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

A good goalkeeper can be the difference between survival or relegation, success or failure. As such, it’s imperative that you find yourself an excellent shot-stopper in FM22.

Finding the next up-and-coming generation of talent can be tiresome, to say the least. So, instead of endlessly scouting players while the transfer window rapidly reaches its end, we’ve collected the best young goalkeepers ranked by their potential ability (PA) on FM22.

Choosing the best young goalkeepers (GK) on FM22

This page looks at the top young stars plying their trade in goal, with Nico Mantl, Marco Carnesecchi, and Aleksander Popović among the best in FM22.

The players featured on this list have been chosen based on a minimum of 140 PA or a -85 (140-170) PA Range, a positional rating of at least 19 for the goalkeeper position, and them being 21-years-old or younger.

At the foot of the page, you’ll find a full list of all the best young goalkeepers (GK) in FM22.

1. Marco Carnesecchi (120 CA / 158 PA)

Team: Atalanta (on-loan at Cremonese)
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 120 CA / 158 PA
Wage: £3,000 p/w
Value: £5.8 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 15 Reflexes, 15 Stamina, 15 Determination

Coming in at number one with 120 CA and an excellent 158 PA is 21-year-old Marco Carnesecchi. Although out on-loan at the start of FM22, he can still be signed for the start of next season and benefit from a season of first-team football.

The young Italian goalkeeper possesses great attributes to prevent the ball from hitting the net, with his 15 reflexes, 13 one on ones, and 14 handling just a few of his impressive ratings. His preferred role as a sweeper-keeper will benefit hugely if you focus on developing his distribution ratings.

Serie A side Atalanta’s goalkeeping prodigy is yet to feature for the first-team, instead relying on loan spells to aid in his development, with the Italian spending time with Cesena, Trapani, and most recently Cremonese.

2. Illan Meslier (138 CA / 158 PA)

Team: Leeds United
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 138 CA / 158 PA
Wage: £40,000 p/w
Value: £21 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 17 Jumping Reach, 17 Aerial Reach, 16 Reflexes

Illan Meslier’s great 138 CA and 158 PA make him a goalkeeper who could slot into most sides around the world; with regular game time, he could reach the elite level very quickly.

At 6’5’’, the Frenchman is an imposing figure in goal and equipped with 17 aerial reach, 17 jumping reach, and 16 anticipation. He makes collecting stray crosses look easy as he dominates in the air. His more traditional goaltending attributes are a great base for him to develop from, too.

Meslier was fantastic between the sticks for Leeds in their first season back in England’s top-flight last term, with the shot-stopper featuring 35 times, keeping 11 clean sheets, and conceding 52 goals.

3. Nico Mantl (119 CA / 155 PA)

Team: RB Salzburg
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 119 CA /155 PA
Wage: £3,800 p/w
Value: £7.2 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 17 Jumping Reach, 15 Stamina, 15 Balance

Nico Mantl’s rapidly growing reputation in Austria could see his stock sky-rocket; the 21-year-old’s 119 CA and 155 PA make him a good choice for up-and-coming teams.

He begins his journey on FM22 with a fantastic selection of all-rounded attributes, but it’s his 14 reflexes, 14 one on ones, and 14 command of area ratings that initially draw the eye. The young talent possesses the makings of a brilliant passer of the ball, with his 12 vision and 12 passing making a great starting point.

The German youngster joined Austrian powerhouse RB Salzburg in January 2021, from German third-tier side Unterhaching for £1.8 million, having cemented himself in their first team. After joining Salzburg, he waited patiently for his chance to come, playing three games and conceding just twice as the season ended.

4. Diogo Costa (138 CA / 155 PA)

Team: FC Porto
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 138 CA / 155 PA
Wage: £12,200p/w
Value: £13.5 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 16 Reflexes, 15 Kicking, 15 Handling

Enjoying a 138 CA and 155 PA is 21-year-old Portuguese stopper Diogo Costa, commanding a relatively cheap transfer fee and wages for a player of his calibre.

