The best wonderkids to sign in Football Manager 24
At SCOUTED, we’ve compiled a list of players that can be defined as some of the best wonderkids in FM24
With Football Manager 2025 cancelled completely, 2024 is still the newest iteration of the game we all know and love. Here are the wonderkids to sign on your ageing save.
There is no better feeling than scouting, signing and developing a wonderkid on Football Manager. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite young players to sign on FM24. A few of the will be familiar names, others will be players you’ve never heard of.
They’re not necessarily the best; they’re players that we like in real-life that look good in FM24. If you just want the list, here you go - here are the players we’re recommending you to scout and sign on your saves this year.
The best Wonderkids to sign in FM24
Here's some of the best out-and-out wonderkids that you should be trying to sign on your FM24 saves:
- Valentín Barco
- Rooney Bardghji
- Ousmane Diomandé
- Lucas Gourna-Douath
- Karim Konaté
- Eli Junior Kroupi
Of course, SCOUTED is all about detail. The team's put together some short profiles for those of you itching for more detail. Read on, my friends.
Valentín Barco
Positions: LB, LM, LW
Club: Boca Juniors (ARG)
Nation: Argentina
Transfer Value: €9.25 million
Argentina have waited a long time for a left-back like Valentín Barco. He’s burst onto the scene at Boca Juniors in a big way, exciting with a skillset that fits in at the highest levels.
Barco is one of the best young left-backs on FM24. He combines a tenacious athleticism – small but sharp – with great quality on the ball as a passer, crosser and dribbler, as well as some serviceable defensive skills that have scope to improve. He can play at every level of the pitch too, from left-back to left wing, and even has the skills to play inside.
The best bit? You can get him for a relative pittance. His €9.25 million release clause in his contract makes him a very attainable target right from the off, one that represents tremendous value for money. Get him before the big clubs do.
Roony Bardghji
Positions: RW
Club: FC København (DEN)
Nation: Sweden
Transfer Value: €7-11 million
You need no introduction to Roony Bardghji. He’s been a standout talent on Football Manager ever since his debut in the series as a 15-year-old a couple of years ago. Nevertheless, it’s worth reminding you of his exciting potential.
Roony Bardghji is an impactful attacker right from the off in-game. There’s no need to develop him up to scratch; he can play plenty of minutes for your team straight away, owing to a very impressive slate of attributes for his age. He can dribble, score and create. Whether you want him as a starter at a smaller club or a depth option at a title-contender, the Swedish sensation has plenty to offer.
It’s been relatively easy to sign Bardghji from FC København in previous editions, and we see no reason why that will change in FM24. People have been known to pick him up for less than €5 million. That represents a tremendous bargain.
Ousmane Diomandé
Positions: CB
Club: Sporting CP (POR)
Nation: Côte d'Ivoire
Transfer Value: €36-46 million
Just a year ago, Ousmane Diomande was playing on loan at little-known CD Mafra in the Portuguese second division. Fast forward twelve months and he’s a bonafide wonderkid in FM24. He was a bonafide wonderkid in FM23 too, following a massive bump in the winter update, such was the speed of his remarkable rise.
A two-footed centre-back, Diomandé is perfect for those managing the giant clubs. He has everything that the elite-level teams of the modern age demand of their defenders: size and speed, composure and physicality, the ability to dominate in duels and slice through teams in build-up.
You’ll have to send a lot of money Sporting’s way to sign Diomandé, but he will almost certainly be worth it. Iván Fresneda – another SCOUTED favourite – is worth a look while you’re in Lisbon too.
Lucas Gourna-Douath
Positions: DM, CB
Club: Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
Nation: France
Transfer Value: €15-19 million
Red Bull Slazburg have plenty to offer again in FM24. Karim Konaté is an exciting striker for your saves, but Lucas Gourna-Douath is the sure-thing.
He’d be perfect to fill the defensive midfield slot in your side. He has a well-rounded skillset that is predicated on mature athleticism, intelligent screening skills, and more than dependable ball-playing ability. It all combines into a young player that is comfortably of a Champions League level straight away.
Now, getting Gourna-Douath may be tricky. RB Salzburg know how to sell, and his profile and potential will be sought-after. But don’t be deterred – if you do get him, you’ll have a guaranteed top-level starter for a very long time.
Karim Konaté
Positions: ST
Club: Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
Nation: Côte d'Ivoire
Transfer Value: €19-23 million
Another wonderkid from Red Bull Salzburg in FM24 is Karim Konaté. He was a really good prospect in FM23 too, where he started at ASEC Mimosas in his native Côte d’Ivoire before moving to Austria.
But he’s gone up another level in this year’s game, not least because he’s now a regular starter and scorer for Salzburg in real life. Konaté is very much a Red Bull striker in that he likes to stretch defences – as a off-ball mover and dribbler – and is a clinical finisher when presented chances.
