Finding Wonderkids on Football Manager is always one of the most satisfying aspects of the game. Building a team of young prospects and watching them turn in to some of the best players in the world is so satisying. Finding Wonderkids in FM20 is no different, there are even more ways to find that next key player to take you to the next level.

You may have read the FM19 Wonderkids guide, however this year there’s a few more methods that I have added to this guide. Typically wonderkids cost a fortune, because of their high potential. In this guide I will explain methods that can reduce the cost in the players, which means you can develop them for cheaper and even sell them for a larger profit margin.

I want to cover as many useful ways as possible to finding wonderkids in FM20. These methods are very transferable and can be used with most clubs. Below I have listed the several different methods within this article. I hope these methods are useful and help you find that next product that will evolve your club.

International Youth Teams

Scouting with specific parameters.

Media Description

Searching previous BIG football names

Filtering by Release Clause

End of contracts with Excellent potential

International Youth Teams

This method is a favourite of mine. I typically use this method as soon as international squads are announced, that way some of the lesser known players who get called up stay at a similar reputation. If you leave this too late, their reputation will improve meaning you will likely pay more.

My usual go to countries are South American nations, this is usually due to the cost of the players and them usually having a release clause. But, make sure you check a lot of other nations so you can really find a diamond in the rough.

Despite this being Spain, there are several wonderkids displayed in this screenshot. I wanted to show that bigger nations often have more wonderkids, but that doesn’t mean lesser countries don’t produce them.

The Colombian youngster is not listed as a wonderkid, but as promising. Don’t be afraid to take risks on players who don’t look like they can make it, because they quiet clearly can. The 17 year old already has incredible attributes for a winger or an inside forward. With the right training you can develop these players in to Wonderkids of your own. Jefferson is in the Columbia under 20’s and this is his first call up, because of this his reputation hasn’t dramatically increased, meaning you might be able to sign him for a cheaper fee.

Scouting with Specific Parameters

This is a new method I use for finding wonderkids in FM20. Using scouting to it’s full advantage. I often like to do scouting myself in terms of finding these wonderkids from around the globe and embedding them into my team. Scouts are very useful and if used correctly can find you several players a season who you perhaps might not have found. The screenshot below shows a common example of how you can do this:

You can alter the scope depending on budget, as well as age. It means that over the course of the year, you can get an array of recommendations if you have the right scouts. It might cost more due to travelling costs, but that cost, will benefit the club in the short and long future.

Media Description

I use this method with a combination of the others. This one in particular I add an extra column on the team review and then filter by alphabetically. So wonderkid would be at the bottom of the page, so pressing the filter again will put wonderkid at the top. Media descriptions can change over time, and often you can get players dubbed as the next (ex-player), so make sure to check on these over time.

This method can be used on some of the lesser known teams, so you can quickly go through each team in a simpler way. You can also find promising players this way too.

You can see from this particular screenshot, that I have highlighted the four wonderkids in Brazil’s Under 20’s. This can help you filter through different clubs and nations, to find what you want.

Alessandro is a player who I found by looking at the smaller teams in Brazil, and filtering by their reputation. He outshines the majority of his team mates, and for his age, is a player for the future. The player also has a release clause of less than £5M, meaning if you have it to spend you are recruiting a player with 18 passing. He will only get better.

Searching Previous BIG Football Names

This method worked particularly well last year when I had players like Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo at my clubs.

The above player is someone I searched, just by typing Ronaldo. There are obvious so many big stars out there, but this player is 18 and could develop.

This method is something that I like to do, but doesn’t always work. You may not get many coming through but it is an option, and an option you should consider as it costs nothing but time to search for players.

Filtering by Release Clause

Everyone loves bargain hunting when it comes to finding the next prospect. This way in particular allows you to keep a budget and see what players are available, and for what price. I usually start at the lowest release clause, and gradually work my way up until I find someone perfect. Finding wonderkids in FM20 is always one of my favourite things to do in game.

This 19 year old Central Defender has a release clause of £800,000. He has clubs around Europe, in particular Italy looking at him. Even if he doesn’t develop in to the perfect player, he will be sold for a profit due to his fantastic attributes.

I also use a relegation release clause when searching, as a lot of highly rated players will be sold for a lot less then their actual value. It means that I can snap up a few bargains, and at the same time improve my squad where needed.

End of Contracts with Excellent Potential

The final method for finding wonderkids in FM20 is something I never really looked at before this years version. Depending on what league you are in and the players age, this can be done very well. If for example you a club who has seen a talented player in the ranks at an English club, after January you are able to offer them contracts. If your contract is what they want, they may accept it over staying at their current club, this way it reduces fees and maximises profit potential.

Jose has six months left on his contract, and depending what country you are in, you can sign this player on a free in the summer. He is currently out on loan, but his parent club Juventus are yet to have negotiations. This is one of many players you can sign, if you are lucky enough.

I hope you found this article helpful and you can find young players who can lead your club to glory. I have been using these methods as well as speaking to people in the community who have done the same, which has allowed me to find players who have taken the club to the next level.

Make sure you follow us on our social media platforms –

Other articles you may enjoy:

FM20 | Moneyball | Part 1

Red Star Alliance: The Revolution Begins

Anchorman FM20: the unsung hero of player roles

Recreating Total Football in FM20

FM2020 Guides: Top Countries & Clubs to Scout