On the hunt for cheap wonderkids bargains? We give you our suggestions on the must-buy wonderkids from Eastern Europe on Football Manager 2024 and other best young players with great potential to develop into superstars.
Eastern Europe has been a hotbed of cheap wonderkids with world class potential as long as I can remember. From 2018 Ballon D’Or winner Luka Modric, who broke through at the international scene when he moved from Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham, to the latest Slovenian wonderkid, Benjamin Sesko, football clubs around Europe turns their attention to Balkan to spot the next big thing. As an armchair manager in Football Manager 2024, scouting for Eastern Europe wonderkids represents a great chance to spot affordable top wonderkids who can improve your squad for the foreseeable future!
Specifically Croatia and Serbia has paved the way for Balkan youths’ chance to establish themselves on the international scene as a football player. Led by Dinamo Zagreb, Partizan, Crvena Zvezda and Dynamo Kyiv, Eastern Europe has grown in reputation as being one of the best places to scout for wonderkids, perhaps only surpasses by the region of South America, which includes the wonderkid conveyerbelt Brazil and Argentina.
The pool of Eastern European wonderkids on Football Manager 2024 available at a rather cheap bargain price is too good to go unoticed! Basically, within this region that includes Croatia, there are so many technical gifted players that you could sign for a reasonable price! On top of that, they have all the potential to become international superstars!
Therefore, we wish to hand you our recommendations of wonderkids from Eastern Europe on Football Manager 2024 that you really need to sign!
Read More | Dinamo Zagreb; the most underrated Academy in Europe [by Breaking the Lines]
Disclaimer! In this instance, we have included wonderkids and talents from Croatia and Türkyie in this list, despite politically speaking they are within the scouting region of South Europe on FM24.
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The Best Young Players from Eastern Europe in Football Manager 2024
Following our massive list of Football Manager 2024 wonderkids, we continue our look at affordable talents and cheap wonderkids bargains by taking a closer look at the best young players and future wonderkids from Eastern Europe on Football Manager 2024!
In this article we take a closer look at the best Eastern European wonderkids on Football Manager 2024 that is located in Croatia, Serbia, Türkiye, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Czechia that are 20 years or younger. This means that players like Benjamin Sesko or Josko Gvardiol will be too old to make it on this list.
Also, we have only included players based in one of the countries in the region of Eastern Europe, rather than mention players that is based in the Academy of top European clubs – meaning Stipe Biuk (LAFC), Leo Sauer (Feyenoord) or Marko Milovanovic (Almeria) won’t be featured.
Apart from that, our recommendations of wonderkids from Eastern Europe represents a great chance to improve your team with cheap wonderkids bargains from the Balkan region.
Martin Baturina / 20 / Dinamo Zagreb
We kick off our Eastern European wonderkids list for Football Manager 2024 with a well-known name: Martin Baturina!
Dinamo Zagreb’s #10 received his debut for the Croatian National team only a few days ago (November 18th 2023 to be exact). Martin Baturina is a versatile and remarkable skilled creative attacking midfielder who can also play as a central midfielder or on either flanks if needed to.
At Dinamo Zagreb he has mainly played as one of the central midfielders in a 4-3-3 system where he’s able to use his passing, technique and dribbles to create chances for his teammates. So far he’s recorded 2 assists and 1 goal in 13 appearances – gaining the experience and reputation to be ready for one of the bigger leagues in Europe.
Transfer Value: €7-11Mill
Potential: 140-170
Marcel Ratnik / 19 / NK Olimpija
With 3 goals in 14 appearances within the Slovenian Prva Liga, Marcel Ratnik is a player of growing reputation. The 185cm tall central defender represents a reliable centre-back who could be one of the best bargains from Eastern Europe on FM24.
The NK Olimpija defender stands out for well-rounded skills when it comes to the art of defence. Great marking, tackling and heading is coupled with anticipation, concentration, work rate and positoning – meaning he will be able to intercept passes and block shots by being at the right place at the right time. At the same time, like any modern defenders requires, he’s fairly fast with acceleration and pace at 12.
Marcel Ratnik is also a wonderful attacking threat at attacking set-pieces, but can also be a great tracker or man-markers due to his strength, heading and jumping reach.
At the age of 19, Marcel Ratnik is a well-rounded ball-playing defender. However, due to his work rate and vision, the Slovenian defender can easily develop into a wonderful libero in the future.
For under €3Million, Marcel Ratnik represents a wonderful cheap signing to improve your defence on Football Manager 2024.
