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Whether they cut inside and offer a goalscoring threat or hug the touchline to whip in crosses, wingers are a giant influence in attacking areas if you choose to utilise them. We’ve compiled a list of the hottest wing prospects in the game, with these game-changing wingers being ranked based on the highest potential ability (PA) rating in FM22.
Choosing the best young left wingers (ML and AML) on FM22
This article highlights the best left-wing starlets in FM 22, with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jadon Sancho, and Pedro Neto being among the best in FM22.
We’ve singled out these players based on their potential ability (PA) rating and the fact they have a position rating of at least 18 at ML or AML in this year’s game.
At the foot of the article, you’ll find a full list of all the best young left wingers (ML and AML) in FM22.
Jadon Sancho (162 CA / 177 PA)
Team: Manchester United
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 162 CA / 177 PA
Wage: £250,000 p/w
Value: £128.5 million
Best Positions: AML, AMR
Best Attributes: 18 Dribbling, 18 Technique, 18 Agility
Jadon Sancho is not only one of the hottest prospects in world football, but he’s also a world class winger in FM22 as outlined by his CA of 162 and PA of 177.
Primarily, Sancho is a winger who wants to isolate his marker and take him on with his 18 dribbling and agility, before slipping in forwards with his 17 passing and vision. His versatility both positionally and technically underpins the Englishman’s talent and value in this year’s game.
A fee of £76.5 million was paid for Sancho in the summer by Manchester United off the back of the incredible performances the winger put in for Borussia Dortmund. Eight goals and 12 assists in 26 Bundesliga games last season is clearly phenomenal, and if he can translate that form to the Premier League then Sancho will become one of the game’s biggest stars.
Vinícius Júnior (156 CA / 172 PA)
Team: Real Madrid
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 156 CA / 172 PA
Wage: £185,000 p/w
Value: £82.9 million
Best Positions: AML
Best Attributes: 18 Acceleration, 18 Determination, 17 Pace
Real Madrid speedster Vinícius Júnior finally seems to be realising his potential in the Spanish capital, a potential that FM22 rates at 172, alongside his CA of 156.
The Brazilian’s wing play often relies on pace and in FM22 this is no different. 18 acceleration and 17 pace gives Vinícius Júnior the physical edge over the vast majority of defenders, and 17 dribbling suggests he’s a tough man to tackle when in full flight.
At only 18 years old, Vinícius Júnior signed for Real Madrid from Flamengo for a whopping £40 million, a price tag that overshadowed much of his career at the Bernabeu. Thankfully, Vinícius Júnior has built on his solid 2020/21 season, and is currently enjoying his best form, which stands him in good stead if he is to add to his seven Brazil caps and become a legend of Spanish football.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (147 CA / 170 PA)
Team: Chelsea
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 147 CA / 170 PA
Wage: £120,000 p/w
Value: £49.6 million
Best Positions: AML, AMR
Best Attributes: 16 Acceleration, 15 Pace, 15 Dribbling
Hudson-Odoi has always shown lots of promise during his Chelsea career, with the English forward constantly fighting to nail down a starting spot in order to better his FM22 CA of 147 and achieve his PA of 170.
A fast winger, as shown by his 16 acceleration and 15 pace, Hudson-Odoi’s 15 dribbling, passing, and crossing suggests that whether he plays on the right or left flank, he can be a constant threat to defenders and a gift to own in FM22.
Controversially, Hudson-Odoi was rewarded with an eye-watering contract at a very young age, tying his future down at Stamford Bridge. Critics suggested that he was overpaid, but the Chelsea youth product has already played over 100 times and notched 32 goal involvements for the Blues at only 21 years old, and if he can stay fit it seems as though he is definitely part of Tuchel’s long-term plans at Chelsea.
Bukayo Saka (150 CA / 168 PA)
Team: Arsenal
Age: 19
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 150 CA / 168 PA
Wage: £30,000 p/w
Value: £79 million
Best Positions: AML, WBL, AMR
Best Attributes: 18 Acceleration, 16 Flair, 15 Work Rate
A firm fan favourite at the Emirates, Bukayo Saka’s versatility and exciting potential has been reflected in FM22 with his 150 CA and 168 PA ranking him amongst the best left-wing prospects on the planet.
