Best young CBs in Football Manager 2026, from bargain stoppers to elite Ball Playing defenders
Centre-backs in Football Manager are pure chaos. One match they are prime Maldini, reading everything, winning everything, making your life feel easy.
Next match they misjudge a long ball, get spun, and you are staring at the match engine like it personally insulted you.
So if you are building a long-term save in FM26, sorting your future CB pairing early is one of the biggest cheat codes available. This is my Top 10 wonderkid centre-backs list, built to cover different budgets, different save types, and different levels of risk.
Quick note: prices can swing massively depending on reputation, clauses, loaded leagues, and whether the selling club is feeling greedy in your save. Treat costs as a guide, not gospel.
How this Top 10 was picked
- Position only: DC wonderkids (centre-backs).
- Potential first: I prioritised the top-rated young centre-backs, then balanced by affordability.
- Our price bands: Under £10m, £10-50m, £50-100m, £100m+ so every club has options.
- Reality check: Random potential matters, and one is injury prone, so I flag the risk.
Quick navigation
- 1) Dean Huijsen
- 2) Willy Kambwala
- 3) Pau Cubarsí
- 4) Leny Yoro
- 5) Luka Vušković
- 6) Jorrel Hato
- 7) El Chadaille Bitshiabu
- 8) Joane Gadou
- 9) Antal Yaakobishvili
- 10) Ethan Degny
Top 10 FM26 wonderkid centre-backs at a glance
Tip: If you play a high line, do not get romantic. Prioritise pace, acceleration and anticipation, or you will suffer.
| # | Player | Age | Club | FM Scout R | Estimated Cost | Potential Type | Injury Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dean Huijsen | 20 | Real Madrid | 88 | £260m | Fixed | Low |
| 2 | Willy Kambwala | 20 | Villarreal | 88 | £217m | Fixed | Low |
| 3 | Pau Cubarsí | 18 | Barcelona | 87 | £300m | Fixed | Low |
| 4 | Leny Yoro | 19 | Man United | 87 | £185m | Fixed | Low |
| 5 | Luka Vušković | 18 | Tottenham | 85 | £84m | Random | Low |
| 6 | Jorrel Hato | 19 | Chelsea | 84 | £177m | Random | Low |
| 7 | El Chadaille Bitshiabu | 20 | RB Leipzig | 84 | £91m | Random | Low |
| 8 | Joane Gadou | 18 | RB Salzburg | 83 | £41m | Random | Low |
| 9 | Antal Yaakobishvili | 21 | Girona | 83 | £7m | Random | Low |
| 10 | Ethan Degny | 16 | OGC Nice | 83 | £5m | Random | High |
1) Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid)
The Rolls-Royce option, elite ceiling
Huijsen is the headline name if you want a centre-back who can carry a title-winning defence for a decade. He is expensive for a reason, and he comes with fixed potential, which is massive if you hate rolling the dice.
- Best for: elite clubs, long saves, Champions League dynasties
- Budget note: you are paying the Real Madrid tax, plus the "future star" tax
- Risk note: low injury risk, but the fee is the real danger
Development plan: give him cup starts early, then lock him into the XI. Pair him with a calmer, experienced leader for the first season if you want instant stability.
2) Willy Kambwala (Villarreal)
Power, pace, and a very rude price tag
Kambwala is one of those defenders who looks like he was built in a lab to survive high lines. He is athletic, aggressive, and has the upside to become a top-level starter. The problem is simple: if you want him, you are paying premium money.
- Best for: high press systems, high defensive lines, clubs that hate getting countered
- Budget note: not a "smart buy", more a "statement signing"
- Risk note: low injury risk and fixed potential, so the bet is mainly financial
Development plan: play him in big matches. Big-game exposure helps defenders more than people admit, especially with pressure and decision-making.
3) Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)
The calm Ball Playing defender archetype
Cubarsí is the dream if you want a defender who makes build-up feel easy. He fits possession football like a glove, and he has fixed potential, so you are not gambling on how your save rolls.
- Best for: possession builds, playing out from the back, patient managers
- Budget note: Barcelona do not negotiate politely
- Risk note: low injury risk, but the cost is insane
Development plan: train him as a Ball Playing defender, give him responsibility in build-up, and surround him with midfielders who offer passing lanes.
4) Leny Yoro (Man United)
The modern stopper with elite upside
Yoro is one of those wonderkids where you can just see the end game. He has the tools to become a world-class centre-back, and his fixed potential means you are buying certainty, not hope.
- Best for: top clubs, rebuilds with big budgets, any save where you want a dominant defence
- Budget note: expensive, but at least you know what you are paying for
- Risk note: low injury risk, so the risk is basically your board panicking at the fee
Development plan: get him consistent league minutes. Centre-backs develop fastest when they are dealing with real strikers every week.
