Off-Field – Football Manager Wonderkids

Football Manager 21 has been out for a few weeks at this point, and already there are forums and websites packed full of data and information, about who to sign and which wonderkids will come good (or even great) after a few seasons of nurturing. Because of this, we thought… let’s do exactly the same.

So, here we are with the first part of our Football Manager 21 wonderkids, taking 1 player from each position and explaining what traits they possess, a bit of information regarding their potential and also suggesting what type of club/formation they would be best suited to.

This information is taken through both personal research, and padded out with additional information taken from across the web. If you have tried any of our suggested players and had any success, or if you’ve found your own wonderkids so far in this edition, drop us a Tweet @NextGoalWinBlog, we would love to hear from you and include some of your submissions into future updates of this post.

Enjoy.

Goalkeeper – Manuel Gasparini (Udinese)

Kicking things off on our list, is the 18 year old Udinese No.31. Although yet to make his first-team debut, he has some serious potential on Football Manager 2021. The Italian keeper has already got many suggesting he could rival Donnarumma a run for his money in the national side at some point.

He has some amazing stats which will progress nicely in almost any side, as he is currently strong in handling, reflexes, jump reach and positioning. At such a young age, and also valued at only £150,000, he could be picked up for a decent fee and sort a league 1 level side out for almost the next 15 years in the side.

Personally, I always look to pick up a young goalkeeper with great potential within the first season or 2, and Gasparini is my go-to in this game, his age makes him a great signing for a long career, and the potential puts him at potentially 4 and a half stars. A bargain buy for long-term coverage.

Defender – Anel Ahmedhodzic

The 21 year old Bosnian centre-back is the oldest and possibly highest valued player on our list, being valued at £1.3 million, going up to around £5 million if you want to bring in the 6ft 4 defender. In return for this investment, you will see much reward, as images of the player in one save 7 years in the future has his value sky-rocket up to around £65 million and one of the best defenders around.

He is probably the most experienced of this bunch also, as he is a regular starter for Malmö FF and has even played in their Europa League campaigns of recent years. He actually started off at Nottingham Forest, where he mad a 6 minute appearance in his professional debut. From there, he has built up a strong reputation, and been involved in the Swedish national side, before changing allegiances to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He is very highly rated in this years game, with his height and pace physical attributes working well alongside solid mental attributes and his tackling and heading ability. He is a solid centre-back that would be a great Championship/Premier League signing. He is only suited to the CB role, meaning he fits into every formation well, and if you play with 3 CB’s, it would be great to include Ahmedhodzic in the side, as his stats will develop well as you progress through the game.

Midfielder – Nicolo Rovella

At age 18, Rovella is already creating a great buzz around his potential in the CDM role which he currently operates in at Genoa, with major European clubs sniffing around the young Italian. He has already become a useful figure for Genoa’s first team, whilst also working his way through the international ranks up to Italy’s U-21 side who he has appeared for one 2 occasions.

Being valued at around £750,000, Rovella isn’t the cheapest option for most sides, however if the funds are available, he will certainly be available for under £2 million. In return for this investment, you will be getting a player that could potentially become one of the worlds’ strongest in the defensive-midfielder role and work up to be valued around £60-70 million.

His key attributes are his stamina, determination and surprisingly corner-kicks. While those aren’t the most attractive attributes, I should clarify that he is an all-round decent player from the offset. His attributes across all areas are strong, with 12-15 ratings in most areas. His potential could easily reach 4 and a half, if not 5 stars. He will certainly become a fully fledged international over time, and if you invest early, you will be receiving a top quality central midfielder, who could realistically play most roles in almost any formation. I believe every good side needs that solid spine, and Rovella will become a key player in that for any team.

Forward – Lazaro

The 18 year old Flamengo striker is the first Brazilian in our Wonderkid list, and really it was only a matter of time. This youngster fits the generic stereotype of when we think Football Manager wonderkid, as he is a young, reasonably cheap attacker (valued at around £40,000 and will likely cost much more), can play various attacking roles, and has some seriously impressive potential statistics.

In researching Lazaro, I have found some examples which show how in one save, by the age of 25 he has such stats as; 17 composure, dribbling, technique, vision and agility which would make him a star-man at almost any club imaginable.

Obviously, he doesn’t immediately possess those stats, meaning he would need to start off as a more rotational striker for many sides, and as he is able to play many roles in attack, as a striker or attacking midfielder. He would fit perfectly into a system playing with 3 attacking midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 or if you play a system with more than one striker such as a bog-standard 4-4-2. In the real world, he plays as a attacking midfielder or even on the left, however on FM21 I do believe he could become a fantastic out-and-out striker.

Bonus – Shola Shoretire (Manchester United)

As our bonus selection (mainly to make it up to 5 recommendations and worth your time reading), is the 16 year old United prospect who has made the bench in recent fixtures for the Red Devils. This youngster has some serious talent and has already got some impressive support, being labelled the next ‘Sancho’ (before Sancho has even had time to become the next Sancho).

At just 16, this lad is a great youngster to try and bring into your side, if you can part him away from United (not as easy as it might seem). Valued at under £100,000 and with a reasonable wage, he is a great player to develop and has some impressive statistics. His first-touch, acceleration, technical and flair stats are so impressive, he is the perfect player to play any role in an attacking 3. Any formation using attacking midfielders will be benefiting from Shoretire.

If you can bring him into your side, he would be perfect for almost any club, as he could provide great long-term depth for a higher quality team, or could become the superstar of a side trying to climb the ranks and in need of some flair. He possesses technical, physical and attacking skill, that means he is a versatile and special talent.

If you have found any Football Manager wonderkids, let us know over on Twitter @NextGoalWinBlog… we would love to hear about it and feature some of your suggestions in the future.