FIFA 22 best young players: Top prospects with highest potential rating in Career Mode

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FIFA 22 best young players: Top prospects with highest potential rating in Career Mode image

In FIFA 22's Career Mode, you can find the best young players in the game and develop them at your club using the new player development and training tools in this year's edition.

As you get set to pick your players, here's a handy list of top prospects age 20 or younger based on the highest "potential rating" in the game. 

For ease of reference, the lists of names is broken out by position, though gamers can train players to occupy different spots on the field. They'll only reach that full potential with the right amount of training and game time.

MORE ON FIFA 22:

Clubs listed are the clubs the players are assigned to in FIFA 21 Career Mode, while ages shown are the age at the start of Career Mode.

(PO=Positions, CR=Current Rating, PR=Potential Rating, VA=Value)

FIFA 22: Best young goalkeepers

# Name Age Club PO. CR PR VA.
1 Maarten Vandevoordt 19 Genk GK 71 87 $4.9m
2 Charis Chatzigavriel 17 Free GK 58 84 Free
3 Giorgi Mamardashvili 20 Valencia GK 75 83 $12.1m
4 Dogan Alemdar 18 Rennes GK 68 83 $2.8m
5 Joan Garcia 20 Espanyol GK 67 83 $2.8m
6 Konstantinos Tzolakis 18 Olympiacos GK 67 83 $2.7m
7 Bart Verbruggen 18 Anderlecht GK 65 83 $1.9m
8 Gavin Bazunu 19 Manchester City GK 64 83 $1.5m
9 Etienne Green 20 Saint-Etienne GK 72 81 $5.1m
10 Gaizka Ayesa 20 Real Sociedad B GK 67 81 $2.4m
11 Arnau Tenas 20 Barcelona GK 67 81 $2.4m
12 Joaquin Blazquez 20 Talleres GK 65 81 $2m
13 Senne Lammens 18 Club Brugge GK 64 81 $1.5m
14 Alejandro Iturbe 17 Atletico Madrid GK 62 81 $1m
15 Pere Joan 19 Mallorca GK 62 81 $1m
16 Coniah Boyce-Clarke 18 Reading GK 59 81 $808k
17 Ersin Destanoglu 20 Besiktas GK 72 80 $5.1m
18 Miguel Morro 20 Rayo Vallecano GK 66 80 $2m
19 Lucas Chevalier 19 LOSC Lille GK 64 80 $1.5m
20 Ruslan Neshcheret 19 Dynamo Kyiv GK 64 80 $1.5m
21 Carl Rushworth 19 Walsall GK 63 80 $1.3m
22 Xavier Dziekonski 17 Jagiellonia Bialystok GK 63 80 $1.3m
23 Jan Jakob Olschowsky 19 Borussia Monchengladbach GK 63 80 $1.3m

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been the best young goalkeeper in FIFA for the past few seasons, but he's now 22 and after signing for Paris Saint-Germain costs more than $134.8 million in Career Mode.

That means you will have to look elsewhere for a long-term solution between the posts, even if you are a super club that can compete with PSG for the world's best players.

Genk's Maarten Vandevoordt is the best young goalkeeper in FIFA 22 since he can reach an overall rating of 87 and can be bought relatively cheaply at the start of the game.

Cypriot teenager Charis Chatzigavriel is available free in some games as his current club, APOEL Nicosia, is not one of the teams in the game. You may be able to convince him to join your club, but his current rating of 58 means it will take a while for him to reach his potential.

