EA FC 24 wonderkids: Best young players in Career Mode from Madrid to Motherwell

EA FC 24’s general release is finally here and fans will be flocking to Career Mode to try and sign the next big thing.

Ultimate Team is where Kylian Mbappe reigns king but Career Mode is the chance to discover your own version of the Paris Saint-Germain star.

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Whether you’re managing Manchester United or Maidstone United, developing young talent is the key to long-term success.

And now with Bukayo Saka, Vinicius Junior and Phil Foden all going past the 22-year-old mark it’s time for the next wave of wonderkids.

talkSPORT.com has used Brighton’s method of scouting to compile a list of over 70 of the world’s best young players.

Alan Hansen infamously once said ‘You can’t win anything with kids’ – well with some of these starlets you definitely will…

EA FC 24 Career Mode: Best young goalkeepers

Wonderkid goalkeepers are a rare breed, with shot-stoppers usually developing at a later age than their outfield counterparts.

But there are still gems to find in that market, with both Brighton and Chelsea grabbing such diamonds in the rough this summer.

Ironically it was the Seagulls’ superior scouting that led them to £17million Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen to replace Robert Sanchez.

And Chelsea’s stockpiling of young talent means they will be hoping they’ve already got Sanchez’s replacement as well in Gabriel Slonina.

The standout star still looks to be France U21 starlet Guillaume Restes, who already has 74 reflexes and 71 positioning at just 18 years old.

Name (Club) Age, Current rating – potential

• Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) 18, 70-87
• Bart Verbruggen (Brighton) 20, 75-85
• Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica) 21 , 77-85
• Maarten Vandevoordt (Genk) 21, 75-85
• Lucas Chevalier (Lille) 21, 78-84
• Gavin Bazunu (Southampton) 21, 71-83
• Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea) 19, 66-81

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EA FC 24 Career Mode: Best young defenders

Full backs

This is when FC 24 players may need to start breaking out their wallets with a number of the best full-backs already impressing in the Premier League.

Barcelona’s home-grown product Alejandro Balde stands above the rest though with 91 sprint speed and 90 acceleration at age 19.

He’ll cost a pretty penny with Barca not likely to let him go for under £55m but he would be your starting full-back for the next decade.

Name (Club) Age, Position, Current rating – potential

• Alejandro Balde (Barcelona) 19, LB/RB, 81-89
• Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain) 21, LB/LWB, 82-87
• Arnau Martinez (Girona) 20, RB, 80-87
• Rico Lewis (Manchester City) 18, RB/CDM, 73-86
• Destiny Udogie (Tottenham) 20, LB, 77-86
• Ivan Fresneda (Sporting) 18, RB, 72-85
• Patrick Dorgu (Leece) 18, LB, 64-85
• Malo Gusto (Chelsea) 20, RB, 76-85
• Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth) 19, LB, 75-85

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Centre-backs

Man City knew they’d have to pay a premium on one of the world’s best young defenders when they took Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.

However, there are also some cut-price deals in the central defensive market – particularly with 17-year-old Dutch starlet Jorrel Hato.

The 78 sprint speed star, who can also play at left-back, has been tipped as the next player on the famous Ajax youth conveyor belt.

Name (Club) Age, Current rating – potential

• Antonio Silva (Benfica), 19, 78-88
• Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City) 21, CB/LB, 82-88
• Jorrel Hato (Ajax) 17, CB/LB, 68-87
• Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta) 19, 75-86
• Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen) 21, 79-86
• Goncalo Inacio (Sporting) 21, 79-86
• Jorne Spileers (Club Brugge) 18, 69-85
• Ousmane Diomande (Sporting) 19, 75-85
• Leon King (Rangers) 19, 75-85
• Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig) 20, 77-85

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EA FC 24 Career Mode: Best young midfielders

Central midfielders

Probably the area of the pitch with the wonderkids who almost make the tag futile due to them lighting up the biggest stage already.

From Jude Bellingham’s instant heroics at Real Madrid to Barcelona duo Pedri and Gavi, premium options will not be in short supply.

The jewel in the crown of the next generation of Dutch talent Xavi Simons will be a hard buy having been loaned to Leipzig from PSG.

One of the most impressive is 17-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery at PSG, who could be available for a paltry fee at the start of the game.

But even he gets outstripped by Motherwell’s Lennon Miller, who only turned 17 last month, and yet can be snapped up for less than a million to develop into a whopping 85-rated.

