Welcome to Part 3 of the REAL FI Wonderkids series.
For a moment let’s throw away FIFA, Football Manager and the rest of the rubbish that is often peddled at high prices and look at the young players that have real potential on FI.
For a fuller description of the series, check out Part 1.
I am focusing on players 22 and Under, and Under £2. Really, I will try to go under £1.50 or around there but for some exceptional players that I think deserve the price, I’ll include them up to £2 but not beyond that.
To be clear - the primary purpose of these listings are as solid season long holds and possibly into Summer - they are not necessarily instant wins although some may deliver them.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Exequiel Palacios
River Plate
Palacios has been a long time transfer rumour and has been previously targetted by Real Madrid and Inter.
He’s definitely got some solid FI potential, particularly under the new scoring sytem as his good assist potential will compensate a bit for his average goal threat. With good baselines, he is capable of some decent scores on FI.
Recent news is that he is angling again for a move to Europe, which may be in January or Summer. And at £1.17 that’s a strong overall package.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Adam Ounas
Nice
A Napoli player currently on loan at Nice. He’s injured until November although in the current market, being injured is apparently a positive thing!
He’s got decent involvement in play for a forward, with both goals and assist in the locker. His goal tally could be better, particularly for Nice where he hasn’t been getting the best quality chances. He has managed 2 assists in his last 2 games, though.
I don’t expect fireworks at Nice but at a bigger club one day, possibly even just coming back to Napoli next season, he’s got decent potential and at 86p I can see value for a patient holder.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Christopher Nkunku
RB Leipzig
I covered Nkunku in scouting this week off the back of some decent performances for Leipzig.
Though he isn’t starting he has managed 2 goals and 2 assists this season already despite limited minutes. And on a per minute basis, his numbers are solid. He’s capable of some decent scores.
Because he is only being introduced gradually to the side, he may not make an immediate impact and patience could be needed. But as a patient hold, he’s very solid value at £1.04 which is 6p more than when appearing in Scouting just on Tuesday.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Paulinho
Leverkusen
Paulinho has had his days as the overpriced hype kid in the last year. But, with no breakthrough at Leverkusen, he’s fallen in price and that brings him back towards value.
He’s still just 19 so it’s not a disaster he hasn’t been starting regularly just yet. He is making sub appearances though and continues to feature for the Brazil U23’s.
When he does play, the stats are strong per minute and it feels like a matter of patience whilst he gets his chance in the Leverkusen team.
When and if he does get a decent run in the side, I’d back him for success because he’s got goals, assists and some decent underlying stats for a forward.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Leon Bailey
Leverkusen
A good pre-season and solid early season interrupted by injury. Bailey should be back in October.
If you look at historic scores it’s underwhelming but you have to factor in his limited minutes. Per minute, his stats are very solid especially for a forward.
With decent goal threat and assist potential combined with these solid basline numbers, he could do well. What can drag him back is some poor passing accuracy and that could be a problem.
Overall though, for a forward, it’s good enough for success if the goals come. And they should with more consistent minutes which he was getting before the injury.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Samuel Kalu
Bordeaux
For a forward, Kalu has some decent underlying stats. He scored recently and was featured in Scouting, but really, with the chances he has had this season, it is suprising this is his first goal. He’s capable of scoring more in the coming games.
It’s a decent punt at 84p, perhaps just for IPD alone. And if he goes on a streak he could get picked up by a better club later on.
Not a particularly glamourous trade but you could see him going towards £1 if he has a good run, and he has the goal threat for that.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Manuel Locatelli
Sassuolo
Locatelli has some excellent baseline numbers and is primarily in deep midfield as a creative. However, he does get forward for some chances and has good assist potential, so he can be more than just a high baseline nearly man.
Still just 21 and playing for the Italy U21 too, he’s getting minutes for Sassuolo and the stats are decent.
Having just left Milan for Sassuolo, it may be a season too early for a transfer. But he’s just 65p and capable of popping up with a big score over the season.
A solid pick for a patient trader.
Player
Club
Current Ability
Potential Ability
Dani Olmo
Dinamo Zagreb
Olmo has had the hype kid treatment in recent recent months, flying from £1.40 to £2.15. He’s now dropped back to £1.95 which brings him just under the price range of this article.
Whilst he is still expensive, it is worth knowing who the genuinely good young players are and Olmo is one of the small number that definitely fit that bill. He’s got just about everything you look for in a young player, with threat, assists and strong secondary numbers across the board.
To pick fault, his passing accuracy in some games is poor and this can hurt a player. But, he is young and I tend to give a young player a small benefit of the doubt on the assumption that they usually improve given time and minutes. And, obviously his monstrous goals record is not going to be repeated at the highest level of competition.
But, overall, it’s a very strong package and at £1.50 to £1.60 it would be an easy decision to buy. At £1.95 as it is, it may be worth waiting to see if this drop can continue.
It’s possible that traders get distracted more by the here and now of current dividend returners this month with all the talk of dividend increases. If so, more long range picks like this may take a backseat and a couple of bargains may be had.