FIFA 18 Wonderkids: All the best defenders (CB, RB & LB) to sign in career mode


Finding promising young centre backs in football is incredibly difficult, and it’s the same case on FIFA 18’s Career Mode. You never know how a defender is going to develop, look at England’s Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and John Stones – given how much hype they received early in their careers, they just haven’t come to fruition. However, some go on to become superb players, Sergio Ramos, David Alaba and Raphael Varane being the prime examples. Those players may be a bit out of your budget on Career Mode, so you need to plan for the future.

READ: FIFA 19 Wonderkids: Best Defenders (CB, RB & LB) to sign in career mode

How to choose the best wonderkid defender for FIFA 18 Career Mode

On this page we are looking at the best wonderkid defenders on FIFA 18. We are looking at all of centre backs (CB), right backs (RB) and left backs (LB). These are players aged 16–19 who have overall ratings higher than 65 but have the potential to go one to hit 80 and beyond.

Do note that players can outgrow their potential if they are playing incredibly well. Also be braced that just because these players are young they may not come cheap, as they have very high potentials. In drawing up our best wonderkids, we looked at player stats, potential and age.

We’ve also included a list of the other wonderkid defenders available in the game who are rated 65 or higher at the bottom of the page.

Centre backs (CB)

Massive football fans may recognise one or two names on our best wonderkid centre backs list. 

Matthijs de Ligt (OVR 76 – POT 89)

Age: 18

Positions: CB

Club: Ajax

Country: Netherlands

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 83 strength, 83 shot power, 78 heading accuracy

Cost: £20.5 million (release clause)

Wage: £6,000

One of the hottest defensive prospects in the world, Matthijs de Ligt is a regular for Ajax and he's only 18. The centre back made his debut for the Dutch national team just two games into his professional career, highlighting how high the youngster is rated. 

De Ligt started the Europa League final last season against Manchester United, partnering Davinson Sanchez in defence, who moved to Tottenham this past summer in a £42 million deal. With Sanchez departing, it is now up to de Ligt to lead the Ajax defence.

On FIFA 18, the youngster has a sound 76 overall rating, but with a superb potential of 89 – that’s higher than Jerome Boateng or Leonardo Bonucci. De Ligt has 83 strength, 83 shot power and 80 jumping making a solid defender. His release clause of £20.5 million is 100% worth it for a player who can become one of the best defenders in the world. 

Malang Sarr (OVR 75 – POT 88)

Age: 18

Positions: CB, LB

Club: Nice

Country: France

Work rate: Low/High

Best stats: 80 stamina, 79 strength, 79 composure

Cost: £23.3 million (release clause)

Wage: £13,000

France have produced a number of great centre halves over the years, with Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc and Raphael Varane the biggest names. Nice defender Malang Sarr could be the next on the conveyor belt, with the 18-year-old racking up the appearances in Ligue 1. 

Nice finished third in the French top flight last season, with Sarr featuring 32 times in his debut season in professional football. On FIFA 18 the centre or left back has a starting overall of 75, but also holds a superb 88 potential. His best stats include 80 stamina, 79 strength and 79 composure. A £23.3 million fee looks slightly steep for an 18-year-old, but with such great potential he is absolutely worth it. 

Axel Tuanzebe (OVR 73 – POT 84)

Age: 19

Positions: CB, CDM

Club: Manchester United

Country: England

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 76 acceleration, 74 standing tackle, 74 strength

Cost: £10.8 million (release clause)

Wage: £39,000

Manchester United fans will be familiar with defender Axel Tuanzebe. The centre back or defensive midfielder was handed four appearances by Jose Mourinho last season during an injury crisis, but with Victor Lindelof arriving in the summer, the 19-year-old will struggle for first team minutes this season. 

Tuanzebe has a respectful starting overall of 73, with a more than decent potential of 84. The England U20 international has 76 sprint speed, 74 acceleration and 74 standing tackle rating on the game. His £10.8 million transfer fee is a fair price, but his hefty wages of £39,000 a week could scare you off. 