FIFA 22: Best young defenders

Sergino Dest USMNT Honduras 2021

# Name Age Club PO. CR PR VA.
1 Alphonso Davies 20 Bayern Munich LB, LM 82 89 $66m
2 Nuno Mendes 19 PSG LWB, LB, LM 78 88 $33.7m
3 Josko Gvardiol 19 RB Leipzig CB, LB 75 87 $14.5m
4 Wesley Fofana 20 Leicester CB 78 86 $33.6m
5 Eric Garcia 20 Barcelona CB 77 86 $24.9m
6 Goncalo Inacio 19 Sporting CP CB 76 86 $17.4m
7 Jurrien Timber 20 Ajax CB, RB 75 86 $13.3m
8 Leonidas Stergiou 19 St Gallen CB 67 86 $2.9m
9 Sergino Dest 20 Barcelona RB, RM 76 85 $17.9m
10 Jayden Bogle 20 Sheffield United RWB, RB 74 85 $10.3m
11 Devyne Rensch 18 Ajax RB 73 85 $8.1m
12 Mario Vuskovic 19 Hajduk Split CB 72 85 $5.8m
13 Tanguy Nianzou 19 Bayern Munich CB, CDM 71 85 $4.8m
14 Armel Bella-Kotchap 19 Bochum CB 71 85 $4.8m
15 Luca Netz 18 Borussia Monchengladbach LB, LM 68 85 $3.4m
16 Lutsharel Geertruida 20 Feyenoord RB, CB 76 84 $17.9m
17 Benoit Badiashile 20 Monaco CB 76 84 $17.9m
18 William Saliba 20 Arsenal CB 75 84 $13.3m
19 Jeremie Frimpong 20 Bayer Leverkusen RB, RWB 74 84 $10.4m
20 Tariq Lamptey 20 Brighton RWB, RB 74 84 $10.4m
21 Marc Guehi 20 Crystal Palace CB 73 84 $7m
22 Odilon Kossonunou 20 Bayer Leverkusen CB, RB 73 84 $7m
23 Rayan Ait-Nouri 20 Wolves LWB, LB 73 84 $7.5m
24 Micky van de Ven 20 Wolfsburg CB, LB 68 84 $3.5m
25 Morato 20 Benfica CB 68 84 $3.5m
26 Jarrad Branthwaite 19 Everton CB 68 84 $2.4m
27 Adrien Truffert 19 Rennes LB, LW 75 83 $13.3m
28 Manu Sanchez 20 Atletico Madrid LB 73 83 $7.5m
29 Liberato Cacace 20 Sint-Truidense LWB, LB, LM 72 83 $5.7m
30 Eduardo Quaresma 19 Sporting CP CB 71 83 $4.8m
31 Hugo Siquet 18 Standard Liege RB, RWB 69 83 $3.6m
32 Marton Dardai 19 Hertha Berlin CB, CDM 69 83 $3.6m
33 Ziga Laci 18 AEK Athens CB 68 83 $2.9m
34 Becir Omeragic 19 Zurich CB, RB 67 83 $2.9m
35 Amar Dedic 18 RB Salzburg RB, LB 66 83 $2.4m
36 Levi Colwill 18 Huddersfield CB 66 83 $2.3m
37 Ravil Tagir 18 Istanbul Basaksehir CB 65 83 $2m
38 Alejandro Gomez 19 Club Atlas LB, CB 63 83 $1.5m
39 Valentin Barco 16 Boca Juniors LB 63 83 $1.5m
40 Rav van den Berg 16 PEC Zwolle CB 59 83 $782k

Alphonso Davies is not only one of the quickest players in the game, he's also the best young defender in FIFA 22.

The Bayern Munich and Canada left back can also play in left midfield, giving you great versatility and helping you exploit the wings with his pace.

His price tag may put off a lot of teams, so there are good alternatives available at fullback including recent Borussia Monchengladbach signing Luca Netz and Standard Liege's Hugo Siquet.

There are plenty of good young center backs again this year, with Ajax's Jurrien Timber valued at less than $13.5 million and St. Gallen's Leonidas Stergiou costing just over $2.7 million.

Swiss defender Stergiou can be bought cheaply thanks to his current rating of 67, but he can reach 86 overall with the right training and game time. 