The young Englishman is best-suited to creating chances hugging the touchline off the left wing, in large part due to his physicality on the ball and his impressive blend of ingenuity and industry. 18 acceleration paired with 16 flair and 15 work rate makes Saka the ultimate winger, or even wing back, with the capability of carving out chances for teammates from out wide.
Saka has been a real positive for Arteta’s Arsenal after graduating their youth academy and having a breakout season in 2019/20. His performances for the England at the Euros in 2021 caught the eye, and he looks set to add to his 14 caps and four goals as part of Southgate’s England plans for a long time to come due to his positional versatility on the field and his infectious personality off it.
Pedro Neto (138 CA / 167 PA)
Team: Wolverhampton Wanderers
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 109 CA / 170 PA
Wage: £40,000 p/w
Value: £47.2 million
Best Positions: AML, AMR, ST
Best Attributes: 17 Dribbling, 17 Acceleration, 16 Flair
A standout player for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves, Pedro Neto should achieve his in-game PA of 167 as he continues to impress coaches and scouts alike during his time in the West Midlands.
Neto can either play off the left or right, which suits his technical and physical attributes. Blessed with the speed to outpace defenders with 17 acceleration, Neto can just as easily turn his man inside out in-game with 17 dribbling and 16 flair profiling him as a nightmare matchup for full backs on either wing.
Neto’s young career has seen him take on all-comers in his native Portugal, Italy, and of course England which has only benefitted his game as he’s adapted to the different footballing philosophies and cultures that these countries offer. To date, Neto has played his best football for Wolves, and his five goals and six assists last campaign was enough for him to debut for the Portuguese national team.
Gabriel Martinelli (138 CA / 166 PA)
Team: Arsenal
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 138 CA / 166 PA
Wage: £40,000 p/w
Value: £54.5 million
Best Positions: AML, ST
Best Attributes: 16 Pace, 16 Acceleration, 16 Work Rate
Gabriel Martinelli looks set to be next in a long line of elite Brazilian wingers to take the footballing world by storm, and Football Manager shares this view by giving him a PA of 166.
With 16 pace and acceleration in-game you can expect Martinelli to compete physically with the game’s elite defenders, but perhaps it is his 16 work rate that makes Martinelli such a unique prospect. Whether he’s cutting inside from the left, or even leading the line, Martinelli’s commitment to the cause and his willingness to affect the game both in and out of possession makes him a highly valuable winger for any side that values defending.
Martinelli is currently trying to recapture his best form after sustaining some injury-related setbacks, but his left field transfer from Ituano, a small regional club in Brazil, to English powerhouse Arsenal surprised many. The youngster transitioned incredibly well to English football and shone last year in his 14 Premier League appearances, scoring twice and assisting once in the process.
Rodrygo (139 CA / 165 PA)
Team: Real Madrid
Age: 20
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 139 CA / 165 PA
Wage: £131,000 p/w
Value: £42 million
Best Positions: AML, AMR, ST
Best Attributes: 16 Agility, 15 Pace, 15 Off the Ball
Potentially, Rodrygo is one the hottest Brazilian prospects of a generation, and if he can progress at the Bernabeu his PA of 165 could see him become one of Europe’s most feared wingers.
As a forward who can lead the line or cut inside from the left wing, you’d expect Rodrygo to boast some mean attacking attributes which he does with 15 off the ball allowing him to pick up dangerous positions. 16 agility and 15 pace only make Rodrygo a more elusive and even trickier forward for opposition defenders to mark in-game.
Signed by Real Madrid for an astonishing £40 million during the summer of 2019, Rodrygo was only an 18-year-old when he became an overnight household name. Whilst the first couple of seasons hadn’t been overly productive, the young winger is now building momentum in the Spanish capital after a string of impressive continental displays this season. If Rodrygo continues this upward trend it will surely be no time at all before he makes his debut for the Brazilian national side.