Right backs (RB)

The right backs are a bit more unknown, but one is emerging as a Premier League regular.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah (OVR 74 – POT 86)

Age: 19

Positions: RB, CB, CDM

Club: Crystal Palace (on loan from Manchester United)

Country: Netherlands

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 85 sprint speed, 84 aggression, 82 acceleration

Cost: £18 million

Wage: £39,000

Sticking with the Manchester United theme, United loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah kicks off our best right backs. That being said, the 19-year-old can also play at centre back or defensive midfield, so hopefully, his loan spell at Crystal Palace will allow him to narrow down where he is to play for the rest of his career.

Fosu-Mensah has already featured over 21 times for United, and has started all five of Palace’s league games this season. He received his first cap for the Netherlands national team earlier in the season, as the Dutch start planning for the future.

Fosu-Mensah is rated at 74 on FIFA 18, with a stunning potential of 86. His best stats are 85 sprint speed, 84 aggression and 82 acceleration. You will have to wait until the end of the season to get hold of him, but his wages of £39,000 a week puts a move for him up in the air.

Pol Lirola (OVR 74 – POT 80)

Age: 19

Positions: RB

Club: Sassuolo (on loan from Juventus)

Country: Spain

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 83 sprint speed, 80 acceleration, 76 crossing

Cost: £12 million

Wage: £33,000

Right back Pol Lirola continues his loan spell from Juventus at Sassuolo after becoming a regular for the Neroverdi last season. The 19-year-old made 30 appearances last season, grabbing five assists in the process. The Spaniard has already represented his country at U17 and U21 levels,as well as representing the Catalonia regional team. 

Lirola has a decent rating of 74, with the potential to hit 80, making him a solid squad player for any top tier mid-table club. He holds 83 sprint speed, 80 acceleration and 76 crossing in his arsenal. A price of £12 million seems reasonable, but wages of £33,000 a week may force you to look elsewhere. 

Kelvin Amian Adou (OVR 73 – POT 86)

Age: 19

Positions: RB

Club: Toulouse

Country: France

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 76 stamina, 76 marking, 75 standing tackle

Cost: £15 million (release clause)

Wage: £12,000

A similar option to Lirola but with a higher potential is Toulouse right back Kelvin Amian Adou. The Frenchman became a regular for Toulouse last season, his first campaign in professional football. The 19-year-old has passed through the French youth teams from U17 to U21, and don’t be surprised if he gets a shot with the full national team after the 2018 World Cup next summer.

Amian Adou has a 73 overall starting rating but with a potential of 86 which is only topped by fellow right backs Dani Carvajal, Joshua Kimmich, Nelson Semedo and Hector Bellerin on the game. A £15 million fee is about right for the full back, and his current wages of £12,000 should be low enough for you to negotiate a deal. 

Left backs (LB)

A summer signing and two wing back options appear in our best wonderkid left backs. 

Theo Hernandez (OVR 75 – POT 85)

Age: 19

Positions: LB

Club: Real Madrid

Country: France

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 85 sprint speed, 82 acceleration, 78 sliding tackle

Cost: £17.8 million (release clause)

Wage: £46,000

Real Madrid nailed down the transfer of Theo Hernandez from rivals Atletico Madrid early on in the transfer window, after the 19-year-old impressed on loan at Alaves last season. The Frenchman featured 38 times over the campaign, creating four goals and notching two himself.

Like Amian Adou, Hernandez is very much on France’s radar, coming through the U18s, U19s and U20s. However with Benjamin Mendy, Layvin Kurzawa and Lucas Digne already fighting it out for the French left back spot, Hernandez will have to be patient for his chance. 

On this year’s FIFA, Hernandez has a 75 overall and 85 potential made up by his 85 rated sprint speed, 82 acceleration and 78 sliding tackle. Having just joined from Atletico Madrid, you will have to wait a season before you can sign Hernandez, but his £17.8 million release clause should be music to your ears. His wages of £46,000 a week are steep, but they will be worth it in the long run. 

Lato (OVR 74 – POT 83)

Age: 19

Positions: LB, LWB, LM

Club: Valencia

Country: Spain

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 82 acceleration, 79 stamina, 78 crossing

Cost: £14.2 million (release clause)

Wage: £12,000

For Career Mode managers looking to play wing-backs, you should consider Valencia man Lato. The 19-year-old left back can also play as a left wing-back or left midfielder with a high attacking work rate. Despite just 12 appearances at The Mestalla, Lato is turning heads around Europe, and has already recorded an assist from his two games this season. 

