When playing Football Manager, there is nothing more exciting than seeing a young player go from promising to a superstar of the game. It could be argued that it is even more exciting when that player is a forward who comes into the team and is prolific for your team. Here are some of the most promising young forwards on FM24:
(Note this list excludes higher-profile FM24 players such as Endrick, Marcos Leonardo and Vitor Roque, who everybody knows about).
Evan Ferguson (Brighton, on-loan at West Ham in updated database)
If you have spent any time on FM24, you will no doubt have come across the Republic of Ireland international. Ferguson is just 18 when the first season begins, but his potential is off the charts.
His starting stats are really high for a player of his age, the highlight of which is 15 finishing. He doesn’t come cheap in the early days, often costing around £50m. However, Brighton will accept incentives that can reduce the fee.
Ferguson is well worth the money, as he goes on to become one of the best forwards in the game, being highly prolific in front of goal.
Samu Omorodion (Porto)
The Spanish forward is on loan at Alaves from Atletico on the original database. However, on updated databases, he is at Porto, who he joined in the summer of 2024 for an initial fee of £15m.
Samu has already proven his worth with the Portuguese outfit this season, scoring an impressive 22 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions.
In FM24, he is just 19 at the start of the first season. His stats are promising, but they only get better as he plays more games and develops. He is valued at around £30m, but in one of my most recent saves, I picked him up on loan, with a mandatory fee of £23m, which for such a promising player is a bargain in my eyes.
He develops well and almost mirrors his real-life form in the game, becoming prolific in front of goal. My advice to everybody wanting to sign the forward is to do it in the early seasons, as his value quickly grows with his reputation.
Shaqueel van Persie (Feyenoord)
The son of former Manchester United star Robin van Persie is carving out a promising career of his own at Feyenoord. At the beginning of FM24, the London-born wonderkid is just 16 years of age in Feyenoord’s under-18 team.
When it comes to stats, they are now great, but they are relatively high compared to his contemporaries. That isn’t anything to worry about, as Van Persie’s stats have grown rapidly in many of my saves.
He is one of the easiest and cheapest players to sign from the starlets on our list. In a recent save, I signed him for just £11.5m. The fee was a steal for a player of his potential.
Van Persie can go on and become a top player, although he doesn’t always fulfil his potential at the top level. When he does, he is a quality, versatile forward who, if trained correctly, will score and create goals at a good rate. Sign him early if you want to pick up a bargain.
Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
The Turkish wonderkid is just 18 at the start of the game, but he already has some fantastic stats, and his potential is through the roof.
Yildiz’s attraction is not just his early good stats, though, as he is also highly versatile. He can play in all the attacking midfield roles, while also playing as a central forward. I have mainly used him as a winger in my games.
He doesn’t come cheap in the early seasons, as he is valued at around £60m, so patience is needed if you wish to snap up the forward on a permanent deal. However, due to his age and stage of development, Juventus may be willing to loan him out in the first season of the game.
When you do sign him, the wait is worth it, as he regularly contributes to both goals and assists. Like Van Persie, though, I have had saves where he doesn’t quite live up to his star billing. However, he more often than not goes on to become a top player.
Karim Konate (Salzburg)
At the start of the game, Konate is 19 and playing for Austrian giants Salzburg. For me, he is the best value of all the players on our list. In my most recent save, Chelsea signed him for £16.5m, and within a few seasons, Konate was one of the most prolific forwards in the goal.
In my previous saves, he has been one of my favourite signings. His starting stats are excellent, but they go up very quickly. Konate is one of the first players I sign on most of my saves, as arguably you won’t get another forward of his ability and potential for a price tag of less than £20m.
In real life, Konate enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in season 2023/24, when he scored 20 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances. Unfortunately, his form dipped slightly in season 2024/25. Hopefully, he will regain his form and start to fulfil his potential, as he has brought many people joy on FM24.
Who is your favourite young forward in FM24?
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