Football Manager 2023 wonderkids and best young players in FM23
These are the best bargains and free players you can snap up in the opening transfer window.
Football Manager 2023 wonderkids are some of the best discoveries in the game.
These are the best young players available at the start of the new season in the game. and finding these players makes you feel like you immediately have the upper hand.
The only way you’re ever going to lead your team to championship glory in Football Manager - even if you’re taking over the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City - is by building a squad with long-term ambitions. That means having to use your scouting system to find the most talented players in the world.
We’ve gone through the efforts of finding these young and future greats, and collected 50 of the best young players and wonderkids in FM23.
Football Manager 2023 wonderkids and best young players list
Here is our recommendation for the top 50 wonderkids and best players in Football Manager 2023:
| Rank | Name | Position | Current ability | Potential ability | Age | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylian Mbappe | AM (RL), ST (C) | 188 | 197 | 23 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 2 | Erling Haaland | ST (C) | 185 | 195 | 22 | Manchester City |
| 3 | Junior Vinicius | AM (RL) | 174 | 184 | 22 | Real Madrid |
| 4 | Kai Havertz | AM (C), ST (C) | 167 | 180 | 23 | Chelsea |
| 5 | Phil Foden | M (C), AM (RLC) | 163 | 180 | 22 | Manchester City |
| 6 | Wesley Fofana | D (C) | 161 | 180 | 21 | Chelsea |
| 7 | Aurelien Tchouameni | DM, M (C) | 159 | 180 | 22 | Real Madrid |
| 8 | Jamal Musiala | M (C), AM (RLC) | 155 | 180 | 19 | Bayern Munich |
| 9 | Eduardo Camavinga | DM/M (C) | 147 | 180 | 19 | Real Madrid |
| 10 | Declan Rice | D/DM/M (C) | 162 | 178 | 23 | West Ham United |
| 11 | Gianluigi Donnarumma | GK | 162 | 178 | 23 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 12 | Martin Odegaard | M/AM (C) | 160 | 178 | 23 | Arsenal |
| 13 | Bukayo Saka | AM (RL) | 161 | 177 | 20 | Arsenal |
| 14 | Joao Felix | AM (RLC), ST (C) | 159 | 177 | 22 | Atletico Madrid |
| 15 | Jadon Sancho | M/AM (RL) | 155 | 177 | 22 | Manchester United |
| 16 | Rafael Leao | AM (L), ST (C) | 163 | 176 | 23 | AC Milan |
| 17 | Pedri | M (C), AM (RLC) | 159 | 176 | 19 | Barcelona |
| 18 | Matthijs de Ligt | D (C) | 158 | 176 | 22 | Bayern Munich |
| 19 | Jules Kounde | D (RC), WB (R) | 162 | 175 | 23 | Barcelona |
| 20 | Rodrygo | AM (RL), ST (C) | 152 | 175 | 21 | Real Madrid |
| 21 | William Saliba | D (C) | 145 | 175 | 21 | Arsenal |
| 22 | Jurrien Timber | D (RC), WB (R), DM | 149 | 175 | 21 | AFC Ajax |
| 23 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | D/WB (R), M (C) | 160 | 174 | 23 | Liverpool |
| 24 | Ronald Araujo | D (C) | 160 | 174 | 23 | Barcelona |
| 25 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | AM (RLC) | 153 | 174 | 21 | Parthenope |
| 26 | Diogo Costa | GK | 150 | 174 | 22 | FC Porto |
| 27 | Gabriel Martinelli | AM (RL), ST (C) | 148 | 174 | 21 | Arsenal |
| 28 | Vitinha | DM, M (C) | 150 | 173 | 22 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 29 | Achraf Hakimi | D/WB/M (R) | 160 | 172 | 23 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 30 | Alphonso Davies | D/WB/M/AM (L) | 160 | 172 | 21 | Bayern Munich |
| 31 | Sandro Tonali | DM/M (C) | 156 | 172 | 22 | AC Milan |
| 32 | Unai Vencedor | DM, M (C) | 145 | 172 | 21 | Athletic Bilbao |
| 33 | Jude Bellingham | DM/M (C) | 155 | 160-190 | 19 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 34 | Ansu Fati | AM (RL), ST (C) | 149 | 160-190 | 19 | Barcelona |
| 35 | Gavi | DM, M/AM (C) | 148 | 160-190 | 17 | Barcelona |
| 36 | Youssoufa Moukoko | ST (C) | 121 | 160-190 | 17 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 37 | Florian Wirtz | M/AM (C) | 143 | 150-180 | 19 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 38 | Nico Williams | M/AM (RL) | 139 | 150-180 | 19 | Athletic Bilbao |
| 39 | Domink Szoboszlai | M/AM (LC) | 143 | 150-180 | 21 | RB Leipzig |
| 40 | Giovanni Reyna | M/AM (LC) | 140 | 150-180 | 19 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 41 | Josko Gvardiol | D (LC) | 139 | 150-180 | 20 | RB Leipzig |
| 42 | Michael Olise | AM (RC) | 138 | 150-180 | 20 | Crystal Palace |
| 43 | Nuno Mendes | D/WB (L) | 149 | 150-180 | 20 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 44 | Tino Livramento | D/WB (R) | 134 | 150-180 | 19 | Southampton |
| 45 | Ryan Gravenberch | DM, M/AM (C) | 138 | 150-180 | 20 | Bayern Munich |
| 46 | Joao Pedro | AM (RLC), ST (C) | 133 | 150-180 | 20 | Watford |
| 47 | Noni Madueke | M (RL), AM (RLC) | 139 | 150-180 | 20 | PSV Eindhoven |
| 48 | Destiny Udogie | D/WB/M (L) | 142 | 150-180 | 19 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 49 | Mathys Tel | AM (RL), ST (C) | 120 | 150-180 | 17 | Bayern Munich |
| 50 | Benjamin Sesko | ST (C) | 133 | 150-180 | 19 | Salzburg |
You’re probably wondering why there are two player ratings in our wonderkids list. This is because the game’s first season starts with each player’s current ability rating based on all of their player attributes you see in the game.
These include things like tackling skills, passing, leadership, fatigue - every thing that’s important in an athlete’s overall standing.
However, there is a hidden player rating system within the game, based on a score out of 200. This is known as the ability rating.
However, each player also has a potential ability rating (also scored out of 200), meaning with the right squad and training setup, they can achieve even greater results for your team that excels their starting quality.
We’ve set an age limit of 23 to make sure you’re able to pick up players that are starting to prove themselves, and won’t break the bank at the start of your new game save in the first season.
This list includes global stars like Kylian Mbappe from PSG, as well as newcomers like 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko from Borussia Dortmund.
Diogo Costa is a new young goalie included in this year’s list, so snapping him up from Porto might be the first thing you have to do in your new managerial reign.
Looking for more help? We have an explainer on the best free agents and bargain players as well as how to install kits and logo packs in Football Manager 2023.