The long-running Football Manager series has become known for many things over the years, with one being the popularization of the word "wonderkid." A wonderkid is a young player who is extremely talented and has the potential to become one of the world's best players in the future. The process of finding a wonderkid and watching them develop into a world-beater is one of the most rewarding aspects of the Football Manager franchise, so we've listed the ten best in the latest game.
The term "wonderkid" can be ambiguous, so it's worth pointing out that to qualify for this list, players must be 18 years old or younger from the in-game start date of 5 July 2021, as 19 and 20-year-old talents like Alphonso Davies and Mason Greenwood are already household names in the sport.
10 Shola Shoretire
- Date Of Birth: 2 February 2004
- Natural Position(s): Attacking Midfield (Left), Attacking Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $39m - $50m
Shola Shoretire is a member of the Manchester United academy, which bodes well for his future career chances. Manchester United's academy is well known for producing world-class talents, with players like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, and Marcus Rashford all coming from their youth setup.
Shola Shoretire is still quite a raw talent, so he isn't likely to much an immediate impact on most teams in Football Manager 22, though the player is well worth the investment for anyone willing to spend time on his development.
9 Tino Livramento
- Date Of Birth: 12 November 2002
- Natural Position(s): Defender (Right)
- In-Game Value: $69m -$87m
Tino Livramento recently signed for Southampton from London-side Chelsea. The deal is already looking like a fantastic piece of business from Southampton, as Livramento has burst onto the scene this season, playing a pivotal part in the side's campaign so far.
Unfortunately for the southern side, Chelsea smartly inserted a buy-back clause into the deal, which is reportedly around £40m ($54m). So, those wanting to sign the player in Football Manager 22 may want to act fast, as the player may be on his way back to Chelsea sooner rather than later.
8 Luka Romero
- Date Of Birth: 18 November 2004
- Natural Position(s): Attacking Midfield (Right), Attacking Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $30m - $39m
Lazio's Luka Romero has a ton of pressure on his shoulders already, as the young Argentinian has already been branded with the tag "the new Messi."
Granted, almost every talented Argentinian gets branded with the "new Messi" tag, though Luka Romero looks like he could be the real deal, and his recent move to Italian side Lazio will provide the perfect opportunity for him to prove himself.
7 Harvey Elliott
- Date Of Birth: 4 April 2003
- Natural Position(s): Attacking Midfield (Right)
- In-Game Value: $39m - $54m
Harvey Elliott took the Premier League by surprise at the start of the current season, earning multiple appearances in the Liverpool first team, which was a great show of faith from manager Jurgen Klopp.
Unfortunately, Elliott's season came to a devastating halt against Leeds United after the player suffered a dislocation fracture to his ankle. The injury is undoubtedly a setback, though following successful surgery, he should be back in action sooner rather than later.
6 Eduardo Camavinga
- Date Of Birth: 10 November 2002
- Natural Position(s): Midfield (Centre), Defensive Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $88m - $117m
Eduardo Camavinga looked as though he was going to be one of the best wonderkid signings in Football Manager 22 - right up until August 2021 when Real Madrid signed the player from Rennes.
Camavinga has already hit the ground running for Real Madrid, making multiple appearances for the Spanish side in La Liga. Consequently, Camavinga will be very difficult to sign in Football Manager 22's first few in-game years, though it's certainly worth shortlisting him and getting ready to splash the cash if he becomes available.
5 Ilaix Moriba
- Date Of Birth: 19 January 2003
- Natural Position(s): Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $116m - $147m
There are only a few academies that can rival that of the aforementioned Manchester United, and Barcelona's La Masia is certainly one of them. The academy has produced talents like Xavi, Iniesta, and, of course, Lionel Messi, and Moriba could be the next star to be developed in the training facilities.
Ilaix Moriba's career won't be spent at Barcelona, however, as the midfielder has already departed the club. Moriba has recently been sold to RB Leipzig, a decision that could come back to haunt the La Liga side.
4 Jude Bellingham
- Date Of Birth: 29 June 2003
- Natural Position(s): Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $105m - $125m
Borussia Dortmund have become one of the world's most astute teams in the transfer market. The club has purchased players like Jadon Sancho, Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Ousmane Dembélé, most of whom have been sold for eye-watering profits. This success doesn't seem to be slowing down, as the team's purchases of Erling Haaland and, of course, Jude Bellingham look set to earn them enormous sums in the future.
Jude Bellingham has already cemented a spot in Dortmund's first team and could start in the Midfield (Center) position for well over a decade for anyone able to sign him in Football Manager 22.
3 Youssoufa Moukoko
- Date Of Birth: 20 November 2004
- Natural Position(s): Striker (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $47m - $61m
Jude Bellingham isn't the only talented youngster at Borussia Dortmund right now, as Youssoufa Moukoko also looks destined for greatness. Just one day after turning 16, Youssoufa Moukoko made his debut for Borussia Dortmund; the Cameroon international went on to make 14 appearances in the league, scoring 3 goals.
Unsurprisingly, there is a huge amount of hype around Moukoko, so expect some stiff competition when trying to sign the player in Football Manager 22.
2 Pedri
- Date Of Birth: 25 November 2002
- Natural Position(s): Attacking Midfield (Center), Midfield (Centre)
- In-Game Value: $87m - $108m
Pedri was signed by Barcelona from Las Palmas in September 2019. Barcelona are clearly very happy with Pedri's efforts thus far, as the player recently signed a new contract at the club.
Unfortunately, this new contract means that Pedri will be extremely hard to sign in Football Manager 22. Still, anything can happen, and with Barcelona's current financial difficulties, the youngster may eventually need to be sold for cash flow.
1 Ansu Fati
- Date Of Birth: 31 October 2002
- Natural Position(s): Attacking Midfield (Center), Attacking Midfield (Left), Attacking Midfield (Right)
- In-Game Value: $57m - $94m
Ansu Fati is another La Masia graduate on this list, and like Pedri, the youngster looks set to be a major part of the La Liga side's future. Unfortunately for Fati, the departure of Lionel Messi has suddenly put a huge heap of expectations on the youngster's shoulders, but he seems to be rising to the challenge thus far.
Like Pedri, Ansu Fati will be very tricky to buy on Football Manager 22 unless Barcelona's financial troubles worsen. There is plenty of belief that Ansu Fati could one day be a multiple-time Ballon d'Or winner, so it will be very exciting to see how his career plays out.
Football Manager 22's beta is out now on PC. The game's full release is set for November 9th, 2021, for PC, Xbox, and Mobile. A Nintendo Switch version is also in the works.