Name (Club) Age, Position, Current rating – potential

• Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) 20, CAM/CM/LM, 86-93
• Pedri (Barcelona) 20, CM, 86-92
• Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) 20, CM/CAM, 86-91
• Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) 20, CAM/CM, 85-91
• Gavi (Barcelona) 18, CM/LW, 83-90
• Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) 20, CDM/CM/LB, 82-89
• Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig) 20, CAM/LW/RW, 79-89
• Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), 17, CM/CDM, 75-88
• Fabio Miretti (Juventus) 19, CM/CAM, 75-88
• Arda Guler (Real Madrid) 18, CAM/CM/RW, 77-88
• Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) 21, CM, 79-87
• Tomasso Baldanzi (Empoli) 20, CAM/CF, 77-87
• Stefan Bajcetic (Liverpool) 18, CDM/CM, 72-86
• Noah Lahmadi (Toulouse) 18, CM/CDM, 65-86
• Romeo Lavia (Chelsea) 19, CDM, 73-86
• Bilal El Khannouss (Genk) 19, CAM/CM, 71-86
• Tom Bischof (Hoffenheim) 18, CAM, 66-86
• Paul Wanner (Elversberg) 17, CAM/LM/RM, 63-86
• Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) 20, CAM/CM/RW, 77-85
• Lennon Miller (Motherwell) 17, CM, 59-85
• Charlie Patino (Swansea City) 19, CM/CDM, 68-85
• Joao Neves (Benfica) 18, CM, 69-85

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Wingers

For Career Mode fans who haven’t chosen a top club to journey with, fear not, as EA are yet to price Alejandro Garnacho at what United actually consider him worth today.

Another option is the next potential England superstar to emerge from Borussia Dortmund after Bellingham and Jadon Sancho in Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

But for long-term players looking to develop lesser-known teens into one of the most exciting talents then look no further at 17-year-old wonderkis Gianluca Prestianni and Roony Bardghji.

Name (Club) Age, Current rating – potential

• Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) 19, LW/LM, 75-88
• Ansu Fati (Brighton) 20, LW/ST, 78-88
• Antonio Nusa (Club Brugge) 18, LM/LW/RM, 68-87
• Yeremy Pino (Villarreal) 20, LM,/RM/ST, 79-87
• Gianluca Prestianni (Vélez Sarsfield) 17, RM/CAM/RW, 70-86
• Roony Bardghji (Copenhagen) 17, RW, 68-86
• Desire Doue (Rennes) 18, CAM/RW, 71-86
• Angelo (Strasbourg) 18, RW/LW, 69-86
• Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), 19, RW/ ST/LW, 72-86
• Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt) 20, LM/CM, 75-86
• Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund) 18, LM, 71-86
• Arsen Zakharyan (Real Sociedad) 20, LW/RW/CAM, 75-86
• Andreas Schjelderup (Nordsjaelland) 19, LM/CAM/ST, 71-86
• Ryan Cherki (Lyon) 19, CAM/LW/RW, 75-86
• Johan Bakayoko (PSV) 20, RW, 75-86
• Carlos Forbs (Ajax) 19, RW/LW, 70-86
• Samuel lling-Junior (Juventus) 19, LM/LW, 71-85
• Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City) 19, LW/RW, 69-85
• Amourricho van Axel Dongen (Ajax) 19, LW, 65-85
• Matias Soule (Frosinone) 20, RW/RM, 71-85
• Alberto Moleiro (Las Palmas) 19, LM/CM/CAM, 75-85

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EA FC 24 Career Mode: Best young strikers

The one you all scrolled down to see, eh?

Almost seems silly looking at the next generation of goal-scorers with Mbappe and Erling Haaland only 24 and 23 years old respectively.

But hot on their heels are Rasmus Hojlund, who made a £72million switch to Haaland’s rivals United this summer.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told talkSPORT last month it will be at least five years before they consider selling Evan Ferguson – but thankfully in the virtual world, the Seagulls aren’t as fierce negotiators!

Name (Club) Age, Position, Current rating – potential

• Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United) 20, ST, 76-89
• Elye Wahi (Lens) 20, ST/LM, 78-88
• Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund) 18, ST, 77-87
• Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund) 21, ST/LM/RM, 80-87
• Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich) 18, ST/LM/RM, 71-86
• Nelson Weiper (Mainz) 18, ST, 66-86
• Evan Ferguson (Brighton) 18, ST, 74-86
• Eliesse Ben Seghir (Monaco) 18, CF/ST, 72-85
• Alejo Veliz (Tottenham) 19, ST, 75-85
• Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig) 20, ST, 75-85
• Facundo Farias (Inter Miami) 20, CAM/CF, 75-85
• Adam Hlozek (Bayer Leverkusen) 20, ST/CAM, 77-85

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