FIFA 22: Best young midfielders

Pedri Spain 2020-21

# Name Age Club PO. CR PR VA.
1 Pedri 18 Barcelona CM 81 91 $62.6m
2 Ryan Gravenberch 19 Ajax CM, CDM 78 90 $38.3m
3 Jude Bellingham 18 Borussia Dortmund CM, LM 79 89 $42.9m
4 Florian Wirtz 18 Bayer Leverkusen CAM, CM 78 89 $34.2m
5 Mason Greenwood 19 Manchester United RM, ST 78 89 $35.3m
6 Eduardo Camavinga 18 Real Madrid CM, CDM 78 89 $34.2m
7 Bukayo Saka 19 Arsenal RM, LM, LB 80 88 $52.7m
8 Noni Madueke 19 PSV RM, ST 77 88 $26.7m
9 Jamal Musiala 18 Bayern Munich LM, CAM 76 88 $20.3m
10 Gabriel Martinelli 20 Arsenal LM, LW 76 88 $20.9m
11 Takefusa Kubo 20 Real Madrid RM, CM, CAM 75 88 $15.6m
12 Gio Reyna 18 Borussia Dortmund CAM, LM, RM 77 87 $25.5m
13 Mikkel Damsgaard 20 Sampdoria LM, LW 77 87 $26.7m
14 Dominik Szoboszlai 20 RB Leipzig CAM, LM 77 87 $26.7m
15 Christos Tzolis 19 Norwich City LM, RM, ST 74 87 $11.6m
16 Nicolo Rovella 19 Juventus CM, CDM 70 87 $4.7m
17 Mohammed Kudus 20 Ajax CAM, CM 77 86 $26.7m
18 Bryan Gil 20 Tottenham LM, RM, CAM 76 86 $19.1m
19 Emile Smith Rowe 20 Arsenal CAM 76 86 $19.1m
20 Thiago Almada 20 Velez Sarsfield CAM, LW, RW 74 86 $11.6m
21 Nico Melamed 20 Espanyol LM, CAM, RM 74 86 $11.6m
22 Abdallah Sima 20 Brighton RM, ST 73 86 $8.7m
23 Billy Gilmour 20 Chelsea CM, CDM 72 86 $6.3m
24 Facundo Pellistri 19 Manchester United RM 70 86 $4.7m
25 Francisco Conceicao 18 Porto RM 70 86 $4.6m
26 Fabio Carvalho 18 Fulham CAM, CM 67 86 $2.9m
27 Caden Clark 18 RB Leipzig CAM, CM 66 86 $2.8m
28 Oliver Skipp 20 Tottenham CDM, CM 75 85 $13.3m
29 Mohamed Ihattaren 19 Juventus CAM, RM, CM 75 85 $13.9m
30 Curtis Jones 20 Liverpool CM 73 85 $8.7m
31 Michael Olise 19 Crystal Palace CAM, RM, LM 73 85 $8.1m
32 Alan Velasco 18 Independiente LM, LW, ST 73 85 $8.1m
33 Ilaix Moriba 18 RB Leipzig CM 73 85 $8.1m
34 Yusuf Demir 18 Barcelona CAM, RM 70 85 $4.3m
35 Kacper Kozlowski 17 Pogon Szczecin CAM, CM 68 85 $3.5m
36 Amad Diallo 18 Manchester United RM 68 85 $3.6m
37 Stipe Biuk 18 Hajduk Split LM, LW 68 85 $3.6m
38 Talles Magno 19 New York City FC LM, CF 68 85 $3.6m
39 Aster Vranckx 18 Wolfsburg CM, CDM 67 85 $3m
40 Gavi 16 Barcelona CM 66 85 $2.4m
41 Charlie Patino 17 Arsenal CM, CDM 62 85 $1.3m
42 Romeo Lavia 17 Manchester City CDM 62 85 $1.3m
43 Pierre Dwomoh 17 Antwerp CAM, CM 60 85 $903k

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona have the best young midfielder in FIFA 22 with Pedri already a high-rated star even before he reaches his full potential.

Unlike the real world where he could burn out after playing so many games for club and country, FIFA 22 will not punish you for starting him in every single game and more minutes will actually help him reach his potential rating of 91 even quicker.

A lot of the best young midfielders in FIFA 22 are quite expensive as they have high current ratings, such as Jude Bellingham, Mason Greenwood and Eduardo Camavinga.

However, some players are available for less than $13.5 million, including Norwich City's versatile Christos Tzolis and Velez Sarsfield's Thiago Almada.

Cheaper again are Juventus's defensive-minded midfielder Nicolo Rovella and Chelsea's Billy Gilmour. Both players are on loan at the start of the first season but may become available options before your second season begins.

Fulham's Fabio Carvalho and Kacper Kozlowski  (Pogon Szczecin in Poland) are reasonable options for the first summer and may even be willing to join lower-league clubs on loan.

