Football Manager 2022 Best Youth Academies: Wonderkid factories you NEED to scout in this year's game

Football Manager 2022 has finally arrived, which means it's time to get ready for another year of wonderkid poaching.

We've got you covered for ten of the best academies in FM22 that you should be closely following when it comes to the all-important youth intake day.

FM22 Top Youth Academies

Signing and developing wonderkids is one of the best parts of any Football Manager game.

With tighter budgets across the board in Football Manager 2022, innovating with your youth recruitment will be vital to your success. All of the teams in this list have at least good youth recruitment and youth facilities, giving their wonderkids the best chance of success.

When looking for the best young talents coming through the ranks, you need to take a close look at these ten teams.

Barcelona

The famous La Masia complex has raised some of the greatest players to ever grace the game. From Lionel Messi to Ansu Fati, the Catalan giants are set to have one of the best youth academies in FM22.

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Whilst this entry may be obvious, any FM player looking to rebuild Barcelona will want to focus on keeping their youth team happy, nurturing selected talent through to the first team, before another European giant tries to sign them.

On the flip side, with Barcelona struggling financially, gazumping them with a big wage offer for their latest wonderkid could be a great way to bag a bargain superstar.

Ajax

Ajax has always been known as a club that places an emphasis on youth development.

In FM22, their academy is set to be one of the best in Europe, meaning you need to keep a close eye on their youth intake on that all-important day.

Whether you're attempting to swoop in for regens or making enticing bids for their academy wonderkids, Ajax is a team certain to produce superstars in Football Manager 2022.

RB Salzburg

A surprise entry to some on this list, the Austrian powerhouses have slowly been producing top-class talent over the past few years.

Powered by Red Bull and making a constant investment into their youth academy, every top European manager should be sniffing around Salzburg to find the next big thing.

FC Basel

Another European club with a reputation for producing top wonderkids, Basel is the place to go for the next generation of Swiss superstars.

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With some impressive talent already in their youth ranks, it's worth keeping a close eye on their youth intake as they are certain to have a diamond in the rough.

FC Dnipro

A lesser-known name on this list, Dnipro are one of the dominant forces in Ukraine, earning themselves a reputation for producing talented wonderkids.

With players like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Andiy Yarmalenko raising the profile of the Ukraine national team, Dnipro is certain to see a boost in their next intake, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Sparta Prague

The birth-place of talented players like Tomas Rosicky, Sparta Prague should be on your list of places to scout closely when looking for the next generation of superstars.

When attempting to sign the best wonderkids, looking further afield than the major nations of Europe could lead to massive rewards in the long run.

Southampton

An English club with a prestigious record of producing some phenomenal talent over the past ten years, Southampton should be one of the first teams you look to poach from.

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From Gareth Bale to Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Luke Shaw, you're certain to find some talent in the Southampton ranks that could fire your team to the next level.

Club Brugge

Belgian superstars dominate Europe's top leagues nowadays, and that's thanks to the hard work of top academies like Club Brugge's.

With FM22's new dynamic youth rating system rewarding nations at the top of the rankings, you're certain to find some superstars in the youth ranks at Belgian clubs. Alongside Anderlecht, there's no better place to look than Club Brugge.

FC Krasnodar

One of Russia's greatest wonderkid factories, Krasnodar is a place well-known for its impressive youth academy.

In recent years, there has been an influx of Russian talent across Europe's top leagues and now is the time for you to add to that list. If you're a low-level Premier League club hoping to poach developing talent, look no further than Krasnodar.

FC Copenhagen

There has been a huge investment in Scandanavian football over the past few years, leading to the development of superstars like Erling Haaland.

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With Denmark also reaching the latter stages of major competitions, their success will undoubtedly be reflected in the developing talent in their youth systems.

If you're searching for the next big superstar, look no further than FC Copenhagen's academy, it promises to be a hotbed for top wonderkids.

Click here to find out everything we know about Football Manager 2022.