FM 2016 dream team.

With the new cycle of Football Manager nearly upon us, I just want to give a shout out to the real MVP’s of FM 2016. The guys that you always buy straight away, the 18-year-olds that become your captains and club legends that were cheap signings that you sell for record fees. So here are my XI of FM2016 legends.

(Age and team at the start of the game, January update)

GK: Geronimo Rulli, 23 – Real Sociedad

The Argentinian ‘keeper becomes the best player in his position in the game and if you wait a year you can get him for absolutely nothing (except a signing on fee, maybe £400k). He is the biggest bargain in the game. It only takes him about two years of consistent first team football to become the best ‘keeper in the world. So make sure your wage budget is adjusted for December 29th so you can afford his £60k wages and trust me if that is your only signing of the window it’s well worth it. Think I try to get him every top flight save.

RB: Hector Bellerin, 20 – Arsenal

This one is for the managers of big clubs, if you could get Spaniard in as soon as possible, do it, because he quickly becomes the best full-back in the world. He is more expensive than most in this team but if you do take the plunge it is well worth it. I am currently doing an Arsenal save, I am five seasons in and he has constantly in the late sevens/early eights for average ratings per season. He has been in the world team of the year a couple of times, won Premier League best young player (unheard of for a full-back) and is now my vice-captain. I have rejected bids of upwards of £65million for the lad. Not bad in real life either might I add.

CB: Eder Alvarez Balanta, 22 – River Plate

This is a man that can easily fit into any top team in the top flight, he wouldn’t look out of place in the Real Madrid defence but you can easily sign him for Aston Villa and he will be a star in both teams. He is available at the start of the game for around £4.5-5million, absolute bargain for the Columbian. Top drawer centre half, and has recently moved to Europe in real life playing for Basel.

CB: Jairo Riedewald, 18 – Ajax

I have done an Ajax save (one of the most frustrating careers I have ever done) and this kid is the best player that I have had at the club. I had a very young centre half pairing in my first season with the club but soon realised age is but a number when this kid gave me stats that would make you purr (well made me purr, don’t judge the way I play Football Manager) he was the more inexperienced player in that defence but was by far the best. He was sold to Liverpool three seasons later and I was genuinely gutted. That was the problem with that Ajax save kept losing my best players in the summer window and having to rebuild, still haven’t achieved my aim of lifting the Champions League with them.

LB: Jorge, 19 – Flamengo

Left-backs are quite hard to find on the game unless you want to spend big on Luke Shaw or Jose Gaya. But the young Brazilian can become just as good as the aforementioned Shaw and Gaya; he is a great attacking full-back to have in your ranks. Can pick him up for a decent price early on, but I would say wait a couple of seasons. Unless you are going to play him straight away let him stay in Brazil and develop, there is not much risk because rarely does he go to another club and you will still be able to pick him up for a reasonable price.

CM: Youri Tielemans, 18 – Anderlecht (C)

I don’t think I need to write much about this guy, regular FM players will know this lad as the finest talents in the game. A deep lying midfield general, that you can again throw into any side in the world straight away. He should be a stalwart of any burgeoning team, get him in early and build a team around him you will not be disappointed. He will be expensive for his age; about £12-15million should be enough to capture your man.

CM: Lewis Cook, 18 – Leeds

Like Tielemans, here is a kid you should look to get in as early as possible to start building your new midfield. The hardest save I have gone through in FM2016 was with Leeds, where I did well to start and it only got worse, and I can tell you it was the day I had to sell him was the day I was in trouble. I have had him in lots of saves all over Europe and he fits in all styles, had him in Italy, Spain and Holland to name a few and becomes brilliant in all situations. A top drawer player who has made a move to Bournemouth in the real world.

RW: Andrija Zivkovic, 18 – Partizan Belgrade

Has been an absolutely fantastic player for me in the past, the inside forward does everything you want from a winger. He scores, he assists and great on the counter attack with his pace and dribbling ability. You need to get on signing the lad quick because clubs circle pretty much from the start of the save, is in the last year of his contract so will be able to get him for a reasonable price around £1-2million should be able to get you the Serbian. Away from the virtual reality of FM he made his move to Benfica to join up with other FM wonderkid Luka Jovic.

LW: Pione Sisto, 20 – Midtjylland

If I didn’t include this man one of my mates would never talk to me again (he absolutely loves the geez). A player you can get for cheap and turn into a winger that can play in successful Champions League winning team. The Dane is a bit like Zivkovic, loves a goal and an assist. Great because if you are starting in the lower thresholds of the top flight then he is man that can come in straight away and change fortunes. Celta Vigo must want to change their fortunes in the land of the living as well because they picked up the winger to replace Nolito.

CAM: Ante Coric, 18 – Dinamo Zagreb

Just buy him. What else do you expect me to write? Just buy him. I cannot do the man service writing about him. Just buy him and see for yourself, the attacking playmaker will top assist charts, will get on the scoresheet and get high average ratings every game. Will win all the individuals honours out there. Just buy him.

CF: Gabriel Barbosa, 18 – Santos

A wonderful striker in the real and virtual world, his nickname is ‘Gabigol’ and that just screams goals. Can get him relatively cheap for a striker and when you sign him just sit back and watch the titles and cups easily come, he scores for fun. If you manage to keep him fit and have him for a substantial time he will break records. I always sign him, so I can shout like a Brazilian commentator “and it’s Gabigooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllgoooollogollll” (yes, I take FM very seriously).

Subs: Bartlomiej Drągowski, Emanuel Mammana, Calum Chambers, Dani Olmo, Riechedly Bazoer, Hirving Lozano and Gabriel Jesus.