Gaming
Games
The FIFA 19 Bundesliga wonderkid XI
We pick out the hottest young FIFA 19 prospects currently playing in Germany’s top division
In recent years the Bundesliga has emerged as one of Europe’s finest proving grounds for young players, attracting exciting talents from the Premier League who struggle to get game time at their parent clubs. In Germany, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
If you’re looking for a star of the future for your FIFA 19 Career Mode game, we’ve picked out 11 of the hottest prospects in Germany’s top division, from 18 year olds that still need a lot of nurturing, to 21 year olds that will slot straight into plenty of teams.
It would be pointless to have a list full of players who are out on loan, aren’t for sale or cost a prohibitive amount of cash, so everyone on this list can be bought in the very first transfer window of a Career Mode game on FIFA 19 for less than €20m.
To help in your negotiations, we’ve provided a guide price for each player based on our own transfer dealings. Prices can vary from game to game, so the figures we’ve quoted might not be identical to the ones you end up paying, but you can always try to keep the price down by including sell-on clauses.
FIFA 19’s Bundesliga Wonderkid XI
© EA Sports
Goalkeeper
GK: Christian Früchtl (Bayern Munich)
The Bundesliga doesn’t really have any young goalkeepers that are ready for high-level first-team football yet, but there are a few that are showing signs of becoming something special. Top of the pile is Bayern Munich’s Christian Früchtl, which isn’t too much of a surprise when you think he gets to watch Manuel Neuer every day. That means the 18-year-old’s stats top out in the high 60s at the moment, but he has the potential to reach 86 eventually. There’s a €2.65m release clause in his contract but you can ignore that, offer around €1m for his services and the German champions won’t hesitate to accept it.
Defence
LB: Gian-Luca Itter (Wolfsburg)
Widely tipped to be the first-choice left-back for the German national team in years to come, Wolfsburg’s Gian-Luca Itter is showing signs of becoming a real weapon to have at full-back. The 19-year-old is only rated 67 overall right now, so isn’t ready for top-level first-team football yet, but with a card that’s covered in stats in the high 60s, including 69 for short passing, 68 for standing tackles and crossing, and 70 for dribbling, all the attributes of a modern full-back are there to be developed. You can pick him up for just under €1.5m and he can go on to hit 85 overall with the right training.
CB: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
RB Leipzig’s attacking talent makes all the headlines but it’s built on a solid defensive foundation, the core of which is a formidable 19-year-old called Dayot Upamecano. His physical characteristics are what make him stand out right now, with 89 for strength and 84 for jumping, standing tackles and sprint speed, meaning he can still get himself out of trouble if the attacker manages to get past him. His overall rating of 76 makes him good enough for plenty of top-flight teams, if not perhaps the very best, but with the potential to reach 88 overall, he’s only going to get better. Catch RB Leipzig on a good day and he can be yours for a touch under €14m.
CB: Panagiotis Retsos (Bayer Leverkusen)
Roma’s Kostas Manolas is one of the best centre-backs on FIFA 19, but with a price tag of around €60m it’s a compatriot of his you should turn your attention to if you’re after a star of the future. Panagiotis Retsos is a ball-playing Greek defender who’s almost as happy playing at full-back as he is in the middle. 79 for standing tackles and 75 for interceptions makes him a decent blockade for opposition attackers, and his 77 for short passing is comparable with some central midfielders. With the potential to reach 85 overall – the same rating Manolas has now – the €10.5m Bayer Leverkusen will want for him is well worth paying.
RB: Konrad Laimer (RB Leipzig)
Bayern’s young full-back Joshua Kimmich might have been reinvented as a CDM but RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer has gone the other way. Originally earmarked to take Naby Keïta’s place in midfield after he left for Liverpool in the summer, the Austrian has found himself vying for a spot at right-back instead after impressing in the position last season. That positional versatility is reflected in his stats, with 84 for stamina, 77 for reactions and 76 for short passing, plus 73 for standing tackles and interceptions. Wherever you choose to play him he has the potential to reach 82 overall, with Leipzig slapping a €10m price tag on his head.
FIFA 19’s Bundesliga Wonderkid XI
© EA Sports
Midfield
CM: Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Lots of people like to have at least one big, strong presence in their midfield. An imposing player who takes no nonsense and is willing to get their hands dirty if necessary. Denis Zarakia currently fills that role for Borussia Mönchengladbach but for around €16.5m he could be doing it for your team instead. The 21-year-old has been compared to Patrick Vieira and Paul Pogba, although he’s not as dangerous around the opposition box as the Manchester United man. 88 for aggression, 86 for speed and 83 for strength make him a formidable destroyer sitting in front of your defence, but with 82 for short passing and 79 for long ones, he can help start attacks from deep as well.
CM: Arne Maier (Hertha BSC)
Recently on the radars of Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United, Arne Maier has been compared to a young Toni Kroos thanks to his calmness in possession and ability to dribble out of trouble. The 19-year-old isn’t a flashy player, preferring to keep things ticking over in midfield, but with 78 for short passing, 76 for ball control and 75 for agility, he’s well equipped to operate in tight spaces. Rated 72 overall right now, he’s ready to play a part in plenty of sides already, but with the potential to hit 85 he’s only going to get better. Hertha will want €6m to secure his services, which looks like something of a bargain.
CM: Mickaël Cuisance (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
With a player like Denis Zakaria in your midfield, that should free up some time and space for a more creative player to pull the strings further up the pitch. Currently a team-mate of Zakaria’s at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Mickaël Cuisance has all the attributes necessary to cause serious damage in the final third, with 78 for short passing, 79 for crossing and 84 for agility. If there are no passes on, his 78 for long shots and shot power also give you another option if the space to shoot presents itself. The 18-year-old has the potential to hit 85 overall, with Gladbach demanding just under €6m for him.
Attack
LW: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Jadon Sancho made headlines when he abandoned the big bucks of the Premier League for Borussia Dortmund in August 2017, but his recent call-up to the England team suggests it was the right thing do. Still only 18 years old, he’s not the most highly rated player on this list right now, but his raw talent is very much evident: 85 for dribbling, 88 for acceleration and 90 for agility are just a few of the stats that should terrify opposition full-backs if you bring him on towards the end of a game. That also means you can pick him up for just over €7m, which is nothing for a player who could hit 88 overall. Get in quick.
RW: Amine Harit (Schalke)
While perhaps slightly overshadowed by his aforementioned team-mate recently, Dortmund’s 19-year-old winger Christian Pulisic is still one of the hottest prospects in the Bundesliga. He can sometimes be snagged for under €20m but more often than not the club will push for well over that, so you might be better off turning your attentions to Schalke’s Amine Harit. For €18m he’s capable of playing anywhere behind the striker, has 86 for dribbling, 87 for acceleration and 90 for agility, with good passing, great vision and the potential to reach 85 overall.
ST: Jean-Kévin Augustin (RB Leipzig)
At €12.5m, Schalke’s Breel Embolo is still a decent bet if you’re looking for a strong, quick forward with an eye for goal, but he’s been kicking around for years now, despite still being only 21. Fancy trying someone different? RB Leipzig’s Jean-Kévin Augustin will set you back about €2m more but his overall rating is already one higher, he’s a fair bit quicker, with 85 for acceleration and 87 for sprint speed, and his finishing is more deadly as well, rated at 83 compared to Embolo’s 74. His potential is one point lower than the Schalke man’s, but you probably won’t be too bothered about that when he’s banging in the goals.
