One of the best feelings in Football Manager is signing a wonderkid and turning them into a world superstar. Many wonderkids have gone on from FM fame to fulfil their massive potential in real life.
Some wonderkids have such a big reputation in real life that they have already earned big moves. Here are three of our favourite FM wonderkids who have recently secured big moves:
Endrick (Palmeiras to Real Madrid, for a reported fee that could rise to €60 million)
When it comes to wonderkids, few are more famous or hyped up than Palmeiras prodigy Endrick. At just 17 years of age, the versatile young forward has caught the attention of many in the world game.
He seems like the next young superstar off the seemingly endless production line of Brazilian stars.
The diminutive forward has been on many clubs’ radars for years after making his Palmeiras debut at the age of 16 years, two months and 16 days, which makes him the youngest player to ever feature for the Brazilian club.
For such a young player, his record of 14 goals in the Brazilian Serie A in 38 appearances is a respectable one. His performances and reputation have been enough for Real Madrid to splash a fee that is reportedly close to €60 million to snap up the youngster.
Endrick is reportedly a big fan of the Spanish giants and will officially join up with Los Blancos in July 2024, having already visited the Bernabeu and club training grounds in recent months.
What’s my experience with Endrick on FM?
At the beginning of FM24, Endrick is just 16, as his birthday is on July 21st. His starting stats are impressive for a player of his age, and he has generally developed into a genuine world-class player.
Strangely, though, I have never been able to get the best out of the Brazilian, struggling to find a role for him to fulfil that massive potential.
For instance, I signed him FM24 on my personal save for a club record fee of £100m when he was 24. Unfortunately, I had several world-class forwards already at my club, and he struggled to get into the team.
He was only at the club a year before I loaned him out. After two seasons of loans, he eventually joined Chelsea for £80m. He was mildly successful with the Blues.
In previous versions of FM, my experience with the youngster has been pretty much the same. Maybe it’s my tactics. Hopefully, for the player’s sake, he is more successful in real life than he is for me on FM.
Vitor Roque (Athletico Paranaense to Barcelona reported fee of €40 million)
Vitor Roque is another up-and-coming young player to make a massive move from his native Brazil. The versatile young forward has moved from Atletico Paranaense in his homeland to Catalan giants Barcelona for a reported fee of €40 million.
Roque is slightly more experienced than the much more lauded Endrick, having made 97 senior appearances in his homeland with Cruzeiro and Athletico Paranaense, scoring 28 goals.
Like his contemporary, Vitor Roque has already earned a cap for the full Brazilian national team, and is regarded as one of the most talented young players in the world game.
Roque joined Barcelona on January 4th 2024 and has already made two substitute appearances for the reigning Spanish champions.
What’s my experience with Vitor Roque on FM?
The youngster is 18 at the start of the game and still at his former club. However, his big-money move is already arranged.
His starting stats are strong for such a young player. I haven’t yet signed the forward on FM24, although he has been one of my favourite players in previous editions of the game.
Out of the three players we have featured, he is the one I have had the most success with.
He has been highly effective for me on both wings and as a central forward. Unfortunately, his switch to Barcelona will make it harder to sign him on FM24.
His stats generally develop well, and he usually ends up at an elite club, where he usually scores goals.
Marcos Leonardo (Santos to Benfica, reported fee of €18 million plus 10% sell-on fee)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQE0rAXhuuo
The forward is the most experienced player of the trio, as he has already made 168 appearances for Santos in all competitions, scoring an impressive 54 goals at just 20.
Leonardo is seen as more of a goal-poacher in real life than the two other players on our list. His goal output for Santos caught the eye of many European clubs.
However, Portuguese giants Benfica snapped up the forward earlier this month for what looks like a bargain fee of around €18 million plus a 10% sell-on fee.
The Eagles have a reputation for developing players and producing future stars. Leonardo could well be another star that Benfica develops and sells for an enormous profit in the future.
What’s my experience with Marcos Leonardo on FM?
I have had mixed experiences with Leonardo on FM. I usually signed him on most of my saves. Sometimes, he is brilliant and becomes a prolific goalscorer, but then, sometimes, his form falls off, and he ends up as a mediocre player.
His transfer was not arranged before FM24 came out, so he is still at Santos and can be snapped up for a relatively bargain price.
Which of the three FM24 favourite wonderkids will be the most successful in real life?
