Who will rise as the next must-sign wonderkid in Football Manager 2026? Every year, FM introduces us to future superstars that are discovered in your save before they even make a name for themselves in real life. From teenagers just breaking into first teams to youth internationals making headlines, FM26 promises a new crop of hidden gems particularly after the cancellation of FM25. Here, we’ve highlighted 10 of the most exciting young prospects in football that could soon dominate all FM26 wonderkid lists as more and more is revealed about the upcoming game.
One player that does not feature on this list is Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman, as it is likely that the 15 year old will not feature in FM26 because he is younger than 16.
Ibrahim Mbaye
Ibrahim Mbaye is one of the brightest talents to emerge from PSG’s academy in recent years, and at just 17 he’s already making history in Paris. A fearless winger with explosive pace and sharp dribbling, Mbaye broke into the first team in 2024, becoming the club’s youngest-ever starter before scoring his first Ligue 1 goal later that season. Comfortable on either flank but most dangerous cutting in from the left, his versatility and maturity have impressed Luis Enrique, who has already trusted him in high-profile fixtures and continued to put his faith in the teenager at the start of the 2025/26 season.
Chido Obi
Chido Obi is emerging as one of Manchester United’s most exciting young strikers, already breaking records and earning the trust of new manager Ruben Amorim. The Nigerian-born forward made his senior debut in February 2025 before starting against Brentford in May, becoming United’s youngest-ever Premier League starter at 17 years and 156 days. Despite multiple attacking signings in the summer of 2025 for United, Obi has continued to feature in Amorim’s squads at the start of the 2025/26 season, highlighting the belief in his potential.
Rio Ngumoha
Rio Ngumoha is one of the brightest attacking prospects in Liverpool’s academy and has already made history at Anfield. The winger was called into Arne Slot’s senior squad in late 2024 and, just weeks later, became Liverpool’s youngest-ever player to start a first-team game when he featured in the FA Cup at only 16 years and 135 days. Ngumoha’s reputation grew further in pre-season 2025, where a standout display against Athletic Bilbao — alongside two goals and two assists across four friendlies — underlined his readiness for bigger opportunities in the Liverpool first team in the 25/26 season.
Francesco Camarda
Francesco Camarda is already a record-breaker in Italian football and one of the most talked-about young strikers in Europe. The AC Milan academy product made headlines in November 2023 when, at just 15 years and 260 days, he became the youngest player ever to appear in Serie A. A year later, he added another milestone by becoming the youngest Italian to feature in the Champions League, debuting against Club Brugge at 16. The AC Milan striker is now on loan at Lecce for the 2025/26 season.
Josh King
Josh King is an exciting young attacking midfielder making strides in Fulham’s first team. After impressing off the bench during the 2024/25 season, King earned his first Premier League start against Southampton and has continued to build momentum, starting the first two games of the 2025/26 campaign. With competition from senior stars like Andreas Pereira and Emile Smith Rowe, King’s early-season performances suggest he could become a central figure for Fulham and a must-watch wonderkid in FM26.
Tylel Tati
Tylel Tati is perhaps a lesser-known wonderkid in French football, but he could be set for a breakthrough season at Nantes. After featuring for the reserve team at the end of 2024/25, Tati was promoted to the first team for the 2025/26 preseason and immediately impressed. He made his professional debut as a starter in Nantes’ Ligue 1 opener against Paris Saint-Germain, earning praise from manager Luis Castro for a composed and confident performance.
Jeff Ekhator
Jeff Ekhator is a promising young forward at Genoa who is attracting the attention of leading clubs in Europe. After joining the first-team pre-season camp under Alberto Gilardino in July 2024, Ekhator made his professional debut in the Coppa Italia before featuring in Serie A against Inter Milan. The Nigerian-born striker has also been linked with a move to Juventus, highlighting growing interest from Europe’s elite clubs. Ekhator has already played minutes in the 2025/26 season and could be an affordable wonderkid in FM26.
Davinchi
Davinchi is an exciting young talent making his mark in La Liga with Getafe. After signing his first professional contract with Recreativo at just 16, he quickly progressed to the first team, scoring and assisting in his senior debut in Spain’s third division. In 2025, Getafe secured his signature, and he wasted no time impressing at the top level, starting the first game of the 2025/26 La Liga season at just 17 years old in a 2–0 win over Celta de Vigo.
Mohamed Kader Meite
Mohamed Kader Meïté is a physically imposing forward with the potential to dominate Ligue 1 for Stade Rennais. After breaking into the first team last season, he logged over 500 minutes across a dozen appearances, including a standout showing against Paris Saint-Germain. Meïté also captained Rennes’ under 19 side to Coupe Gambardella glory, scoring six goals in five games and netting a late winner in the final.
Ryan Roberto
Ryan Roberto is one of Flamengo’s brightest young prospects and hails from the same academy that produced Vinícius Jr. At 17, he has yet to make his professional debut, but his performances for Flamengo’s U17s have been eye-catching, with 20 goals and 14 assists in 33 games in 2025. A left winger with excellent close control and an instinct for beating defenders one-on-one, Roberto has drawn interest from European clubs including Barcelona and Ajax.