Hidden Atributes: Above Average Consistency
Transfer Value: 1.3-3Mill
Potential: 130-160
Luka Topalovic / 17 / NK Domzale
Do you find Martin Baturina a bit too pricy? Then we got the perfect replacement!
Luka Topalovic is one of few emerging Slovenian wonderkids on Football Manager 2024. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder could be labelled as one of the hidden wonderkids of Football Manager 2024 despite FootballTalentScout describes him as one of the most talented players coming through in Slovenia these days.
Coming through from the same Academy that brought us Benjamin Sesko, Luka Topalovic is a name to remember!
Yet another skilled player with great close control, ability to do the unexpected in addition to vision and passing to create chances from through balls and linking up play. His playing style is more or less quite similar to Andres Iniesta – a press resistant midfielder who are brilliant at maintaining possession in small acres of spaces with dribbling and flair.
As an attacking midfielder, he can also provide danger from deep as he got great long shots and off the ball movement. When entering the final third his finishing of 12 can also result in a great number of goals, especially if you use him in a 4-2-3-1 system a la Ange’s Tottenham tactics.
Transfer Value: 800K-1.8Mill
Potential: 130-160
Luka Vrbancic / 18 / Dinamo Zagreb
Following in the footsteps of Luka Modric, Dinamo Zagreb has a new playmaker with a promising future. Luka Vrbancic is probably an unfamiliar name to most of you as he is yet to debut for the first team. He’s not received any matches for the Croatian youth national teams either but has received three chances in the UEFA Youth League.
In FM24, Luka Vrbancic is a determined team player who stands out for his tactical knowledge and awareness. His smartness with the ball, passing, technique and close control. On paper you have a gifted playmaker who can be that press-resistant midfielder your team needs to retain possession and create chances.
Transfer Value: 1.3-3Mill
Potential: 130-160
Andrija Maksimovic / 16 / Graficar (Crvena Zvezda)
Crvena Zvezda has done a brilliant job of taking advantage of their renown youth Academy and promoting them into the first team. Every edition of Football Manager, Crvena Zvezda got new wonderkids to discover. This year is no execption!
The latest Serbian wonderkid to emerge is Andrija Maksimovic – an attacking midfielder who has apparantly scored 29 goals in 26 appearances for the Under-17 side before being loaned out to Graficar this season. In the Prva Liga, he has scored 5 goals in 13 appearances – mostly being used as an inside forward.
Despite being 16, Andrija Maksimovic has wonderful skills in FM24. Vision of 12, Passing 12, Technique 12, Finishing 11, and very few atrributes below 10 paints a picture of a player who can develop into a wonderful midfielder or winger in the years to come!
Transfer Value: €700K-2Mill
Jovan Sljivic / 17 / Crvena Zvezda
On the subject of Crvena Zvezda wonderkids, we can’t overlook Jovan Sljivic! The one year older central midfielder has a rather similar profile as Andrija Maksimovic, but has improved his tactical intelligence more.
Able to play as an Attacking Mezzala or a deep-lying playmaker, Jovan Sljivic has the technique, passing and close control to dictate tempo and combine passes in the middle of the park.
Transfer Value: €1-3Mill
Potential: 130-160
Samed Bazdar / 19 / Partizan Belgrade
Samed Bazdar is one of the more expensive players on this list. The Serbian wonderkid is a versatile forward who can be used in all positions up front, whether you look at him as the perfect attacking midfielder in your system, backup winger or as an Advanced Forward as you want to take advantage of his accurate finishing.
Labelled as a second forward or Shadow striker, Samed Bazdar has received 72 minutes over 7 appearances for Partizan Belgrade so far this season.
Touted as the next Aleksandar Mitrovic in FM24, Samed Bazdar has a well-rounded player profile to become a useful player. Ideally, I would look at him as a wonderful signing for teams in Italy, Portugal, Holland and France where he can take advantage of his dribbling, finishing, pace and movement to score and create chances by moving in between lines.
His creativity and vision are also decent which will be useful traits when looking for a player who can stamp his mark on the game by dropping into pocket of spaces.
Transfer Value: €3-8Mill
Potential: 130-160
Marin Soticek / 18 / Lokomotic Zagreb
Marin Soticek is a young winger born in Novo Mesto in Slovenia but holds a Croatian passport. Since being promoted to NK Lokomotiva Zagreb’s first team in 2022, the pacy winger has scored 3 goals in 10 appearances in SuperSport HNL 2023/24 season.
Marin Soticek is a player gifted with brilliant acceleration, agility, dribbling and flair – making him a wonderful player in one-on-one situations and when fasioning out chances down the flanks.