Between the sticks, he makes use of his 16 reflexes, 15 handling, and 13 one on ones to ensure that your sheet is clean and attackers are left unhappy through the course of games. As the ability to distribute the ball has become more prominent in the modern game, Costa’s 13 vision, 12 passing, and 15 kicking make him a sought-after prospect.

Recently making his international debut with Portugal – in which he kept a clean sheet – Diogo Costa plays his club football for giants FC Porto, having been a product of their academy. Biding his time to break into the first-team, Costa played 12 games last season, mainly in cup competitions, keeping three clean sheets and conceding 17 as his side reached the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal.

5. Aleksander Popović (114 CA / 147 PA)

Team: FK Partizan Beograd
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 114 CA / 147 PA
Wage: £1,000 p/w
Value: £160,000
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 14 One on Ones, 14 Reflexes, 14 Aerial Reach

A 21-year-old Serbian, Aleksander Popović comes armed with a 114 CA and 147 PA as well as an extremely cheap initial valuation.

His 14 one on ones, 14 reflexes, and 14 aerial reach are fantastic attributes for a player of his current ability and will only improve as he realises his potential. Making up the rest of the traditional styled goalkeeper’s attributes are his 12 command of area, 12 handling, and 13 throwing.

Partizan Beograd’s prospect developed in the Serbian top-tier side’s academy. He went on two four-month loans with a fellow Serbian team, Teleoptik, where he gained much-needed experience. Despite his age, he’s already making an impact on the first-team, playing 21 games last season, conceding just 12 goals and keeping a massive 13 clean sheets.

6. Alessandro Plizzari (106 CA / 147 PA)

Team: AC Milan
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 106 CA / 147 PA
Wage: £8,600 p/w
Value: £4.1 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 15 Agility, 15 Reflexes, 15 One on Ones

Following in the footsteps of the extraordinary Gianluigi Donnarumma is 21-year-old Alessandro Plizzari, ranking at sixth among the best wonderkid GKs in FM22 with a 106 CA and 147 PA.

Given bags of potential, Plizzari also possesses a great pool of attributes to start from, with his 15 one on ones, 15 reflexes, and 15 jumping reach creating a brilliant foundation. If you want him to reach his full potential, developing both the passing and mental sides of his game is essential.

Plizzari spent last season at Serie B side Reggina, where he played ten games at the start of the season, conceding 16 goals in the process. His poor form resulted in him spending the rest of the year on the bench. This season, a knee injury has stifled his progress further.

7. Etienne Green (121 CA / 147 PA)

Team: Saint-Etienne
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 121 CA / 147 PA
Wage: £9,500 p/w
Value: £5.4 million
Best Positions: GK
Best Attributes: 14 Reflexes, 14 Kicking, 14 Aerial Reach

Coming in at seventh on this list of the best goalie wonderkids in FM22 is Etienne Green: the 21-year-old’s 121 CA and 147 PA, paired with his relatively cheap transfer fee, makes him a fine prospect.

Green possesses a good starting point to grow from, with his 14 reflexes, 13 one on ones, 12 handling, 13 composure, and 13 concentration showing his potential to develop into a top goalkeeper. His distribution attributes are fantastic, given his sweeper-keeper role, with 13 passing and 14 kicking allowing him to find players all over the pitch.

Currently playing for Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne, having graduated from their academy, the 21-year-old Frenchman made his debut last season and has since claimed the number one spot. Green made an instant impact. After keeping a clean sheet in his first game, he went on to keep three from his eight appearances – only conceding eight goals.

All the best young goalkeepers (GK) wonderkids on FM22

In the table below, you can find all of the best young goalkeepers (GK) in FM22, sorted by their potential ability, with those possessing a potential ability range being sorted by their lowest potential ability.

Find the next Lev Yashin in the table above and secure your net for years to come in FM22.