Like his team-mate Lucas Gourna-Douath, getting Konaté out of Salzburg won’t be easy, but it would be worthwhile. He makes a load of sense for those managing clubs that are competing for European placings in the top-five leagues.
Eli Junior Kroupi
Positions: ST, AM
Club: FC Lorient (FRA)
Nation: France
Transfer Value: €17-27 million
Prolific at underage level for France, notably scoring nine in nine for the U-17 side, Eli Junior Kroupi is one of the brightest talents in their 2006 year group. He’s broken into the Lorient first-team this 2023/24 season, starting games in Ligue 1 at 17 years old.
Kroupi is especially interesting in FM24 because of his profile. He’s sharp, intelligent and technical. His ‘holy trinity’ – dribbling, finishing and first touch – average at around 13, while he also has the ability to play as an attacking midfielder and centre-forward. The base attributes are there for him to develop into a well-rounded striker.
Bide your time and you may be able to get him at a cut-rate price if he becomes unhappy, seeks a bigger challenge, or Lorient drop into the second division.
Antonio Nusa
Positions: LW, RW
Club: Club Brugge (BEL)
Nation: Norway
Transfer Value: €10-13 million
Belgium always has plenty to offer in terms of Football Manager wonderkids, and FM24 is no different. Perhaps the best is Antonio Nusa, the Norwegian winger at Club Brugge.
Look no further than the 18-year-old if you’re after a wide attacker with the potential to develop into an elite-level contributor. He has all the raw attributes – wiry athleticism, sleek dribbling, explosive shooting, and all-round flexibility – to grow into one of the game’s most potent forwards.
Nusa is perfect for two types of clubs: the talent-developers that nurture players to the next level, or the elite-level sides that are after a squad option to invest in. Whether you’re managing Borussia Dortmund or Manchester City, he should definitely be high up on your shortlist.
Romeo-Jayden Owusu-Oduro
Positions: GK
Club: AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Nation: The Netherlands
Transfer Value: €9-13 million
Good young goalkeepers are difficult to come by in Football Manager, and AZ Alkmaar’s Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro stands out above the rest. He played a crucial role between the sticks in his club’s historic UEFA Youth League triumph last season.
Owusu-Oduro is practically a guarantee in FM24. He has an extremely impressive slate of attributes for his age. He’s excellent at dominating his box and in one-v-one situations already, a capable shot-stopper too, and has the skill to play a big role in build-up phases. He needs to improve his decision-making, but that will come with experience.
€10 million is the price to secure your long-term goalkeeper. Don’t leave it too late, either, because his price will balloon once he breaks into AZ’s first team and the bigger clubs come calling.
What are Football Manager wonderkids?
Wonderkid is a cliché term that’s synonymous with Football Manager. They’re young prospects – usually aged 16 to 18 – that have elite-level potential in the game. Freddy Adu is a prominent example for older managers, while Youssoufa Moukoko is a current case. They’re the superstar youngsters that are must-buys on every save.
But it’s also subjective. A wonderkid at Accrington Stanley is completely different to a wonderkid at Manchester City. Essentially, the surroundings dictate the status.
How do you search for wonderkids on FM24?
You should start by reading SCOUTED. We have countless profiles – both extensive and brief – one some of the best emerging talents from across world football.
We will be your external scout, and scouts are equally important in the game. Building up a good core of talent-spotters and recruitment analysts should be a priority when building your club. No scouts on the search, no wonderkids.
How do you develop wonderkids on FM24?
As always, pathways are paramount. You have to make sure that your youngsters have access to meaningful minutes at the appropriate levels. If you have a first-team ready talent, phase him into the team gradually, during pre-season ideally.
If your prospect needs a bit more polishing, the loan system is a valuable tool. But pathways to senior level minutes are key. Assess your youngsters on a case-by-case basis, decide what they need, and enact your decision.
How do you loan out young players on FM24?
Loans are an important tool in youth development, and they can be difficult to get right. It’s all about accurately assessing the levels your prospects can play at, then finding suitable environment for them to develop in. It’s especially important you consider the styles and shapes teams play, and league style is a factor too.
How do you sign young players on FM24?
Squad planning is crucial. Check your depth charts, keep your shortlits updated, sort them by position even, and assess which areas you need to strengthen. Once you’ve done that, you can start signing young players that fit your demands.
Work to your budgets as well – don’t overstretch your club’s financial capabilities.
How do you sell young players on FM24?
Again, squad planning is key. Making sure your young players are playing, whether at your club or elsewhere, is important; more minutes increases their value. Sell at the right time too, set a defined policy and stick to it.
Don’t be afraid to sell young players too. If you haven’t got the right pathway for them, move them on to generate even more profits and reinvest in the squad or club.