Skilled at using his movement and acceleration to attack the spaces behind the defensive line, his directness and composure in the final third, together with his finishing makes him able to convert chances into goals from his left flank positioning.
With sublime first touch and technique, the Croatian winger is able to retain possession despite being put under pressure or turn defence into attack with his counter-attacking threats.
Transfer Value: €350K-3.5Mill
Potential: 130-160
Matija Popovic / 17 / Partizan Belgrade
With 21 goals and 5 assists over 25 appearances, Matija Popovic has teared the Kadetska liga appart! The 17-year old attacking midfielder was originally born in Germany, but started his career at Vojovodina before entering the Partizan youth Academy.
On an out-going contract that won’t be renewed, major clubs like Ac Milan, Barcelona and Bayer 04 Leverkusen has lined up to secure his services once the winter transfer window opens in January 2024.
In FM24, Matija Popovic is available on an approach to sign at the start of 2023-24 season. Yet another player touted as the next Aleksandar Mitrovic, Matija Popovic is a Serbian wonderkid striker with the potential to become a wonderful Advanced Forward.
The 193cm tall striker, got great physic, most notable strength and acceleration along with an accurate finishing that other players at his age can envy! The prolific goalscorer, also got great ball control, composure and flair to be creating chances for himself and others.
On top of that, he got the versatility to be re-trained as an Inside Forward or attacking midfielder if it’s difficult to find a place for him in your team.
This video from the Under-17 match between Serbia and Italy reveals how he was a constant threat to the defence with his close control, unpredictability and attacking directness.
Transfer Value: Approach to Sign (Compensation Fee €1.7Mill)
Potential: 130-160
Jovan Mijatovic / 18 / Crvena Zvezda
With 4 goals in 9 appearances in the SuperLiga Serbije, Crvena Zvezda has managed to produce another future star in the same mould as Luka Jovic. Gifted with wonderful close control (technique and first touch), ball control (passing and dribbling), as well as being dangerous within the final third with his shooting accuracy, Jovan Mijatovic is a wonderful trequartista.
The only weakness in his profile is his off the ball, but besides that he has 10 or better in the most important attributes for any striker role.
His dribbling and long shots can also make him into a great Inside Forward if you’re looking for a more pacy forward on top.
Potential: 130-160
Niksa Delibasic / 17 / Cukaricki
If you missed out of the chance to sign Matija Popovic, we got another Serbian wonderkid striker that could be well-suited for the Advanced Forward or Poacher role on FM24. Niksa Delibasic is the current #9 of the Cukaricki Under-19 squad. The 188cm tall striker has scored 7 goals in 12 appearances for the Serbian U17 national team before being promoted to the U18 team in September 2023.
The left footed striker has an accurate finishing, great composure when being presented with a goalscoring opportunity and decent acceleration and pace even though he’s a rough diamond in the making and requires to improve a number of aspects of his game.
Niksa Delibasic could be a great signing for clubs in France, Holland, Portugal and Italy. His all-round capabilities suits several types of playing styles but could shine when giving the chance to hold up the ball or use his creativity and vision to play in his striking partner.
You can even re-train him into a decent shadow striker or an Inside forward as he is able to play in multiple positions.
Transfer Value: €800K – 2.5Mill
*Available on Approach to Sign in some saves (Compensation Fee €2.1Mill)
Potential: 130-160
Emre Gökay / 17 / Sivasspor
Türkiye is another nation where you’ll find hidden gems and potential future superstars despite the amount of players aren’t as massive as in Croatia or Serbia. Led by Galatasaray and Besiktas, the nation has managed to produce some great football players over the years.
However, in FM24, one of the biggest talents within his generation can be found at Sivasspor.
Emre Gökay is an Inverted Winger or Inside Forward who stands out for his quickness and changes of pace. He’s incredible with the ball and highly unpredictable – something that makes him a torn within the opposition’s defensive block. Highly consistent performer, great technique and good movement makes him into a wonderful player to watch.
On top of that he’s a free-kick specialist and adept at taking penalties – something that can help you to score more goals from set-pieces.
At the age of 17, he needs to improve his mental capacity and become more tactical intelligent as well as improving his abilities on the ball but apart from that he’s got the physical requirements to reach the standards of the modern game.
Potential: 130-160
Adam Karabec / 20 / Sparta Prague
Adam Karabec is a well-known name for everyone hunting for wonderkids as he’s been part of several wonderkids list throughout the last four years. The Czechian attacking midfielder has 20 appearances for the Czech National team and is one of the most valuable players in the Fortuna Liga behind Czech hot prospects Martin Vitik and Matej Jurasek.