Lato has a 74 overall rating, but with the potential to reach a very respectable 83 rating. He has 82 rated acceleration, 79 sprint speed and 78 crossing on the game, with a generous release clause of £14.2 million. His starting wages of £12,000 a week make him an very safe option. 

Marcelo Saracchi (OVR 70 – POT 85)

Age: 19

Positions: LB, LWB

Club: River Plate

Country: Uruguay

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 75 stamina, 75 heading accuracy, 74 agility

Cost: £6.4 million (release clause)

Wage: £6,000

Another wing-back option is River Plate’s Marcelo Saracchi who can play as a left back or left wing back, again with a high attacking work rate. Despite being just 19 years old, Saracchi had already played for former club Danubio 57 times, and his experience at such a young age is perhaps what earned him the move to Argentine giants River Plate. 

On FIFA 18 he's rated at 70, but with a super potential of 85, he is a player any club should consider. His overall is made up by his 75 stamina, 75 heading accuracy and 74 agility. A £6.4 million fee is a bargain for a player with such a high potential, with his wages of £6,000 not an issue at all. 

Other wonderkid centre backs (CB)

Player
Age
Pos .
Club
Country
OVR
POT
Panagiotis Retsos
18
CB RB
B. Leverkusen
Greece
72
85
Justin Hoogma
19
CB
Hoffenheim
Netherlands
71
84
Olivier Boscagli
19
CB LB
Nimes*
France
71
83
Nikola Milenkovic
19
CB
Fiorentina
Serbia
70
81
Dayot Upamecano
18
CB CDM
RB Leipzig
France
69
86
Juan Foyth
19
CM
Tottenham
Argentina
68
86
Cameron Carter-Vickers
19
CB
Sheffield United*
USA
68
85
Rick van Drongelen
18
CB LB
Hamburg
Netherlands
68
82

Other wonderkid right backs (RB)

Player
Age
Pos.
Club
Country
OVR
POT
Pablo Maffeo
19
RB RWB RM
Girona*
Spain
72
85
Nordi Mukiele
19
RB CB
Montpellier
France
72
83
Achraf Hakimi
18
RB LB
Real Madrid
Morocco
71
81
Ronael Pierre-Gabriel
19
RB LB
Saint-Etienne
France
71
81
Giovanni Troupee
19
RB
Utrecht
Netherlands
71
81
Trent Alexander-Arnold
18
RB RM CM
Liverpool
England
69
85
Pedro Pereira
19
RB
Benfica
Portugal
69
82
Felix Passlack
18
RM RM LB
Hoffenheim*
Germany
69
84
Diogo Dalot
18
RB
Porto
Portugal
68
83
Aitor Bunuel
19
RWB RB
Osasuna
Spain
68
82

Other wonderkid left backs (LB)

Player
Age
Pos.
Club
Country
OVR
POT
Rico Henry
19
LB LWB LM
Brentford
England
68
84
Mathias Olivera
19
LB
Getafe
Uruguay
68
80
Blas Riveros
19
LB
Basel
Paraguay
68
84
Ryan Sessegnon
17
LB LW
Fulham
England
67
86
Marc Cucurella
18
LB
Barcelona B
Spain
67
85

*Denotes players who are on loan

Looking for FIFA 18 wonderkids? Just click the link below:

Strikers

Midfielders (CMs, CAMs & CDMs)

Wingers (LMs, RMs, LWs & RWs)

Argentinian Wonderkids

Brazilian Wonderkids

Looking for FIFA 18 young players in other positions? 

Best young strikers

Best young right wingers & right midfielders (RW & RM)

Best young left wingers & left midfielders (LW & LM)

Best young attacking midfielders (CAM)

Best young central midfielders (CM)

Best young defensive midfielders (CDM)

Best young centre backs (CB)

Best young left backs (LB)

Best young right backs (RB)

Best young goalkeepers (GK)

Looking for free players? 

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2018 (First Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2019 (Second Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2020 (Third Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2021 (Fourth Season)

Free Agent XI

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Best cheap high potential left backs (LB)

Best cheap high potential right backs (RB)

Best cheap high potential right wingers (RW) & midfielders (RM)

Best cheap high potential left wingers (LW) & midfielders (LM)

Best cheap high potential attacking midfielders (CAM)

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Who are you going to sign on Career Mode? Who have been the best signings? Let us know in the comments section below.

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