FM26 is now officially released after a two-week beta for those who pre-ordered the game. It is fair to say that the latest edition of the game has been greeted with mixed opinions.
However, we at the higher tempo see promising signs from what is a virtually new game. One thing that hasn’t changed is the excitement involved in signing wonderkids and seeing them blossom into world stars.
Here are some of our favourite wonderkids of FM26 by position:
Goalkeepers
Tommaso Martinelli (Fiorentina)
The young Italian goalkeeper is regarded as one of the most promising in FM26. His stats are highly promising for a 19-year-old, as his handling, reflexes, agility and one-on-ones are all 13-plus.
The fact that he is valued at £700k-£3.5m makes him a potentially massive bargain goalkeeper.
In real life, he has made just two first-team appearances for the Viola. However, he is touted as a potential first-team regular in Florence and looks to have a bright future in the beautiful game.
Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro (AZ Alkmaar)
This is not the first edition of FM in which the Dutch shot-stopper was a wonderkid. He was also a wonderkid in FM24. If anything, Owusu-Oduro is even more highly regarded in FM26 than he was in the previous edition of the game. In fact, he is one of the goalkeepers with the highest potential in the game.
Now 21, his stats are solid for a goalkeeper, but there is still so much scope for improvement. He can be bought for around £8m, plus add-ons, which is a steal given his potential.
Owuso-Udoro has played plenty of first-team games for AZ, making 65 appearances, including 45 in all competitions, during the 2024/25 season.
Dennis Seimen (Stuttgart, on loan at Paderborn)
Like Owusu-Oduro, Seimen was a wonderkid in FM24. Nearly two years on, Seimen’s stats are bigger and better. In fact, it could be argued that it is hard to find a weakness in the 19-year-old’s game on FM26.
The fact that he can be signed for a fee of around £7m makes him an attractive signing, even if he might need a few years out on loan to gain experience.
In real life, he is on loan at the German second-tier side Paderborn. Still, he has previously made 24 Bundesliga appearances for Die Roten, despite his tender years and is expected to have a bright future.
Guilherme Restes (Toulouse)
The French goalkeeper has become a familiar name to most FM players thanks to his status as a wonderkid in FM24. Despite being just 20, Restes has made 74 appearances for Toulouse, becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
When it comes to FM, Restes’ starting stats are even better than they were on FM24, as he has gained from match experience and illustrated his abilities in real life, which is reflected in his stats.
His stats will only get better with playing more games, and he generally becomes one of the best goalkeepers in the game. Due to his high stats and potential, he can prove slightly more expensive than some of the other players on the list. He can cost between £24m-30m, which is still not a ridiculous fee for such a quality player, who could be your first-choice goalkeeper for a decade and a half.
Julian Eyestone (Brentford)
The youngster from the USA is likely to be far more unfamiliar than many of the players on our list. However, the 19-year-old is a goalkeeper with immense potential.
Eyestone’s starting stats are not as good as some of his colleagues on the list, but they are solid enough, and with the proper training and experience, they improve quickly.
The youngster is valued at around £5m but is available on loan in the first summer. Therefore, if you are playing lower down the pyramid, he may well prove to be a shrewd temporary signing.
Defenders
Saba Kharebashvili (Dinamo Tbilisi)
The Georgian has already been capped by his national team, despite being just 16. Looking at his stats, he is by far one of the most promising youngsters in the game. The versatile defender who can play at centre-back or left-back is available to sign on a pre-contract agreement in the first summer transfer window.
He is a must-have player if you can persuade him to join your club, as I have tried with Everton, and he refused to enter negotiations. However, he would no doubt be willing to negotiate with clubs in different circumstances.
Kharebashvili has already made 44 appearances for Dinamo Tbilisi’s first team, where he is highly regarded.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
The versatile England international burst onto the Premier League scene in season 2024/25 with the Gunners. He was one of the brightest young players in the English top flight.
Although he played primarily as a left-back, he is also capable of playing as a central midfielder. Whatever position he has played, he has shown quality and energy.
When you start a new game, Lewis-Skelly is just 18, but his stats are highly impressive. They are so good that he would get into most top-flight teams.
Due to his high stats and high potential, Lewis-Skelly is not a cheap player to sign. He can cost up to £70m. If you are an elite club, that may not be a price tag that’s out of your reach.