Adam Karabec is the ideal signing for your 4-2-3-1 system featuring the shadow striker in the AMC slot. His acceleration of 15, pace (14), movement and work rate makes him thrive as an attacking outlet. In the pocket, he’ll be able to utilize his great technique, flair and passing or dribbling. His close control and abilities in one on one situations can help to come to goalscoring opportunities.
The 185cm tall left footed midfielder possesses the ball control to create spaces for his teammates as he’s able to move the ball into the final third or pop up and convert chances into goals once play enter the penalty box, as this video shows.
Adam Karabec’s skills can be useful for any top teams but I would look at him at the perfect signing for Championship or mid-table Premier League sides, Serie A clubs or La Liga sides.
Transfer Value: €2.5-9Mill
Potential: 130-160
Martin Vitik / 20 / Sparta Prague
At Sparta Prague you can find a lot of bargains. Besides James Gomez who was one of the greatest bargains on FM23, we have another wonderkid defender that “everyone” wants!
At the start of a new save, Martin Vitik is wanted by Chelsea, Man Utd and AC Milan, from time to time. This paints a picture of a player with significant potential that could become a useful player regardless of the quality of the club.
Martin Vitik got his debut for the Czech National team only two days ago (November 20th 2023) and is a first team regular at Sparta Prague.
The 193cm tall defender is highly versatile. His quickness and strength makes him suitable to play for any sides playing with a high defensive line. His vision, crossing and dribbling enables you to play him as either a inverted fullback, defensive wingback or a wide centre-back in a back three system.
His flair of 14 is unlike any other defenders!
Martin Vitik is also brilliant at understanding where to position himself to defend the goal and also got the height and aerial skills to be a useful player in both defensive and attacking set-pieces.
Overall, Martin Vitik is a wonderful signing – especially at the bargain price of below €10Million. Here we’re looking at a player that could be worth 5x more in the next 10 years.
You really need to sign this wonderful Czech wonderkid defender!
Transfer Value: €3-9.5Mill
Potential: 140-170
Luka Vuskovic / 16 / Hadjuk Split
Before Football Manager 2024, there were high expectations for the new Croatian wonderkid Luka Vuskovic. ‘Unfortunately’, Tottenham was quick to sign him before FM24 release making it difficult to sign this wonderful defender in your save.
Luka Vuskovic is described as one of the greatest football talents in his age group and could very well become the next Virgil van Dijk or Alessandro Nesta in the future – one of those all-time greatest defenders in football Europe who can lead Croatia to a fourth World Cup medal.
The younger brother of Mario Vuskovic is a composed defender with physical strength. Like Martin Vitik he’s a ball playing defender with the abilities to play in a number of other positions.
He’s determined to regain possession at all cost and uses his quickness and aggression to intercept runs and block off shots. He is not afraid to engage in tackles and doesn’t hold back from trying to take the ball off the opposing forward.
Like Gerard Pique, Vuskovic likes to bring the ball out from the back and could overload the midfield area with his forward runs with the ball. In these situations, he’s able to take advantage of his creativity and vision.
The 193cm tall defender is also a brilliant asset in defensive and attacking set-pieces with great heading and jumping reach, he’ll be a wonderful target for inswinging corners aimed at near post.
Transfer Value: €7-21Mill
Potential: 140-170
Petar Ratkov / 19 / RB Salzburg
Finally, there is no rule without an exception!
Petar Ratkov could quickly become the next Dusan Vlahovic or Benjamin Sesko. Like the years before, RB Salzburg has done a great job identifying the next big thing in European football. The 193cm tall striker has dual nationality. Born in Belgrade but of Croatian descent, this Serbian wonderkid striker was bought from Backa Topola for €5Million ahead of this season.
Labelled as a potential Golden Ball winner in the future, Petar Ratkov received his debut for the Serbian national team in the middle of October 2023.
Standing out for his physic, movement and aerial reach, his skills could be compared to one of the best players in the world today, Erling Haaland. However, I doubt his potential is of similar standard, but who knows what the future holds for this interesting target man.
So far he’s not made the breakthrough that we had envisioned for RB Salzburg as he has only scored 1 goal in 8 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga but he lost August and September to a thigh injury.
In FM24, you’re looking at the perfect Complete Forward – a player who can fashion out chances for himself, drop into holes to hold up the ball and play others in, as well as scoring goals from all ranges.
Transfer Value: €7-21Mill
Potential: 130-160
Find More Cheap Wonderkids in Football Manager 2024
