 150 | 178 | £30m | £99k |
Vinicius Junior | 18 | AM (L) ST | R. Madrid | Brazil | 144 | <190 | £22.5m | £59k |
Rodrygo | 18 | AM (L) ST | R. Madrid | Brazil | 130 | <190 | £6m | £71k |
Ansu Fati | 16 | AM(L) ST | Barcelona | Spain | 120 | <190 | £825k | £5k |
Callum Hudson-Odoi | 18 | AM (RLC) | Chelsea | England | 140 | <180 | £25m | £120k |
Diego Lainez | 19 | AM (L) ST | R. Hispalis | Mexico | 124 | <180 | £2.9m | £7.25k |
Rayan Cherki | 15 | AM (LC) | Lyon | France | 92 | <180 | £175k | £60 |
Naci Unuvar | 16 | AM (LC) | Ajax | Holland | 90 | <180 | £175k | £85 |
Bukayo Saka | 17 | AM (RL) | Arsenal | England | 133 | 158 | £16.5m | £5k |
Emile Smith Rowe | 19 | M (L) AM (LC) | Arsenal | England | 135 | 156 | £20m | £10k |
READ MORE: How to download Football Manager 2020 & necessary PC/Mac specifications