Contents
- 1 1. Matthijs de Ligt (159 CA / 185 PA)
- 2 2. Wesley Fofana (148 CA / 175 PA)
- 3 3. Oumar Solet (130 CA / 166 PA)
- 4 4. Eric García (135 CA / 160 PA)
- 5 5. Morato (128 CA / 160 PA)
- 6 6. José Fontán (125 CA / 160 PA)
- 7 7. Joško Gvardiol (135 CA / 150-180 PA)
- 8 All of the best young centre back (CB) wonderkids on FM 22
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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?
Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: Best Young Right Wingers (MR & AMR) to Sign
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(5 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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