Jesus Fortea (Real Madrid)
The right-back is another on our list that may not be the most familiar to many players. However, the 18-year-old is a player with immense potential and highly promising stats. Fortea could prove to be a shrewd signing, as he is available for transfer for around £6m plus add-ons.
Fortea spent time in both Levante and Atletico Madrid’s academies before joining Real Madrid in 2022. He is yet to make his senior debut for Los Blancos, with his only appearances in the Spanish capital coming for the club’s C team.
Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid)
The Spanish international centre-back is an exciting young centre-back who impressed with Bournemouth in the Premier League last season. His performances were so good that they led to a big-money move to Real Madrid.
The giant Amsterdam-born star has already impressed with Los Blancos, making 12 appearances in all competitions for the club from the Spanish capital.
Unsurprisingly, considering his performances of last year, Huijsen’s stats are impressive. His high stats mean he would cost between £65-£95m. However, Los Blancos are unwilling to sell in the first transfer window, as he has only just joined the Spanish giants.
Willy Kambwala (Villarreal)
The Congolese centre-back has started to build a reputation for himself at Villarreal after making just ten appearances for Manchester United in the 2023/24 season.
He moved to Villarreal in the summer of 2024 and made 19 appearances for the Yellow Submarine in the 2024/25 season, with mixed results.
Unfortunately, Kambwala is currently suffering from a long-term ligament injury. That means he is injured at the start of the game. When he returns from injury, though, he will be a good signing, given his high stats. He won’t come cheap, though, as he is valued at between £108m-£152m.
Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart)
The 19-year-old started his career with 1. FC Nürnberg, but has played at Stuttgart for the last two seasons, making 22 appearances for Die Roten. He has shown flashes of his potential and is expected to have a bright future in the game.
His starting stats are solid all around, but despite his presence in Stuttgart’s first team in real life, he actually starts in Stuttgart II in FM26. The fact that he is with Stuttgart’s second team gives us an opportunity to sign the defender for a highly reasonable £14m. Due to his current stats and potential, this could represent the best £14M you could spend, as he improves immensely in just a few seasons.
Midfielders
Chema Andrés (Stuttgart)
The former Real Madrid star has been tipped for stardom, as he has been described as ‘The complete midfielder’ by some observers. When he joined German outfit Stuttgart in the summer, he cost a bargain £2.8m.
It could well prove to be one of the bargains of the transfer window. Andrés has featured 11 times for Die Roten since joining.
Unfortunately for FM26 players, the midfielder will cost a far bigger fee, as he is valued at between £49m-£69m. This is unfortunate because his stats are those of a world-class player in the making.
Nathan De Cat (Anderlecht)
The 17-year-old is another prodigy who belies his lack of years on the pitch. The defensive or central midfielder has 23 appearances for Anderlecht and is already being touted for a big-money move to a more high-profile league.
At international level, De Cat was voted into the tournament team at the U-17 European Championships earlier this year.
His FM26 stats at the start of the game make him a player worth signing. However, because of his high stats and massive potential, he won’t come cheap. De Cat can cost as much as £40m in the first transfer window. If he develops well, though, it’s an investment worth making.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille)
The 18-year-old LOSC midfielder is regarded as one of the best defensive/central midfielders of his generation. This is reflected in his high stats and potential on FM26. The fact that he has a rating of 15 for passing, marking and technique illustrates his quality.
Like many players on this list, he has played quite a bit of first-team football for his age, having made 69 appearances in all competitions for Lille. At international level, he has made seven appearances for the French U-21s.
Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)
The highly versatile young German international has built an impressive reputation as one of the best up-and-coming players in Germany. Bischof first burst onto the Bundesliga scene in 2022 with Hoffenheim.
His performances didn’t go unnoticed, and he earned a massive summer move to Bayern Munich. Bischof has produced some good displays for Bayern, not just in his usual central midfield role, but he has also played as a full-back for the Bundesliga behemoths.
As you would expect for such a promising player, the midfielder’s starting stats are high. They will only get better, too. Bischof could also prove very good value, as he can be signed for £30m plus add-ons, which is a reasonable fee for a player with such quality and potential.
Sverre Nypan (Manchester City, on loan at Middlesbrough)
For many FM24 players, Sverre Nypan was one of the game’s bargain buys. When FM24 came out, Nypan was around 16, but he was one of the wonderkids who could be signed for a bargain price, and he would go on to become a star.
Nypan’s reputation must have spread far beyond FM, though, as the midfielder made his debut for former club Rosenborg at the age of just 15 years and 322 days.
