Football Manager 2018: Best Wonderkid Wingers to sign

If you want the next Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Neymar on FM 18, you need to get searching early on. There is plenty of talent out there, but finding it is always the tricky part.

What is a wonderkid winger?

These players are all teenagers (aged 19 and below) and all play on either flank – right or left midfielders and right or left attacking midfielders. They all have potential ability ratings of at least 150, which is the current level of players like Anthony Martial and Gabriel Jesus. They may only be at the start of their careers, but they are set to become some of the best players in the world.

For a full list of our wonderkid wingers, visit the table at the bottom of this page.

READ: Football Manager 2019 Wonderkids: Best Right Wingers & Left Wingers to Sign

Where are the star ratings?

Current and potential ability star ratings you see in FM only reflect a player’s ability in relation to the rest of the squad. They can be seen in your squad screen and on a scout report of a player. We have used the game’s database to give a more accurate reading, with the current ability (CA) and potential ability (PA) scores marked out of 200 and reflective of the entire footballing world.  

Left wingers

The position of choice for Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Eden Hazard. With the opportunity to cut in and score, many left wingers are now bagging more goals than strikers. 

Vicinius Junior (CA 118 – PA 188)

Age: 16

Positions: AM (L), ST

Club: FLA (Flamengo)

Country: Brazil

Best attributes: 18 determination, 16 dribbling, 16 agility

Value: £2 million

Wage: £6,300 a week 

Aged just 16, it’s incredible that left winger Vicinius Junior has 25 senior appearances to his name. Not only that, he has chipped in with four goals and an assist for Flamengo, and has impressed even more for Brazil U17s. At that level he has 12 goals in 15 games so expect big things from the youngster.

Vicinius will set you back a £26.5 million, a fantastic price given his crazy 188 potential. With a current ability score of 118, he is about half of season away from making the step up to a big European club, with his best attributes 18 determination, 16 dribbling and 16 agility. £6,300 a week wages are reasonable for a man of his talent.

Jadon Sancho (CA 114 – PA 176)

Age: 17

Positions: AM (LC), M (L)

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Country: England

Best attributes: 17 ambition, 16 agility, 16 flair

Value: £3 million

Wage: £4,000 a week

Jadon Sancho took the brave call of leaving Manchester City in the summer, with first team football the reason behind his move to Borussia Dortmund. The 17-year-old has been rewarded with two appearances since returning from the U17 World Cup with England, being recalled by his club after the group stage.

Left winger Sancho has 17 ambition, 16 agility and 16 flair contributing to his 114 current ability level, with his 176 potential the highest of any England player who is yet to reach his peak (Wayne Rooney & John Terry PA 180). For his talent, you are looking at a price of close to £70 million, giving you Sancho’s 17 ambition, 16 agility and 16 flair. His current wages are just £4,000 a week. 

Timothy Tillman (CA 110 – PA 170)

Age: 18

Positions: AM (LC), M (L)

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Germany

Best attributes: 15 agility, 15 aggression, 15 creativity

Value: £400,000

Wage: £400 a week

A bit of an unknown prospect, with the 18-year-old Timothy Tillman yet to make his debut for Bayern Munich. The left winger has performed well for the Germany youth teams, playing at every age group from U15 to U19. A breakthrough at Bayern looks unlikely, with senior level minutes now crucial for Tillman.

The youngster has a 110 current ability rating on the game, with his potential able to take him to 170. 15 agility, 15 aggression and 15 creativity make the winger a threat already, and Tillman can be yours for a price of around £40 million. His wages of just £400 a week make him an affordable option. 

Reiss Nelson (CA 111 – PA 169)

Age: 17

Positions: AM (LR)

Club: Arsenal

Country: England

Best attributes: 20 adaptability, 15 flair, 14 dribbling

Value: £1 million

Wage: £3,000 a week

Reiss Nelson has been given the chance to impress this season, with Arsene Wenger handing the 17-year-old left or right winger opportunities in both the Europa League and Carabao Cup. Six goals in just five games for Arsenal U23 shows he has some talent, and The Gunners will now want to see that at senior level.

Nelson’s 111 current ability rating consists of 20 adaptability, 15 flair and 14 dribbling on FM 18, with a 169 potential. Those ratings will set you back a deal worth close to £50 million, with his wages of £3,000 a week likely to increase. 

Marcus Rashford (CA 145 – PA 167)

Age: 19

Positions: AM (L), ST

Club: Manchester United

Country: England

Best attributes: 20 adaptability, 18 acceleration, 18 temperament

Value: £42 million

Wage: £20,000 a week

The hottest talent in English football, Marcus Rashford is already a regular starter for both Manchester United and England at the age of just 19. The left winger or striker can operate in both roles equally, and his versatility has already earned him 89 appearances for United and 13 England caps. 

