FIFA 23 Wonderkids: Best Young Central Defensive Midfielders (CDM) to Sign in Career Mode

By standard, The Central Defensive Midfielder is responsible for breaking up play and supporting the defensive line. In recent years, they have also been looked upon as playmakers who can distribute passes to start a counterattack. Due to how the position has evolved in recent times, it explains why some Central Defensive Midfielders can also diversify as Central Backs when the occasion arises.

Choosing FIFA 23 Career Mode’s best wonderkid CDM’s

This article will look at the very best Wonderkids to play in Central Defensive Midfield (CDM) position, featuring the top-rated stars in FIFA 23 like Alan Varela, Samuele Ricci and Kristjan Asllani.

The players on the list were selected based on the following criteria: they are under 21 years old, have a potential of over 81 and most importantly, can play in Central Defensive Midfield.

At the bottom of the article, you’ll find a full list of all of the best young CDM FIFA 23 wonderkids.

Samuele Ricci (74 OVR – 85 POT)

Team: Torino F.C
Age: 20
Position: CDM, CM
Wage: £20,000 p/w
Value: £7.3 million
Best Attributes: x3 (82 Stamina, 76 Short Passing, 76 Agility)

Topping the charts as the best young CDM in FIFA 23 is Torino’s Samuele Ricci, who boasts of 74 OVR with a possibility of revving it up to 85 POT.

Ricci has some quality attributes at his disposal, like his 82 Stamina which helps him in bossing the back line. The Italian youngster also possesses 76 Short Passing and 72 Long Passing which comes in handy in effectively distributing the ball and dictating the speed of play. His 76 Agility will help when needing to rapidly change direction to close down attackers. Not to mention his 75 Acceleration and 74 Sprint Speed, enabling him to cover a lot of ground at pace. To top it off, Ricci also boasts of some solid defensive stats like 73 Standing, 72 Sliding Tackle and 74 Defensive Awareness, which further diversifies his play.

Beginning his footballing career with Empoli FC in their youth system, he worked his way up into their first team. Having spent the first half of the 21/22 season with Empoli, he then moved to Torino in the January window on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy. Ricci made 90 appearances for Empoli, scoring three goals and providing five assists before joining Torino where he so far made 17 appearances for the first team. On the international stage, he has made only one appearance for the Italian first team but has made 13 appearances at U21 level scoring one goal. Thus, it is no surprise that he earned himself a spot as one of the best young CDM in FIFA 23.

Kristjan Asllani (72 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: Inter Milan
Age: 20
Position: CDM, CM
Wage: £5,000 p/w
Value: £4.7 million
Best Attributes: x3 (83 Stamina, 77 Short Passing, 74 Balance)

Another talented youngster currently playing in Serie A is Inter’s Kristjan Asllani. His 72 OVR is quite modest for a player his age, however, his 84 POT makes him look like a catch.

Asllani has some decent starting attributes, most noticeable being his 83 Stamina, making him out to be an engine that won’t stop throughout the game. Other areas of strength are his 77 Short Passing and 71 Long Passing. Those stats prove to be invaluable when winning back possession and quickly starting the counter to catch the opposition off guard. 

The gifted Albanian is currently on loan from Empoli FC at Inter, having gained impressive football experience at top-level despite his young age. Last season for Empoli, Asllani made 34 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and giving two assists. Currently, Asllani has played five international games for Albania, making his debut in March 2022 in a friendly 2-1 defeat to Spain.

Alan Varela (75 OVR – 85 POT)

Team: Boca Juniors
Age: 21
Position: CDM, CM
Wage: £9,000 p/w
Value: £9.9 million
Best Attributes: x3 (82 Stamina, 80 Curve, 79 Composure)

 Argentine Wonderkid, Alan Varela looks to be a top prospect and yet another quality midfielder to come out of Boca Juniors. His 74 OVR is made even more impressive given the possibility of improving to 84 POT.

20-year-old Varela stands out with some brilliant attributes. His 82 Stamina, 79 Composure and 80 Curve could pair nicely with his 78 Short Passing and 74 Long Passing to put some swerve on those cross-field balls in a bid to keep the opposition on their toes.

The Boca Juniors academy product looks to be making an impact. Last season, he made 37 appearances, scoring one goal and providing two assists. He is yet to feature in the international side but is looking like a prospect that could be included in Lionel Scaloni’s plans in the future.

Amadou Onana (74 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: Everton
Age: 21
Position: CDM, CM
Wage: £19,000 p/w
Value: £7.3 million
Best Attributes: x3 (80 Strength, 78 Sprint Speed, 76 Short Passing)

A new arrival at Goodison Park, Amadou Onana, has made a positive early impression in his short time with Everton. His talent reflects in his 74 OVR with high expectations of revving it up to 84 POT.

