I am not sure it is the same for every Football Manager player, but for me, there is always one random player that stands out. It’s never a high-profile player of that time, but usually a youngster, who, when the game starts, is only just breaking into first-team football.
Then, after a couple of seasons, he breaks into the first team and never leaves. They become integral to the team, and some even go all the way on the journey from mediocrity to glory.
For me, that player on FM26 is the young Argentinian attacking midfielder, Alvaro Montoro.
Who is Alvaro Montoro?
You would be forgiven for asking the question, “Who is Alvaro Montoro?”. Many FM players will know him through the game, while fans of South American football will also be more familiar with the diminutive attacking midfielder.
For those unacquainted with the youngster, he is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays in Brazil for Botafogo. However, he started his career in his homeland at Velez Sarsfield, where he made just 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and producing two assists. During his time with Velez, he was part of the squad that won the 2024 Primera Division.
Botafogo snapped him up in 2025 for a reported fee of around €7.90m. Montoro already impressed at Botafogo. In 46 appearances across all competitions, he has scored 6 goals and recorded 6 assists. At international level, he has represented Argentina U-20’s on five occasions.
A bargain on FM26 at the start of the game
Montoro is an absolute bargain if you sign him in the opening transfer window. He can be signed for a fee of around £10m, plus a 30 per cent sell-on fee. This is an absolute bargain for the player he becomes in the future. Unfortunately, on my most recent save, I didn’t sign him in the opening summer.
That proved to be a mistake, as it cost me £50m to sign him in 2028. The fact that he is worth £50m in 2028 shows just how quickly he grows.
Anyway, at the start of the game, he has decent all-around stats. However, his highest stat is 15 for passing, technique, flair and first touch. Those ratings illustrate Montoro’s player type. He is a creative attacking midfielder who creates many assists, and his finishing stats improve as he gains more experience.
His other stats rise pretty quickly, and he usually becomes a star player for me. A bonus to signing Montoro is the fact that he can play across all the attacking midfield positions, and in the future also in central midfield.
How does Montoro develop over time?
In my first long-term save, I signed him in the first transfer window, and he played for me for 12 years. He went from youngster to superstar, while my Everton team went from mid-table strugglers to multiple Premier League and European Champions League winners.
Montoro’s goals and assists played a key role in that dramatic rise. He would regularly get double figures, or close to them, in both goals and assists. This is the sort of consistency you need from your attacking players.
In my latest save, the one where I had to stump up £50m to sign him, he has done pretty well, if not as well as he did in my aforementioned save. He has continued to score goals and make assists at a good rate, and remains a key member of my team.
However, the one difference in the two saves was the amount of game time he had in my latest save. Although still a key member of the squad, my team’s attacking midfield is arguably overstocked.
I have had the fortune of signing such stellar young attacking stars as Can Uzun, Franco Mastantuono, Max Dowman and Senny Mayulu, plus a four-and-a-half-star regen. This list of attacking midfielders is like a who’s who of highly-rated, exciting young attacking midfielders.
Despite all these players being in my squad, Montoro still gets game time, but his development may have been slightly stunted by playing fewer minutes.
Overall, if anyone is about to start an FM26 save and can afford to sign Montoro, do it, as if he is developed correctly, he will repay you with top performances, as well as goals and assists for years to come.
Do you sign Alvaro Montoro on FM26? Let us know your experience of how he performs for you here, or via our socials