Rashford, who has 26 goals and 14 assists for United, has attributes of 20 adaptability, 18 acceleration and 18 temperament on FM 18. Those skills help make up his 145 current ability score, with his 167 potential only bettered by current England internationals Dele Alli, Harry Kane, John Stones and Eric Dier. You will need a hefty bid of beyond £85 million to snatch Rashford from Old Trafford, with an increase on his £20,000 a week wages certainly required.

Right Wingers

Featuring on the right wing, you have Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and Arjen Robben – all left footed players. With the game evolving and wingers becoming more like inverted forwards, can you find the next star to build your side around?

Federico Chiesa (CA 139 – PA 167)

Age: 19

Positions: AM (LR), M (R)

Club: Fiorentina

Country: Italy

Best attributes: 16 natural fitness, 15 pressure, 15 professionalism

Value: £11 million

Wage: £12,000 a week

Federico Chiesa is another man who is a regular for his club, with an international call-up for the Fiorentina man inevitable in the future. The 19-year-old right winger has 45 appearances for the Viola, starting all 11 of their games this season.

Chiesa offers 16 natural fitness, 15 pressure and 15 professionalism on the game, adding towards his 139 current ability rating. A 167 potential would make him a starter for most sides, but you will need around £60 million to sign him. Chiesa’s £12,000 a week wages are likely to increase if you go in for a move. 

Miguel Baeza (CA 80 – PA 166)

Age: 17

Positions: AM (R), M (R)

Club: Real Madrid B

Country: Spain

Best attributes: 20 determination, 13 acceleration, 13 agility

Value: £90,000

Wage: £70 a week

If you are looking for a player to nurture, Real Madrid B right winger Miguel Baeza is your man. The 17-year-old has featured just four times for Real’s U19 side, scoring three and grabbing an assist.

That incredible start explains his 166 potential on FM, more than doubling his current ability score of 80. His 20 determination, 13 acceleration and 13 agility can be yours by matching his £135,330 release clause, making Baeza one of the biggest bargains on Football Manager 2018. The icing on the cake is his wages of just £70 a week. 

Leon Bailey (CA 139 – PA 161)

Age: 19

Positions: AM (LR), M (RL)

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Country: Jamaica

Best attributes: 18 ambition, 18 controversy, 17 flair

Value: £10 million

Wage: £34,000 a week

This looks to be the watershed season for Leon Bailey. The 19-year-old picked up 10 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen last year following his January switch for Belgian side Genk, and now he has an eye on a regular first team place. With four goals and three assists so far in the current campaign, he is going the right way about it. 

The Jamaican has 18 ambition, 18 controversy and 17 flair in his game making him an exciting talent. A current ability rating of 139 would make him an asset to any club, with a 161 potential almost making him a must buy. You will need to go all out to get hold of Bailey though, costing around £70 million with his wages starting at £34,000 a week.

Yacine Adli (CA 94 – PA 160)

Age: 16

Positions: AM (RC), M (C)

Club: PSG

Country: France

Best attributes: 14 technique, 14 flair, 14 balance

Value: £250,000

Wage: £2,000 a week

Yet to make his professional debut is PSG right winger Yacine Adli. The 16-year-old has been the star for France U17s scoring six times in 16 appearances, but in order to kick on he'll need to be eyeing up first team football in the next few years.

Adli has 14 technique, 14 flair and 14 balance on the game, which contribute to his 94 current ability rating. That figure has the potential to rise to 160, making Adli a superb signing, especially at a price of just £15 million. With wages of £2,000 a week, the Frenchman is one of the best long-term signings on FM 18.

Phakamani Mahlambi (CA 118 – PA 160)

Age: 19

Positions: AM (RC)

Club: Al-Ahly

Country: South Africa

Best attributes: 18 acceleration, 17 dribbling, 16 flair

Value: £500,000

Wage: £4,500 a week

You may not think there is much talent in either South Africa or in Egypt, but 19-year-old Phakamani Mahlambi is looking to change that. The right winger plies his trade for Al-Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League and has taken the country by storm. Last season the South African international scored six and assisted seven in 13 games, and if he maintains that he may make the step-up into Europe.

On Football Manager 2018 Mahlambi has 18 acceleration, 17 dribbling and 16 flair. Skills like that help make up his 118 current ability rating and he has the potential to reach 160. He's another fantastic bargain, available for just £2.5 million, with wages of only £4,500 a week.

More wonderkid wingers

A = Age

V = Value

W = Wage

Who have you signed on FM 2018? Let us know in the comments section below.

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