A long list of wonderkids from many Football Manager editions never truly live up to their potential in real life. Some shine briefly before disappearing into the recesses of time, while some actually live up to their FM potential and become stars.
It seems Switzerland-born Croatia international Martin Baturina is starting to fulfil his potential in Serie A with Cesc Fabregas’ exciting Como team.
Baturina was a must-have wonderkid in earlier editions of FM
Although he was a promising youngster in FM22, it wasn’t really until FM23 and FM24 that Baturina was regarded as a must-have wonderkid. At the time, he was still in Croatia at his first club, Dinamo Zagreb, which has produced so many top players over the years.
Like many wonderkids, his stats were outstanding, and he was young and hadn’t joined a club in a higher-profile European league. At Dinamo, he played as a central or attacking midfielder, and his main strength was his attacking ability, with +15 ratings in dribbling, first touch, technique, and vision.
Baturina was a bargain buy. If I remember rightly, you could sign him for under £10m. The only negative was that because of his high stats and low fee, there was immense competition for his signature, especially if you didn’t move quickly at the start of a save.
Within a few seasons, he developed into a top player who could help your team to glory, or you could sell him on at a big profit. Either way, he proved to be a great buy.
In FM26, his stats are similar to those of the previous games. It is almost like there was a perception that he hasn’t developed as a player since the last edition of the game.
However, after his highly respectable debut campaign in Serie A (which we will talk about later), I suspect that his stats and star rating will improve on FM27. It wouldn’t be fair on the midfielder if they didn’t.
Baturina’s development is similar in real-life to FM24
The researchers for FM23 and FM24 were spot on with the midfielder’s current ability and potential. In the summer of July 2025, the Croatian international joined ambitious Italian outfit Como for an undisclosed fee.
In his debut campaign with the Italian outfit, he scored eight goals and produced four assists across all competitions. His attacking output helped Como qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Baturina didn’t just play as an attacking midfielder. He also played on the left wing, showing his versatility. He has made a promising start to the season, scoring twice and providing an assist as Como made an unbeaten start to their Serie A campaign, taking ten points from a possible 12.
Most of his appearances this season have been from the left wing, rather than a more central position. The wider role seems to suit the Croatian international, who will no doubt prove to be a crucial player for Como this season.
At 23, he is still young enough to develop further and become an even better player. Considering that Baturina is in just his second season in one of European football’s most high-profile league, he has acquitted himself well so far.
As in FM, he will improve further by playing more games and gaining experience at a higher level than before, including playing in European football’s elite competition, the Champions League, with Como this season.
Baturina is no longer just a name in FM
To be honest, even as somebody who writes about football daily, some wonderkids can often be just a name in FM, and you have never actually seen them play in real life, except maybe in highlight reels.
Many of those wonderkids never really make it to the top level of the game, and you very rarely see them play in real-life football. For me, Martin Baturina fell into that category.
I think I saw him play for Dinamo Zagreb once, maybe in a European game. However, it wasn’t until I played FM23 and started appreciating him as a player that I actually sought out clips on YouTube, etc.
I have to admit, since last season, Como have become one of my favourite teams to watch. That means I take the opportunity to watch Cesc Fabregas’ team whenever I can.
Baturina, alongside Como teammates Nico Paz and Assane Diao, has also become my favourite player to watch in any league.
Like Como fans, I am looking forward to seeing how Baturina develops over the next few seasons. Hopefully he can help his team remain near the top of Serie A for years to come.
If not, he has such big potential that he may well earn a big-money move elsewhere in the future, which would be a shame for Como but also a chance for the Croatian star to keep showcasing his abilities at the top of European football.
Did you sign Martin Baturina on FM23 or FM24?
