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The FIFA 18 Bundesliga wonderkids you need to pick
Look beyond Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga has stacks of young talent just waiting to be discovered.
It must be tough to be a team in the Bundesliga. Every time you have a player that shows any promise, in swoops Bayern Munich to whisk them away – and that’s as true in FIFA 18 Mode as it is IRL.
But that doesn’t mean all the talent is stockpiled at the Allianz Arena. Germany's top division is home to a number of high-profile youngsters, from Julian Brandt (Leverkusen) and Julian Weigl (Dortmund) to RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and Hoffenheim's Serge Gnabry (on loan from Bayern of course).
Some of them we included in our FIFA 18 wonderkids round-up at the start of the season so you won't find them here. Instead, we've picked out the lesser known youngsters that won't cost you the earth. Anyone who's out on loan or only recently switched clubs won't be included either because you can't buy them during the game's first transfer window, but don't hang around – you won’t be the only manager who knows about the Bundesliga's brightest prospects.
Our FIFA 18 Bundesliga Wonderkid XI back line
© EA Sports
Goalkeeper: Florian Müller (Mainz)
The Bundesliga isn't exactly a hotbed of young goalkeeping talent at the moment, but two or three do show good promise. Bayern's 17-year-old Christian Früchtl is the pick of the bunch, with potential of 86, but the German champions won't sell him so we'd go for Mainz’s Florian Müller instead – a 19-year-old who'll only set you back about half a million euros, but could still reach 81 overall – an improvement of nearly 20 points. Hoffenheim's Gregor Kobel could go on to be just as good, but starts a couple of points better at 65. Whoever you go for, they'll need some serious training and game time if they're going to hit those predicted overalls.
Defenders
LB: Thilo Kehrer (Schalke)
Kehrer is a right-sided centre-half by trade, but five stars for his weak foot and fairly decent pace means he's just as comfortable playing at full-back. Play him on the left and wingers cutting inside will be met by his stronger foot, but in general that kind of defensive versatility is invaluable, especially if he starts out spending most of his time on your bench. A sliding tackle stat of 80, plus 73 for standing tackles and 76 for jumping, make Kehrer a strong all-rounder who can be nurtured into whatever kind of defender you want, with the potential to hit 84 overall. Expect to pay just over €4m to secure his services.
CB: Nico Elvedi (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Swiss international (one cap counts, all right?) Nico Elvedi is a solid if unspectacular centre-half who doesn't excel in any particular area yet, but whose all-round defensive stats make him a good buy no matter what style of football you want to play. Strong high 70s throughout the physical and defensive categories give him a solid platform to develop from, while his pace and passing stats aren't bad for a defender of his age and physique. We managed to prise him away from Borussia Mönchengladbach by offering half of his €15m release clause, which is a real bargain if you can get him to reach his full potential of 84.
CB: Çağlar Söyüncü (Freiburg)
For a defender rated 74 overall, one of Söyüncü's stats in particular stands out: 85 for standing tackles. That's up there with Turkish compatriot Ömer Toprak of Dortmund, who's long been considered one of the Bundesliga's best centre backs. Combined with 80 for strength and 81 for aggression, it makes Söyüncü a formidable obstacle for attackers to get past, and even if he doesn't quite reach his overall potential of 84, you've already got a very capable defender on your hands. Offer Freiburg around €9m and he's yours.
RB: Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig)
RB Leipzig's remarkable run to second place in the Bundesliga last season has shone a light on this hugely talented young squad. Timo Werner and Naby Keïta get most of the plaudits, but there are gems all over the pitch. The club won't sell 18-year-old centre-half Dayot Upamecano, but €9m will get you right-back Lukas Klostermann. With acceleration of 83 and sprint speed at 89 he can also play as a wing-back, while 83 for jumping makes the 1.88m 21-year-old a danger at set pieces, even if his heading accuracy of 67 could do with improvement. Marking, standing tackle, stamina and interceptions all hover around the 72 mark, but overall he'll make it up to 85 with the right development.
Midfield
CDM: Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Mainz)
When scouting a defensive midfielder, you're usually looking for three main things: strength, energy, and passing skills. Mainz's Jean-Philippe Gbamin ticks all the boxes, plus he can also step back and play in any position across the defence with only a point dropping off his overall score. The stand-out stats that will help him to break up play and thrive in your engine room are 80 for aggression, 79 for stamina and 76 for both strength and interceptions. He's no slouch either and knows what to do with the ball at his feet. Mainz will let Gbamin go if you offer in the region of €14m, and if you can get him to reach 83 overall you'll have done very well indeed.
Our FIFA 18 Bundesliga Wonderkid XI front line
© EA Sports
LAM: Nadiem Amiri (Hoffenheim)
Hoffenheim's recent success has seen some of their most exciting stars picked off (mainly by Bayern), but their squad still contains some serious talent. Amiri is similar to Max Meyer (below) in that his game isn't about speed, but when operating in the space in front of the opposition's defenders he's got the kind of technical skills to pull the strings and find your strikers. Dribbling, ball control and agility are all in the low 80s so he can keep the ball in tight spaces, and with a maximum overall of 85 he's well worth the €15m Hoffenheim will demand for him.
CAM: Max Meyer (Schalke)
A tough couple of seasons in Gelsenkirchen have seen Max Meyer's star fade a little, but on FIFA 18 he's still a highly capable number 10. His dribbling, ball control and short passing are in the low 80s, but his agility and balance stats tip 90, so what he lacks in pace he makes up for in technique. That never stopped ex-Schalke playmaker Mesut Özil and Meyer has the potential to be almost as good as the Arsenal man. Meyer is in the last year of his contract so Schalke are in no mood to play hard ball, meaning you can easily pick him up for less than his valuation of €18m.
RAM: Marc Stendera (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Deployed in a deeper central-midfield role, Marc Stendera has the tenacity to be a real box-to-box presence, but it's in the final third where his biggest strengths can really make a difference. 76 and 75 for shot power and long shots respectively make him a danger when arriving late in the penalty area, while balance of 89, agility stats of 84 and ball control just shy of 80 mean he can operate in tight spaces on the edge of it. Win a free-kick and he's a safe bet to take it too, with 78 for accuracy and 83 for curve. Fork out the €14m Frankfurt require for him and his overall rating could go as high as 85.
Forwards
ST: Breel Embolo (Schalke)
Embolo attracted attention from all over Europe when he was at Basel, but his move to Schalke hasn't quite put him in the shop window in the way that might have been expected. That doesn't mean he's not still full of potential, though. If you're willing to pay the €22.5m that Schalke want for him, you're looking at a player who can run at a defence with the ball at his feet and cause real problems with his pace and power (both 83). He's much more than just a battering ram though, with 81 for ball control, 78 for positioning and 76 for composure. With the right training Embolo can hit 88 overall.
ST: Johannes Eggestein (Werder Bremen)
Werder Bremen's 19-year-old striker is only a 66 overall, but his stats already show signs of what kind of player he could become if he reaches his 83 potential. The only two attributes to creep into the 70s are agility and finishing, and with a physique that precludes him from playing as a lone target man, you'll want to develop his shooting stats as much as possible so he can be as clinical as they come. With the right development Eggestein can reach 83 overall, but considering he'll only cost you about €1.25m, it's a gamble worth taking for almost any team.