He made over 70 appearances for the Norwegian side before Premier League giants Manchester City snapped Nypan up for around £12.5m.
Due to his age and the competition for places in the Citizens squad, he was allowed to join Championship outfit Middlesbrough on a season-long loan deal, where he has made 10 appearances.
Just like in the previous FM, Nypan’s starting stats are strong for a player so young. Although he is on loan at Boro, you can sign Nypan for a fee of around £26m, and he joins in the summer of 2026. That fee could well prove a wise investment.
Ethan Mbappe (Lille)
Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Kylian, Ethan Mbappe is already carving out his own career at the top level of the game. He started his professional playing career at PSG, but moved to LOSC in the summer of 2024.
Since the switch, the midfielder has shown glimpses of his talent, making 19 appearances for the French club over a season and a bit.
The midfielder’s starting stats on FM26 are promising. The fact that he can be signed for a fee of around £16m plus add-ons makes him a highly attractive option. For that fee, you are getting a player who is ready for the first team, but will only improve in the future.
Attacking midfielders/wingers and forwards
Endrick (Real Madrid)
The Brazilian youngster is the player with the highest potential rating, which is an impressive 96. The 19-year-old has been touted as one of the brightest young stars in the world game in recent years.
His immense potential attracted the interest of Spanish giants Real Madrid, who snapped up the forward from Palmeiras for an undisclosed fee, which is between £50 and £70m depending on what source you read. Whatever, the cost was massive for a player still in his teens.
Endrick joined up with the Real Madrid squad in the summer of 2024. The diminutive forward endured an underwhelming first season in La Liga, scoring just once in 22 appearances.
His start to the 2025/26 season has been similarly slow, with some reports suggesting he could leave on loan in the January transfer window.
The youngster has top stats for a player who is just 18 when the game starts. If you are lucky enough to manage him, he would no doubt perform far better for your team than for Los Blancos.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Surprisingly, the Barcelona winger isn’t the player with the highest potential on FM26, given he is already one of the best players in the world at just 18. He has already made 119 appearances for Barcelona and scored 30 goals in all competitions.
At the beginning of the game, he is already rated 4 out of 5 stars in the positions he plays in real life. His stats are ridiculously good, and he is, without doubt, a standout player in the game.
His quality is reflected in his valuation of between £203m and £223m. Even if you are managing a highly wealthy team, Barcelona is not keen to sell the talented youngster —well, not in the early seasons of the game, anyway.
So, if you want to manage the Spanish international, you may have to start your management at Barcelona.
Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid)
The Argentinian teenager seems to have been around for a long time in terms of FM. However, he is just 17. In FM24, he was regarded as one of the biggest and best wonderkids.
In real life, he was making waves at River Plate, where he was a star player in his mid-teens. His performances were so good that Spanish giants Real Madrid came calling to sign the exciting talent in the summer of 2025.
Despite a few niggling injury issues, Mastantuono has made an encouraging start to life in the Spanish capital, with the 18-year-old making 12 appearances for Los Blancos.
As you would expect for such a talented young player, Mastantouno’s starting stats are very high. He also has the potential to become one of the best players in the game, just as he did in FM24.
Attempting to sign the Argentinian international in the first transfer window would be in vain, as Real Madrid won’t want to sell, while his value of £80m-96m also puts him out of the reach of most clubs.
Désiré Doué (PSG)
Last season, the young French international established himself as one of the world’s best young players. He helped PSG to their maiden Champions League title, while winning the Young Player of the Tournament award. Doué is a player with the world at his feet, having scored 19 times in 69 appearances for the Parisians.
As you can imagine, the forward’s starting stats on FM26 are amongst the best of any player of his age. In fact, he has the potential to be one of the world’s best players both on FM26 and in real life.
His value of between £98m-£140m reflects his current and potential future ability. Unless you have owners willing to splash a hefty fee, you are unlikely to sign Doué in the first transfer window.
Nico Paz (Como)
While the first two players on our list are household names, Nico Paz may be a name that is a lot less familiar to many people. However, the Tenerife-born, Argentinian international is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in world football.
Having started his career in Spain with giants Real Madrid, he only really made a mark after moving to Italian club Como. In 46 appearances in all competitions for the club, he has scored ten goals and also produced 13 assists.
The 21-year-old has already been linked with big-money moves in real life, and it seems it won’t be long until he is plying his trade at a more high-profile club.