Onana’s 80 Strength portrays him as a force that he can’t be easily nudged off the ball. He is a quick player with 78 Sprint Speed, 73 Dribbling and 75 Ball Control, helping him to hold his own on the ball. The 20-year-old has a solid passing game with 76 Short Passing and 74 Long Passing, making it possible to locate his teammates with ease.

The youngster kicked off his career with SV Zulte Waregem academy before heading to Germany with both Hoffenheim and Hamburger SV. Onana would find himself spending a season in France with LOSC Lille before arriving in England with Everton in a deal worth £31.5m. The talented Belgian made 42 appearances for Lille last season finding the net on three occasions as well as laying on one assist for his teammates. On the international stage, the Central Defensive Midfielder has made two appearances for the Belgium and with hopes his form will earn him a call up for the World Cup come November.

Eric Martel (67 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: 1. FC Köln
Age: 20
Position: CDM, CB
Wage: £5,000 p/w
Value: £2.2 million
Best Attributes: x3 (80 Stamina, 74 Aggression, 73 Jumping)

It’s still early days for Eric Martel at FC Köln with the youngster still having a lot of time to develop, which is evident in his 67 OVR and 84 POT. However, it doesn’t make him a non-contender as one of the best young CDM in FIFA 23.

Martel’s 80 Stamina gets him started. Combining it with his 74 Aggression which can be channelled into his challenges, makes him out to a bull that shouldn’t be crossed. The other standout attribute of note is 73 Jumping and when added to his 65 Heading Accuracy, it could prove vital for winning aerial battles all over the pitch.

Arriving at 1. FC Köln from RB Leipzig this Summer in a deal worth £1.08m, Martel proves to be an juicy bargain given his potentials. Spending last season out on loan with Austria Vienna Martel, he made 34 appearances which saw him banging three goals and registering four assists. At international level the young Central Defensive Midfielder has made five appearances for the German U21 side.

Oliver Skipp (77 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: Tottenham Hotspur
Age: 22
Position: CDM, CM
Wage: £42,000 p/w
Value: £17.2 million
Best Attributes: x3 (80 Aggression, 78 Interceptions, 78 Sliding Tackle)

Tottenham academy graduate Oliver Skipp has battled his way up through the ranks to the first team by sheer grit and determination. This reflects both in his 77 OVR and 84 POT.

Skipp is further along the line in terms of his development as a Central Defensive Midfielder which is noticeable across a lot of his stats. He is defensively sound as would be expected for his position. He also packs some impressive stats to back this up his 80 Aggression, making it possible weave through challenges. His 78 Sliding Tackle and 78 Interceptions flaunts him as a player that can read the game well. Most importantly, he shows ability to pick out his teammates as well with his 71 Vision, 78 Short Passing and 76 Long Passing.

Despite an injury-ridden season for Spurs which cut short his playing time last season, the youngster was able to make 28 appearances across all competitions. As far as playing for his internationally is concerned, Skipp has made 14 appearances for England’s U21 side, making his debut in October 2019 in a friendly 2-2 stalemate with Slovenia’s U21 side.

Roméo Lavia (62 OVR – 83 POT)

Team: Southampton
Age: 18
Position: CDM
Wage: £2,000 p/w
Value: £1 million
Best Attributes: x3 (68 Sliding Tackle, 66 Standing Tackle, 66 Ball Control)

 Roméo Lavia is a recent arrival at Saint Mary’s and much is expected of the 18-year-old, considering he is in the early stages of his career. This is observed in his 62 OVR, with an acknowledgement of his talent that reflects in his 83 POT.

The Central Defensive Midfielder’s standout attributes are his 68 Sliding Tackle and 66 Standing Tackle, showing his early defensive prowess. The Belgian also has a fairly decent 66 Ball Control, making his first touch of a good standard which can only improve over time.

The Belgian’s career trajectory has seen him moving from Anderlecht youth side to Manchester City’s development side before recently getting signed by Southampton in a deal worth £11.07m in July. Last season, the 18-year-old made 28 appearances for the academy side, scoring one goal and contributing two assists. Internationally, Lavia has played one game for the Belgian U21 side. 

All of the best young wonderkid Central Defensive Midfielders in FIFA 23

In the table below, you will find all of the best Wonderkid CDM in FIFA 23 

If you are looking for the next Central Defensive Midfielder to develop into the next superstar to support the back line and kickstart your counter attacks the players in the table above are sure to be worth looking up.

If you need to strengthen your middle even more, here is our list of the fastest midfielders in FIFA 23.