Football Manager 2022 Wonderkid: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign

We have ALL the best young centre backs (DC) on FM22 for you to sign.

Football Manager 2022 Wonderkid: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign complete list

Every league-winning side is built on a top-class, consistent centre back pairing, and the best way to create this consistency in Football Manager 2022 is to blood-in a wonderkid DC.

Here, we’re looking at the best young centre backs in FM 22, with only those with the highest potential ability ratings included.

Choosing the best young centre backs (DC) on FM 22

This list of the best young centre backs in FM 22 features the likes of Wesley Fofana, Morata, and Matthijs de Ligt, as well as several others with lofty potential ability (PA) ratings.

Each player has been selected based on them being 21-years-old or younger at the start of FM 22, having a minimum positional rating of 19 for DC, and a PA of at least 160 or a PA Range of 140-170.

At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a full list of all of the best young centre backs (DC) in FM 22.

1. Matthijs de Ligt (159 CA / 185 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Matthijs de Ligt (159 CA / 185 PA)

Team: Zebre (Juventus)
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 159 CA / 185 PA
Wage: £199,939
Value: £92 million – £115 million
Best Positions: DC
Best Attributes: 18 Bravery, 18 Strength, 17 Leadership

By quite some margin, Matthijs de Ligt is the best centre back wonderkid in FM 22, boasting a 185 PA as well as an already very useful 159 CA.

The Dutchman is already a solid choice along the backline, with his 16 heading, 16 tackling, and 15 marking being superb for the DC position. Furthermore, his 18 strength, 18 bravery, 16 work rate, and 189cm frame make De Ligt tough to get past.

As far as development goes, De Ligt couldn’t have hoped to be at a better club, with Italian superstars Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini showing him the ropes. Already a first-team regular for Juventus, the Leiderdorp-native scored eight goals by his 87th appearance.

2. Wesley Fofana (148 CA / 175 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Wesley Fofana (148 CA / 175 PA)

Team: Leicester City
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 148 CA / 175 PA
Wage: £55,000
Value: £76 million – £112 million
Best Positions: DC
Best Attributes: 16 Jumping Reach, 16 Pace, 15 Positioning

In both regards of ability – current and potential – Wesley Fofana clearly stands second only to the older Matthijs de Ligt, boasting 148 CA and 175 PA.

Fofana’s shaping up to become one of the best centre backs in FM 22, let alone one of the best DC wonderkids, already featuring 15 heading, 14 marking, and 15 tackling. Pile in his 15 positioning, 15 strength, 14 stamina, and 16 pace, and you have a mighty defender to dominate at the back for a good 15 years.

After a superb start to life with Leicester City, playing 38 games in his first season with the club, Fofana’s progress was brought to a halt. A fibula fracture has stopped the Frenchman from building on his reputation, but once he returns, he’ll almost certainly retain the place alongside Caglar Söyüncü.

3. Oumar Solet (130 CA / 166 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Oumar Solet (130 CA / 166 PA)

Team: Red Bull Salzburg
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 130 CA / 166 PA
Wage: £3,768
Value: £10.5 million – £15.5 million
Best Positions: DC, DM
Best Attributes: 15 Marking, 15 Jumping Reach, 15 Work Rate

Oumar Solet is the exact kind of wonderkid centre back that FM 22 players will be looking for: boasting a high 166 PA while also being reasonably cheap at up to £15.5 million in value.

The wonderkid defender is also an apt defensive midfielder, with his 15 work rate, 13 teamwork, 14 passing, and 14 stamina making him useful in front of the backline. Still, the Frenchman has more than enough in his 15 marking, 13 heading, and 13 tackling to make him a decent DC.

Playing for RB Salzburg, the Austrian-based feeder club of RB Leipzig, Oumar Solet is on track to becoming a top-tier centre back. He broke through late last season and secured his spot in the starting XI earlier this season.

4. Eric García (135 CA / 160 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Eric García (135 CA / 160 PA)

Team: FC Barcelona
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 135 CA / 160 PA
Wage: £49,326
Value: £22 million – £28 million
Best Positions: DC
Best Attributes: 17 Determination, 15 Positioning, 15 Work Rate

Spanish 20-year-old Eric García comes into FM 22 as one of the best young centre backs to sign, boasting a workable 135 CA and a very strong 160 PA.

The right-footed defender is certainly building towards a fit in the now-typical Spanish style of play, already featuring 14 passing, 14 first touch, and 13 vision. As a centre back, García’s 14 marking, 15 positioning, and 17 determination are already very useful.

After being given 35 first-team appearances by Pep Guardiola for Manchester City, García returned to Barcelona on a free transfer. Since the switch, Barça’s financial problems have come to light, but the team’s struggles have allowed the young defender to get regular starts in La Liga and the Champions League.

5. Morato (128 CA / 160 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Morato (128 CA / 160 PA)

Team: SL Benfica
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 128 CA / 160 PA
Wage: £7,823
Value: £65,000 – £3.3 million
Best Positions: DC
Best Attributes: 16 Jumping Reach, 15 Marking, 14 Teamwork

Valued between £65,000 and £3.3 million, Morato could be a steal – especially if he develops into his hefty 160 potential ability.

The 20-year-old Brazilian is already quite the unit, regardless of him also being one of the best centre back wonderkids in FM 22. Standing 190cm and 86kg, Morato adds to his physical presence with his 16 jumping reach, 14 strength, 15 marking, and 14 tackling.

After being given a couple of showings for Benfica in Liga Bwin last season, the defender from Francisco Morato is now being given regular starts. A main feature in the Champions League starting XI, he’s also being given ample opportunities in the Portuguese top-flight.