His stats are very strong in FM26, which is again reflected in his transfer value of between £70m and £84m. If you are managing one of Europe’s elite clubs, he could well be a shrewd signing, even if his price tag looks big on first viewing.
Konstantinos Karetsas (Genk)
The Genk-born Greek international is a standout young talent in the Belgian top flight, having made 61 appearances for his hometown club across all competitions at just 17. Karetsas can play as both a number ten and on the wing, which only adds to his appeal.
On FM26, his stats reflect how talented a young player he is, and they only improve as he becomes a very good player in the first few seasons of the game. His valuation of £32m is not the cheapest, but that is because of his immense potential, so if you have the cash, signing the Greek star will undoubtedly pay off in the future.
Arda Güler (Real Madrid)
In previous editions of the game, Guler has been one of the standout wonderkids, even before he joined Real Madrid in 2023, as he was already shining at Fenerbahçe in his homeland.
Despite quality competition for places in the Real Madrid team, the Turkish attacking midfielder has still shone for Los Blancos, scoring 15 goals and producing 17 assists in the Spanish capital.
Like most players on this list, his stats are strong in FM26, and he will certainly not come cheap if you are looking to sign him, with a value of £96 m- £113 m. However, he can be signed on loan in the first season, but with a hefty loan fee and a mandatory transfer in the next transfer window, at an overall cost of over £90m.
Estêvão (Chelsea)
Like Güler, the Brazilian youngster has been a wonderkid in past editions of FM. He was considered one of the brightest wonderkids in FM24 while still in his homeland with Palmeiras. His stats might not be as good as those of the other players on our list.
The forward joined Chelsea in the summer of 2024 for a deal reportedly worth €34 million, plus €23 million in add-ons. However, he didn’t join the Blues until the summer of 2025.
Estêvão has made a bright start to his Blues career, showing flashes of his undoubted ability. The 18-year-old has impressed in the Champions League in particular, scoring twice in four appearances.
Said El Mala (Köln)
The versatile winger has made quite an impression in the Bundesliga this season with four goals in ten appearances in the German top-flight for the Billy Goats. The 18-year-old is considered to be one of the hottest talents the club has produced in years.
His highest stats in FM26 illustrate the sort of player he is, with 15+ ratings in dribbling, technique, flair and determination. El Mala is the sort of player who has the potential to become a cult hero, as he has at Köln.
In the first summer transfer window, El Mala is available for loan, so you will get to test out his ability. With a valuation of around £30m plus add-ons, he won’t be cheap, but he could turn out to be a shrewd investment.
Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
The winger was one of our favourite wonderkids of FM24. In the latest edition of the game, he seems to have even better starting stats and even bigger potential.
Nwaneri has shown flashes of his undoubted ability for Arsenal in his 48 appearances. His goal tally of 10 is impressive, considering he is just 18.
His starting stats on FM26 are strong, with highlights including his technique, dribbling, flair, and determination all rated 15 or higher. One advantage of Nwaneri in the first transfer window is that he is available on loan.
He is a no-brainer loan signing. However, he is rather more difficult to sign on a permanent deal, as Arsenal don’t want to sell him permanently. If they do, then it’s for a hefty fee, usually around the £60m mark.
Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt)
The attacking midfielder has made a significant impact with the Eagles this season, scoring six goals in his team’s first 14 games in all competitions. He is one of the most entertaining and exciting players to watch in the German top-flight at present.
His excellent start to the new Bundesliga campaign is reflected in his starting stats. The versatile Uzun’s technique, finishing, long shots, flair and first touch are all 15-plus.
Due to his high stats and potential, Uzun is a player who isn’t easy to sign, as his value is £70m-100m. If you want to sign him, then you have to manage one of the cash-rich clubs or wait for a few seasons to bring in the brilliant 19-year-old.
Vitor Roque (Palmeiras)
Roque was, of course, a favourite FM24 for many. In fact, he was one of the best value wonderkids in the game. Nearly two years on, and the versatile Brazilian international is back in Brazil with Palmeiras after an underwhelming spell at Catalan giants Barcelona.
Incredibly, still only 20, Roque has reasonably high stats and potential. However, one issue with signing the forward is that Palmeiras don’t want to sell, so they can sometimes ask for a fee in the region of £30-odd million, plus another £30 million in add-ons.
That’s a hefty fee, so it’s always best to wait for a couple of seasons to attempt to sign the former Barcelona star.
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