5) Luka Vušković (Tottenham)
The "still attainable" elite prospect
Vušković is the sweet spot on this list if you want huge upside without going full fantasy money. He is not cheap, but compared to the £200m monsters above, he feels like a rare moment of sanity.
- Best for: clubs pushing into Europe, smart big clubs, long saves
- Budget note: expensive, but actually realistic for top sides with a plan
- Risk note: random potential, so scout hard and check personality
Development plan: either start him in cups and easier league games, or loan him where he will start every week. Minutes are everything.
6) Jorrel Hato (Chelsea)
Left-sided leader potential, perfect for build-up
Hato is the type of defender you build around. Left-sided, modern, comfortable in possession, and good enough to become a cornerstone in elite teams. The catch is that Chelsea will charge you like you are buying a small country.
- Best for: back three or back four builds, possession football, clubs who want a left-sided CB
- Budget note: huge fee, you need to be stable financially
- Risk note: random potential, but injury risk is low
Development plan: keep his role consistent. Do not bounce him between full-back and CB every week. Pick a pathway and commit.
7) El Chadaille Bitshiabu (RB Leipzig)
The physical monster for aggressive systems
Bitshiabu is built for high-intensity football. If you press hard, defend high, and want a centre-back who can survive chaos, he is a strong target. The fee is serious, but not in the same stratosphere as the absolute elite.
- Best for: pressing systems, athletic defences, managers who want power at the back
- Budget note: big fee, but more reachable than the £180m plus names
- Risk note: random potential, low injury risk
Development plan: focus training on positioning and concentration, then let his physicals do the rest. Mentoring with a professional veteran helps a lot.
8) Joane Gadou (RB Salzburg)
The value pick with a huge ceiling
If you are looking for a serious wonderkid centre-back without donating your entire transfer budget, Gadou is where I would start. Salzburg are a selling club, and this one can grow into a top-level defender if you handle his development properly.
- Best for: smart rebuilds, Europa League clubs, moneyball saves
- Budget note: still expensive, but this is the "reasonable" tier
- Risk note: random potential, but injury risk is low
Development plan: buy, then give him a clean minutes plan. Either integrate him as a rotation option now, or loan him to a top division where he starts.
9) Antal Yaakobishvili (Girona)
The bargain centre-back that actually makes sense
This is your "smaller club, big ambition" option. Yaakobishvili is affordable compared to almost everyone else on this list, and he gives you a realistic way to add a high-upside CB without burning your entire window.
- Best for: Championship promotions, mid-table top flights, rebuilds with tight budgets
- Budget note: under £10m is rare value in this tier
- Risk note: random potential, but injury risk is low
Development plan: rotate him in immediately. If you treat him like a project and never play him, you are wasting the advantage of his price.
10) Ethan Degny (OGC Nice)
Cheap, exciting, and very risky
Degny is the wildcard. The fee is tiny compared to the giants above, the upside is real, but he is flagged as injury prone. This is the type of signing that can either look genius, or slowly drain your patience through endless knocks.
- Best for: clubs who want a cheap lottery ticket with serious upside
- Budget note: under £10m for this level of potential is rare
- Risk note: injury prone and random potential, manage workload properly
Development plan: do not overload him. Keep training intensity sensible, rotate him, and use sports science properly. If he stays fit, you might have stolen a future starter.
How to actually scout wonderkid centre-backs in FM26
- Watch them defend transitions: highlight mode is fine. See how they handle space behind them.
- Prioritise core CB attributes: tackling, marking, positioning, anticipation, concentration, bravery.
- Do not ignore pace: if you play a high line, pace and acceleration are your insurance policy.
- Check passing if you build from the back: first touch, passing, composure and decisions matter.
- Personality matters: professionalism and consistency are huge for defenders.
- Minutes beat everything: a wonderkid CB needs real matches to learn timing and leadership.
Honourable mentions (if you want more options)
If your save needs alternatives, go back to the wider centre-back wonderkid pool and shortlist a few more names. There are plenty of quality prospects beyond the Top 10, and your budget might fit them better.
Next in the FM26 Top 10 Wonderkids by position series
This is part of the FM26 Top 10 wonderkids series by position. If you want the full database view with price filters and position tabs, add this post into your main wonderkids hub and link the whole series from there.
Go back to the FM26 Wonderkids Hub (price + position filters)
FAQ
Do centre-back wonderkids need more match experience than attackers?
Usually, yes. Defending is about timing, positioning and decision-making under pressure, and those improve fastest with real minutes, not U21 matches.
Should I prioritise physicals or mentals when scouting young CBs?
If you play a high line, physicals keep you alive. For elite CBs long-term, mentals like anticipation, concentration and composure are what separate good from great.
Is random potential a deal-breaker for centre-backs?
Not at all. It just means you should scout properly and accept that two saves can produce two very different outcomes.
