The last instalment of our 2017 wonderkids list: featuring the 12 young 'uns in bargain territory
And so it comes to an end: our in-depth guide to the 84 best wonderkids onFootball Manager 2017that'll fit (almost) every budget. (You can compare it with our 2016 edition, if you're so inclined.)
Our last segment is reserved for the youngsters with the best potential who you can pick up for relative peanuts – all 12 of these under-21-year-olds are in the £500k-£3.5m price range for your developmental delight. See any that take your fancy?
Available for: N/A (loan clause) Starting value: £575k In-game stats:
Need to know: Spanish right-back currently on loan at Sassuolo from Juventus. The 19-year-old joined the Bianconeri from Espanyol in January 2015, but is getting regular minutes in Serie A and the Europa League away from Turin this term.
11. Carlos Soler
Available for: £600k In-game stats:
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Need to know: Central midfielder yet to make a senior debut for Valencia, but a Spain U19 international who’ll become ace and is available for very little on FM.
10. Moreto Cassama
Available for: £650k In-game stats:
Need to know: Manchester United-linked Portugal youth international who’s currently captaining Porto through this season’s UEFA Youth League campaign. Yet to debut for his club but the future is bright for this attacking midfielder.
Next: Porto's new prince?
9. Alex Meret
Available for: N/A (loan clause) Starting value: £775k In-game stats:
Need to know: Italy U19 stalwart on loan at excellently named second-tier side SPAL 2013 from Udinese. Broke his wrist in mid-November, though, so his real-life progression has stalled somewhat.
8. Afonso Sousa
Available for: £1m In-game stats:
Need to know: Porto’s 16-year-old attacking midfielder who becomes a beast on FM 2017 if you give him the game time. A playmaker whose passing will eventually carve open the best defences.
7. Andrea Pinamonti
Available for: £1m In-game stats:
Need to know: Italy U19 striker playing above his years aged just 17. He’s a staple of Inter’s youth team and has scored 11 goals in just nine Primavera C matches so far this season.
Next: Liverpool's new kid in town
6. Ben Woodburn
Available for: £1m In-game stats:
Need to know: Winger who became Liverpool’s third-youngest debutant ever when he came off the bench against Sunderland, aged 17. The Wales U19 youngster has shone for the club’s U23s and looks a huge talent for the years to come.
5. Moise Kean
Available for: £1.2m In-game stats:
Need to know: Juventus’s 16-year-old striker who recently became the first Year 2000-born player to appear in the Champions League. Scored in each of his five Primavera B appearances and UEFA Youth League appearances this season.
4. Mile Svilar
Available for: £1.2m In-game stats:
Need to know: The son of former Yugoslavia goalkeeper Ratko (who later managed Antwerp on several occasions), Slivar Jr. is also a net-minder and two-time UEFA Youth League semi-finalist with Anderlecht.
Next: The lad who was supposed to join Arsenal
3. Gonzalo Maroni
Available for: £2.2m In-game stats:
Need to know: Argentine midfielder with Boca Juniors who made his first-team debut in May. The attacking midfielder is still only 17.
2. Lautaro Martinez
Available for: £2.5m In-game stats:
Need to know: Racing Club striker wanted by Real Madrid and Valencia, having made his Primera Division debut in November 2015. “At this moment, I'd like to learn more here before making the move to Europe,” said the 19-year-old in August.
1. Maximiliano Romero
Available for: £3.5m In-game stats:
Need to know: Velez Sarsfield’s 17-year-old striker who has appeared regularly in the Primera Division in 2016. A move to Arsenal in 2015 was reportedly done but never actually happened, after he tore his ACL and negotiations broke down.
Joe was the Deputy Editor at FourFourTwo until 2022, having risen through the FFT academy and been on the brand since 2013 in various capacities.
By weekend and frustrating midweek night he is a Leicester City fan, and in 2020 co-wrote the autobiography of former Foxes winger Matt Piper – subsequently listed for both the Telegraph and William Hill Sports Book of the Year awards.