All of the best young left winger (ML and AML) wonderkids on FM22
In the table below you’ll find all the best young ML and AML in FM22, sorted by their potential ability.
| Player | CA | PA | Age | Position | Team | Wage (p/w) | Value |
| Jadon Sancho | 162 | 177 | 21 | AM(LR), M(RL) | Manchester United | £250,000 | £128.5 million |
| Vinícius Júnior | 156 | 172 | 20 | AM(L) | Real Madrid | £185,000 | £82.9 million |
| Callum Hudson-Odoi | 147 | 170 | 20 | AM(LRC) | Chelsea | £120,000 | £49.6 million |
| Bukayo Saka | 150 | 168 | 19 | WB(L), AM (LR) | Arsenal | £30,000 | £79 million |
| Pedro Neto | 138 | 167 | 21 | AM(LR), ST | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £40,000 | £47.2 million |
| Gabriel Martinelli | 138 | 166 | 20 | AM(L), ST | Arsenal | £40,000 | £54.5 million |
| Rodrygo | 139 | 165 | 20 | AM(LR), ST | Real Madrid | £131,000 | £42 million |
| Dwight McNeil | 135 | 165 | 21 | AM(RL), M(RL) | Burnley | £70,000 | £45.4 million |
| Mikkel Damsgaard | 139 | 163 | 21 | AM(LRC), M(RL) | Sampdoria | £3,000 | £31.4 million |
| Ansu Fati | 149 | 160-190 | 18 | AM(RL), ST(C) | FC Barcelona | £104,951 | £42 million – £63 million |
| Curtis Jones | 137 | 156 | 20 | M(C), AM(L) | Liverpool | £45,000 | £48.3 million |
| João Mário | 132 | 155 | 21 | WB(R), AM(LR) | FC Porto | £4,300 | £9.3 million |
| Sergio Gómez | 130 | 155 | 20 | D(L), WB(L), M(L), AM(CL) | Anderlecht | £10,700 | £12 million |
| Jens Petter Hauge | 134 | 155 | 21 | AM(L) | AC Milan | £25,000 | £9.9 million |
| Ander Barrenetxea | 140 | 154 | 19 | AM(RL) | Real San Sebastián | £23,500 | £51.3 million |
| Amine Gouiri | 133 | 154 | 21 | AM(L), ST | OGC Nice | £17,800 | £13 million |
| Valentin Mihăilă | 124 | 153 | 21 | AM(L) | Parma Calcio 1913 | £11,200 | £8.5 million |
| Iván Jaime | 125 | 150 | 20 | M(C), AM(CL) | Famalicão | £2,400 | £23.4 million |
| Jérémy Doku | 129 | 150-180 | 19 | AM(RL), ST(C) | Stade Rennais FC | £12,825 | £51 million – £64 million |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | 128 | 150-180 | 20 | AM(RL) | Rubin Kazan | £1,134 | £7 million – £10.5 million |
| Rayan Cherki | 112 | 150-180 | 17 | AM (RLC), ST(C) | Olympique Lyonnais | £16,397 | £16 million – £19.5 million |
| Nico Serrano | 108 | 150-180 | 18 | M(RL), AM(RCL), ST(C) | Athletic Bilbao | £3,500 | £8.4 million – £12.5 million |
| Bryan Mbeumo | 133 | 149 | 21 | M(L), AM(RL), ST | Brentford | £30,000 | £23.6 million |
| Ebrima Colley | 121 | 148 | 21 | AM(L) | Atalanta | £6,000 | £4.8 million |
| Diego Laínez | 124 | 147 | 21 | AM(RL) | Real Hispalis | £7,800 | £8 million |
| Ryan Sessegnon | 129 | 147 | 21 | D(L), AM(L) | Tottenham Hotspur | £55,000 | £33 million |
If you want a wonderkid to upgrade your ML or AML spot in FM22, look no further than the table above.