6. José Fontán (125 CA / 160 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back José Fontán (125 CA / 160 PA)

Team: Celta Vigo
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 125 CA / 160 PA
Wage: £8,000
Value: £14 million – £17 million
Best Positions: DC, DL
Best Attributes: 16 Tackling, 16 Technique, 16 Positioning

As the third FM 22 wonderkid centre back with a 160 PA, José Fontán only falls to sixth overall here due to his slightly lower 125 CA and being a bit older than García and Morato at 21-years-old.

With 13 marking, 13 heading, and seven strength, Fontán isn’t exactly the kind of archetype centre back that you can trust just yet. However, his 16 tackling and 16 positioning certainly bode well for his future as a ball-winner on the ground.

The young Spaniard made quite the impression on Celta Vigo last season, initially being used as a stand-in but later being given an extended run on the pitch. This season, an early injury held him back, with chances thereafter being rather fleeting.

7. Joško Gvardiol (135 CA / 150-180 PA)

Football Manager 2022 wonderkid: best young centre back Joško Gvardiol (135 CA / 150-180 PA)

Team: RB Leipzig
Age: 19
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 135 CA / 150-180 PA
Wage: £20,500
Value: £69 million – £81 million
Best Positions: DC, DL
Best Attributes: 17 Determination, 17 Pace, 17 Bravery

Next coming along the talent conveyor belt of RB Leipzig is Joško Gvardiol, who has also shown enough to the FM 22 scouts to land him among the best wonderkid DCs in the game.

Gvardiol’s 150-180 PA Range makes him somewhat of an unknown quantity. Still, even at the low end of this range, the Croatian lands as one of the best talents to get into your team. From the start of a new save, you can make great use of his 17 pace, 14 acceleration, 15 tackling, and 16 strength.

After getting raided in the summer, again, RB Leipzig decided to reinvest their earnings in more potential world-class talents. One such new arrival was Zagreb-native Gvardiol, who joined for a mere £17 million and has already secured a starting XI spot for himself.

All of the best young centre back (CB) wonderkids on FM 22

In the table below, you’ll find all of the best DC wonderkids to sign in FM 22, sorted by their potential ability ratings.

Name PA (Range) CA Age Wages (p/w) Value Team
Matthijs de Ligt 185 159 21 £199,939 £92 millon – £115 million Zebre (Juventus)
Wesley Fofana 175 148 20 £55,000 £76 million – £112 million Leicester City
Oumar Solet 166 130 21 £3,768 £10.5 million – £15.5 million RB Salzburg
Eric García 160 135 20 £49,326 £22 million – £28 million FC Barcelona
Morato 160 128 20 £7,823 £65,000 – £3.3 million SL Benfica
José Fontán 160 125 21 £8,000 £14 million – £17 million Celta Vigo
Joško Gvardiol 150-180 135 19 £20,500 £69 million – £81 million RB Leipzig
Tanguy Nianzou 150-180 128 19 £65,769 £11.5 million – £13.5million FC Bayern Munich
Maxence Lacroix 140-170 140 21 £62,481 £13 million – £16 million VfL Wolfsburg
Marc Guehi 140-170 126 21 £32,000 £30 million – £36 million Crystal Palace
William Saliba 140-170 131 20 £40,000 £33 million – £50 million Arsenal
Devyne Rensch 140-170 126 18 £16,245 £15.5 million – £18.5 million Ajax
Mohamed Simakan 140-170 136 21 £4,328 £29 million – £35 million RB Leipzig
Illya Zabarnyi 140-170 125 18 £6,250 £31 million – £39 million Dynamo Kyiv
Yerson Mosquera 140-170 115 20 £10,000 £21 million – £31 million Wolverhampton Wanderers
Benoît Badiashile 140-170 130 20 £10,822 £11 million – £16.5 million AS Monaco
Taylor Harwood-Bellis 140-170 122 19 £10,000 £7 million – £10.5 million Manchester City
Strahinja Pavlović 140-170 124 20 £9,500 £11.5 million – £17.5 million AS Monaco
Timothée Pembélé 140-170 110 18 £4,918 £4.3 million – £6.4 million Paris Saint-Germain
Andrea Carboni 140-170 130 20 £21,000 £4.9 million – £7.2 million Cagliari
Daouda Guindo 140-170 108 18 £991 £4.5 million – £6.8 million RB Salzburg
Bryan Okoh 140-170 106 18 £4,264 £6.2 million – £9.2 million RB Salzburg
Alejandro Francés 140-170 120 19 £5,250 £3.8 million – £5.8 million Zaragoza
Kaiky 140-170 119 17 £317 £8 million – £11.5 million SAN
Nnamdi Collins 140-170 95 17 £6,464 £4.9 million – £7.4 million Borussia Dortmund
Odilon Kossounou 140-170 128 20 £24,595 £23 million – £28 million Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Renan 140-170 125 19 £7,000 £6.4 million – £9.6 million SEP
Wisdom Amey 140-170 90 15 £220 £7.6 million – £11.5 million Bologna FC 1909
El Chadaille Bitshiabu 140-170 92 16 £675 £6.8 million – £8.2 million Paris Saint-Germain
Christian Mosquera 140-170 100 17 £2,500 £5 million – £7.4 million Valencia CF
Adrián Corral 140-170 105 18 £2,500 £60,000 – £5 million Atlético Madrid

Get yourself a future defensive superstar by signing one of the centre back wonderkids of FM 22 listed above.

Looking for more FM 22 wonderkids?

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Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Wingers (ML and AML) to Sign

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Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Strikers (ST) to Sign

Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Goalkeepers (GK) to Sign

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Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Right Backs (RB) to Sign

Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Backs (LB) to Sign


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