FM23 wonderkids - the best young players in Football Manager 2023

FM23 Wonderkids aren't your average young player, they're the best of the best. While still younger than 21, they often have the current ability to compete with the average top-division player and have a potential so high that it would make any Champions League team blush. However, because of this, they can often cost you tens of millions, although if you're smart you might be able to pick yourself up a bargain. If you're looking to build a team for the future and don't mind developing these players, then you might bag yourself a future club legend.

Whether you're looking for a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, winger, or striker, we've got you covered. Each position is by potential ability (PA) from highest to lowest. Some players have a fixed PA, while others have a dynamic PA, meaning their potential differs between every save, so their potential in your save could be higher or lower than we have here. We've marked every player with a dynamic potential with an asterisk to make it clearer. Here is a list of the best wonderkids in Football Manager 23, an absolute must if you plan on creating a dynasty in one of the best PC games this year.

Goalkeepers

Arnau Tenas offers a guaranteed PA of 160 for a reasonable fee, but in reality, any of these keepers have the chance to be real world-class talents. Our pick of the lot, though, has to go to Nathaniel Nwosu. For less than £100k, you can pick yourself up a goalkeeper who will be as good as any other if you're willing to put the time into his development.

Defenders

While it's perhaps unsurprising that Wesley Fofana tops the defensive charts with his 180 PA, there are plenty of other options available. António Silva offers a PA that can almost reach the same heights as Fofana for a quarter of the price, while the likes of Eric Garcia, Caleb Okoli, Malick Thiaw, and Christian Mosquera could be savvy purchases for a team with less money to spend.

Midfielders

Camavinga, Bellingham, Gavi, Pedri, and Musiala are already world-class players, which is why you'll have to spend a fortune to get them – but you'll be guaranteed quality. But you certainly won't be required to spend big to get some incredible midfield talent. Danilo, Mohammed Kudus, and Nicolas Seiwald start off with decent current ability, and potential for growth, while managers building for the future should be building their teams around players like Alfie Devine, Arda Güler, and Julen Jon Guerrero; all excellent value considering their potential.

Wingers

Fati and Reyna are great options down the left wing for anyone who can afford them, but we think you should be raiding the Norwegian and Danish leagues for Schjelderup and Gulliksen, two bargain players who have some huge potential.

On the right wing, Saka is potentially out of even the richest clubs' grasp with his eye-watering value, but Pino, Elliott, and Kayky can all fit the bill and will be competing at the same level as Saka in a few seasons' time, while for those without the megabucks to spend, Prestianni at Argentinian side Vélez could be a steal at only £3m.

Strikers

To nobody's surprise, Erling Haaland storms to the top of the charts when it comes to strikers, but with perennial prospects Endrick and Youssoufa Moukoko not far behind, they would both be excellent gs for any team. Similarly, Vitor Roque, Mohamed-Ali Cho, and Rodrigo Ribeiro offer great value for money and some decent potential for the future. Players like Jhon Durán, Matías Arezo, or even Iker Villar and Karim Konaté mean that there truly is a wonderkid striker for any budget. Any of these would make an ideal focal point to build your attack for the future.

Any one of these players would be an excellent buy if you have the money to spend. While the likes of Saka, Pedri, and Fati are probably unaffordable for all but the PSGs and Manchester Citys of the world, they're worth the money as they're already Champions League quality and are only going to get better over time.

For mid-table teams, especially those in the English Premier League with a bit more cash, there are affordable players in every position that will easily slot into your starting 11 and will develop into world-class players during your rise to the top. Players like Trubin, Thiaw, Miretti, and João Pedro are all already solid players available for less than £50m, and if you manage to poach a couple, they could be the perfect kinds of players to start building a team around.

And while there might not be such thing as a 'cheap' wonderkid per-se, there are certainly some bargains to be had if you know where to look. Smaller European leagues can provide some hidden gems such as Ribeiro in Portugal, Schjelderup in Norway, or Villar in Spain, while you can never go wrong scouting out Brazil and Argentina were the second coming of Ronaldo, Endrick, is just waiting for you to pick him up.

Finally, while already established wonderkids like Gavi, Pedri, and Fati at Barcelona will always be present in the game no matter what leagues you load in, players at smaller teams such as Schjelderup in Norway may require you to have their leagues playable for them to feature in the database (you can always remove them afterward if you want).

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