Any save of Football Manager is a marathon, not a sprint. Most players won’t be treating this as a one-and-done process, instead investing hours into playing through several seasons at one club. So, in Football Manager 2023, it’s no good simply assembling a squad of players who are at their peak. They’ll be great in your first season, but five seasons down the line, they’ll be in physical decline and thinking about retirement. This is why every Football Manager needs to invest in youth talent. These wonderkids and hot prospects aren’t necessarily going to be your best players from the moment you sign them, but with the right training, mentorship and management, you’ll get the immense satisfaction of seeing them blossom into superstars by the time they’re in their mid-twenties.
This is why it’s important to know which wonderkids are worth investing in as soon as you take over the reins of a new club. You’ll find the best 11 wonderkids in Football Manager 2023 listed and detailed below.
Related: When is the release date for Football Manager 2023?
Goalkeepers
Nil Ruiz
Age: 19
Nationality: Spanish
Club: Barcelona
Transfer Value: £500K – 1.1M
Wage: £1.6K p/w
Top ratings
Natural Fitness: 14
Jumping Reach: 14
Determination: 14
Gabriel Slonina
Age: 18
Nationality: American
Club: Chicago
Transfer Value: £13.5M – 22M
Wage: £2.4K p/w
Top ratings
Jumping Reach: 17
Determination: 18
Natural Fitness: 14
Defenders
Alejandro Balde
Age: 18
Nationality: Spanish
Club: Barcelona
Transfer Value: £23M – 32M
Wage: £33K p/w
Top ratings
Agility: 17
Acceleration: 16
Pace: 16
Luca Netz
Age: 19
Nationality: German
Club: Borussia M’gladbach
Transfer Value: £32M – 45M
Wage: £11,250 p/a
Top ratings
Acceleration: 15
Determination:15
Pace: 15
Giorgio Scalvini
Age: 18
Nationality: Italian
Club: Atalanta
Transfer Value: £32M – 39M
Wage: £25.5K p/w
Top ratings
Teamwork: 15
Natural Fitness: 15
Jumping Reach: 15
Midfielders
Jamal Musiala
Age: 19
Nationality: German
Club: FC Bayern
Transfer Value: £62M – 77M
Wage: £91K p/w
Top ratings
Dribbling: 18
Technique: 18
Flair: 18
Pedri
Age: 19
Nationality: Spanish
Club: Barcelona
Transfer Value: £155M – 171M
Wage: £150K p/w
Top ratings
Flair: 18
First Touch: 18
Vision: 18
Yeremy Pino
Age: 19
Nationality: Spanish
Club: Villareal
Transfer Value: £69M
Wage: £23.5K p/w
Top ratings
Dribbling: 16
Technique: 16
Flair: 16
Strikers
Mohamed-Ali Cho
Age: 18
Nationality: French
Club: Real San Sebastian
Transfer Value: £14M – 21M
Wage: £3.6K p/w
Top ratings
First Touch: 14
Agility: 14
Pace: 14
Ansu Fati
Age: 19
Nationality: Spanish
Club: Barcelona
Transfer Value: £41M – 60M
Wage: £200K p/w
Top ratings
Flair: 19
Technique: 16
Agility: 17
Youssoufa Moukoko
Age: 17
Nationality: German
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Transfer Value: £35M – 41M
Wage: £12K p/w
Top ratings
Dribbling: 16
Finishing: 16
Technique: 16