FIFA 22: Best young forwards

Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund, Bundesliga 2021-22

# Name Age Club PO. CR PR VA.
1 Erling Haaland 20 Borussia Dortmund ST 88 93 $159.4m
2 Vinicius Jr 20 Real Madrid LW 80 90 $53.9m
3 Ansu Fati 18 Barcelona LW 76 90 $20.3m
4 Rodrygo 20 Real Madrid RW 79 88 $44.6m
5 Jeremy Doku 19 Rennes RW, RM 77 88 $26.7m
6 Rayan Cherki 17 Lyon RW, LW 73 88 $8.1m
7 Callum Hudson-Odoi 20 Chelsea RW, LW 77 87 $26.7m
8 Adam Hlozek 18 Sparta Praha ST, LM, RM 74 87 $11.6m
9 Harvey Elliott 18 Liverpool RW, CM 73 87 $8.1m
10 Kayky 18 Manchester City RW 66 87 $3.1m
11 Pedro De la Vega 20 Lanus RW, LW, RM 74 86 $11.6m
12 Goncalo Ramos 20 Benfica CF, ST 72 86 $6.3m
13 Santiago Gimenez 20 Cruz Azul ST, CF, CAM 71 86 $5.2m
14 Benjamin Sesko 18 RB Salzburg ST 68 86 $3.6m
15 Dane Scarlett 17 Tottenham ST 63 86 $1.7m
16 Myron Boadu 20 Monaco ST 76 85 $19.1m
17 Charles De Ketelaere 20 Club Brugge LW, CAM, ST 75 85 $14.5m
18 Brian Brobbey 19 RB Leipzig ST 73 85 $8.7m
19 Karim Adeyemi 19 RB Salzburg ST 71 85 $5.2m
20 Octavian Popescu 18 FCSB LW, RW 70 85 $4.3m
21 Fabio Silva 18 Wolves ST 70 85 $4.3m
22 Sebastiano Esposito 18 Inter ST, CAM 68 85 $3.6m
23 Musa Juwara 19 Crotone ST 67 85 $3.1m
24 Liam Delap 18 Manchester City ST 64 85 $2.1m
25 Gonzalo Plata 20 Sporting CP RW 74 84 $11m
26 Facundo Farias 18 Colon ST, CF 72 84 $6.3m
27 Kamaldeen Sulemana 19 Rennes LW, ST 72 84 $6.3m
28 Reinier 19 Real Madrid CF, CAM 71 84 $5.2m
29 Joao Pedro 19 Watford ST 71 84 $5.2m
30 Armando Broja 19 Chelsea ST 70 84 $4.4m
31 Morgan Rogers 18 Bournemouth LW 66 84 $2.6m
32 Jon Karrikaburu 18 Real Sociedad B ST 65 84 $2m
33 Franco Orozco 19 Lanus LW, RW 65 84 $2m
34 Fode Fofana 18 PSV ST 64 84 $1.9m
35 Jayden Braaf 18 Manchester City LW, RW 64 84 $1.9m
36 Wahid Faghir 17 Stuttgart ST 64 84 $1.9m
37 Cole Palmer 19 Manchester City RW, CAM 64 84 $1.9m
38 Louie Barry 18 Aston Villa ST, LW 63 84 $1.8m
39 Ander Barrenetxea 19 Real Sociedad LW, ST, RW 74 83 $10.4m
40 Konrad de la Fuente 19 Marseille LW, RW 72 83 $5.8m

Not only is Erling Haaland  the best young forward in FIFA 22, he can also become the best player in FIFA 22.

His potential rating of 93 is Lionel Messi's current rating in the game, meaning Haaland can become one of the game's GOATs, at least virtually.

He's valued at over $135 million as a result, so he may not be the striker you need in Career Mode unless you're managing a club with lots and lots of money.

Sparta Praha's Adam Hlozek might be a much cheaper alternative at $11.6 million and his versatility means you can also play him on either side of midfield as you look to develop his attributes.

Ansu Fati has a surprisingly low value at the start of the game, but it could be tricky to convince Barcelona to sell their new No. 10.

Red Bull Salzburg have a pair of exciting, young attackers in Karim Adeyemi and Benjamin Sesko, while Steaua Bucharest's Octavian Popescu can play on either wing and will be tempted by a move to one of Europe's bigger leagues.

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