Looking for the best wonderkid central midfielders in FM26? Below are the top young midfielders in the game sorted by potential, with many of these players capable of playing in multiple positions. Beneath this initial list, you’ll also find a table highlighting some of the more affordable midfield talents aged 20 or below in FM26.
Ethan Nwaneri
Age: 18
Nationality: England
Club: Arsenal
Estimated Cost: £98m
A gifted attacking midfielder, Nwaneri has been in the first team picture at Arsenal for multiple years already and looks set to be one of England’s brightest stars in FM26.
Ayyoub Bouaddi
Age: 18
Nationality: France
Club: LOSC Lille
Estimated Cost: £105m
An elegant and technically assured midfielder, having broken through at Lille, Bouaddi is one of France’s top prospects in FM26.
Nico Paz
Age: 20
Nationality: Argentina
Club: Como
Estimated Cost: £87m
The Argentine also features on our best wonderkid strikers list such is his versality and it would not be a shock if Real Madrid excersied their buyback clause for him at the end of the season.
Lucas Bergvall
Age: 19
Nationality: Sweden
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Estimated Cost: £86m
Bergvall had his breakout season in the Europa League and Premier League last year with Spurs, so it no surprise he is one of the top wonderkids in FM26.
Kennet Eichhorn
Age: 15
Club: Hertha BSC
Estimated Cost: £19m
One of the youngest wonderkids in FM26, Eichhorn is a composed central midfielder with impressive anticipation and technique for his age. A potential long-term project with lots of potential.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Age: 18
Nationality: England
Club: Arsenal
Estimated Cost: £80m
Another player who can feature in multiple positions, Lewis-Skelly is already a full England international and one of the top wonderkids in the game.
Marc Bernal
Age: 17
Nationality: Spain
Club: Barcelona
Estimated Cost: £44m
A deep-lying midfielder with superb positional awareness, Bernal has already featured for Barcelona’s first team and embodies the club’s signature possession style.
Dro
Age: 16
Club: Barcelona
Estimated Cost: £17m
Still only 16, Dro is one of La Masia’s latest midfield prodigies. His technical precision and composure mark him as one to monitor closely in future seasons.
Claudio Echeverri
Age: 18
Nationality: Argentina
Club: Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Estimated Cost: £29m
The Argentine playmaker is a creative force known for flair and incisive passing and made his debut for parent club Manchester City in their FA Cup loss against Crystal Palace.
João Neves
Age: 20
Nationality: Portugal
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Estimated Cost: £140m
Portugal’s standout young midfielder, Neves is a complete package and a key presence for PSG in their Champions League win last season.
Adam Wharton
Age: 20
Nationality: England
Club: Crystal Palace
Estimated Cost: £70m
Wharton has been one of the Premier League’s breakout talents, combining composure with crisp distribution. His rapid rise at Palace makes him an FM26 favourite for possession-based systems.
Arda Güler
Age: 19
Nationality: Turkey
Club: Real Madrid
Estimated Cost: £96m
The Turkish starlet is already dazzling at Real Madrid with his vision and technical mastery and has already worked his way into the starting XI of Xabi Alonso this season. Another player who will be very difficult to tempt away from their current club.
Mateus Fernandes
Age: 20
Nationality: Portugal
Club: West Ham United
Estimated Cost: £57m
One of the standout players for a poor Southampton side last season, Fernandes offers a modern mix of energy, ball-winning, and progressive passing.
Gavi
Age: 20
Nationality: Spain
Club: Barcelona
Estimated Cost: £96m
Already a full Spanish international and Barcelona regular, Gavi epitomises intensity and intelligence and it is easy to forget he is only 20 years old as of the game start in July 2025.
Carlos Baleba
Age: 20
Nationality: Cameroon
Club: Brighton & Hove Albion
Estimated Cost: £81m
A player constantly linked with Manchester United in the summer, Baleba’s physicality and ball-carrying ability have made him a standout in Brighton’s midfield.
Archie Gray
Age: 19
Nationality: England
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Estimated Cost: £56m
A versatile English midfielder capable of operating deeper or even in defence, Gray’s composure and maturity have earned him over 100 senior appearances before the age of 20.
Image: Joao Neves of PSG
Centre Mid Wonderkids in FM26: Under £5m
Most of the players listed above will be very difficult to tempt away from their current clubs and are of little use for those who are starting a save in a lesser established country.
For that reason we’ve included a separate list of central midfield wonderkids who are far more realistic and affordable options in FM26. The prices outlined are only a guideline and could be different in game.
| Player | Club | Age | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sayed Al-Wadaei | Villarreal | 16 | £0 |
| Kosei Ogura | Hosei Univ. | 19 | £0 |
| Kwesi Sorotu Badori | – | 16 | £0 |
| Toni Fernández | Barcelona | 16 | £1m |
| Lazola Maku | Siwelele FC | 17 | £1m |
| Gomolemo Kekana | Sundowns | 18 | £1m |
| Rudolf Obal | Viktoria Žižkov | 16 | £1m |
| Marc Martínez | Valencia | 15 | £1m |
| Beno Selan | Bravo | 19 | £1m |
| Augusto Bando | Ascoli | 18 | £1m |
| Gibert Jordana | Girona | 17 | £1m |
| Lamine Bèye | Famalicão | 17 | £1m |
| Moussa Fofana | Sol FC | 17 | £1m |
| Kieran Morrison | Liverpool | 18 | £1m |
| Mladen Mijajlović | Sport-Club Freiburg | 16 | £1m |
| Miguel Agámez | Junior | 15 | £1m |
| Jano Monserrate | Atlético Madrid | 18 | £1m |
| Matteo Dagasso | Pescara | 20 | £2m |
| Wassim Slama | Paris Saint-Germain | 16 | £2m |
| Yu Takada | Tokushima | 19 | £3m |
| Taufik Seidu | Atlético Madrid | 16 | £3m |
| Ilja Yeremeev | Lokomotiv Moscow | 16 | £3m |
| Billy-Paul Mavudia | OL | 16 | £3m |
| Chibuzo Nwoko | Fulham | 19 | £3m |
| Dennis Kaygin | FC Ingolstadt 04 | 20 | £3m |
| Ronny Borja | Emelec | 19 | £3m |
| Efe Akman | F.C. Andorra | 18 | £3m |
| Jack McGrath | Aston Villa | 16 | £3m |
| Paul Eymard | Saint-Étienne | 16 | £4m |
| Sebastian Olderheim | Stabæk | 17 | £4m |
| Thomas Corigliano | Juventus | 15 | £4m |
| Ítalo | Athletico Paranaense | 16 | £4m |
| Isaac Davies | Nott’m Forest | 17 | £4m |
| Ederson Castillo | Liga de Quito | 16 | £4m |
| Finlay Gorman | Manchester City | 16 | £4m |
| Andrea Bonanomi | Atalanta | 18 | £4m |
For a full in-depth look at all of the wonderkids in FM26, you can check out our dedicated guide which also includes specific lists of the best centre back wonderkids in FM26.