Building for the future in Career Mode means finding players who can grow quickly with minutes and the right development plan. EA FC 26 keeps that loop intact, so if you’re mapping out a youth-first rebuild, these are the prospects worth prioritizing.

How this list is scoped

  • Age and ceiling first: we focus on U23s with standout potential.
  • Two tracks: players under ~80 OVR you can develop into stars, and elite teenagers who are already close to top-level minutes.
  • Role coverage: balanced options across GK, defense, midfield, and attack for different budgets and league tiers.

Immediate-impact prospects (sign if you can)

These players are already close to top-flight level and still climb fast with minutes:

  • Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, RW): a rare case of an 18-year-old who can walk into a top XI; his starting OVR is high and the ceiling is elite.
  • Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona, CB): mature positioning and ball-playing at 18; ideal for high-line teams.
  • Warren Zaïre‑Emery (Paris Saint‑Germain, CM): superb as a box-to-box core who grows into a complete midfielder.
  • João Neves (Paris Saint‑Germain, CM/CDM): tempo control with the engine to anchor a midfield for a decade.
  • Rayan Cherki (Manchester City, AM/WF): creativity and end product; a strong candidate for a ratings bump this cycle.
  • Endrick (Real Madrid, ST): still a project for minutes at club level, but the potential is top-tier.

Under-80 OVR wonderkids to develop (by position)

These are the smartest “buy early, play often” signings. They start below 80 OVR and trend toward mid-to-high 80s with game time and training.

Goalkeepers

  • Mike Penders (Strasbourg): tall profile with a strong projection; excellent for Road to Glory saves.
  • Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich): good baseline, grows into a reliable first-teamer with consistent minutes.

Full-backs and center-backs

  • Arnau Martínez (Girona, RB): pace, technique, and end‑product make him a plug‑and‑play modern full‑back.
  • Martim Fernandes (Porto, RB): well-rounded and climbs quickly; strong value among U20 defenders.
  • Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg SV on loan, CB): classic high-ceiling center‑back project with aerial presence.
  • Jorthy Mokio (Ajax, CB/CDM): versatility plus a big development curve; fits multiple systems as he grows.

Midfielders

  • Marc Casado (Barcelona, CDM/CM): reads play early, develops into a reliable shield in front of the back line.
  • Arthur Vermeeren (Marseille on loan, CM): progressive passer who levels up into a midfield metronome.
  • Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur, CDM/CM): positionally flexible; turns minutes into quick overall gains.
  • Sverre Nypan (Middlesbrough on loan, CM/CAM): creative core for long-term saves; noticeable growth with starts.
  • Chris Rigg (Sunderland, CM/CAM): dynamic runner who adds composure and passing range season over season.
  • Arsen Zakharyan (Real Sociedad, RM/AM): technique-forward profile that improves visibly with training plans.
  • Kenan Yıldız (Juventus, CAM/LW): playmaking winger/10 hybrid who scales into a go-to chance creator.
  • Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal, AM/RM): modest starting OVR, big ceiling; ideal if you want to sculpt a star.

Wingers and forwards

  • Samu (Porto, ST): sharp movement and consistent finishing trends; grows into a dependable No. 9.
  • Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig, LW/RM): one of the best winger projects this year with a notably high ceiling.
  • Malick Fofana (Lyon, LW): pace-first wide outlet who adds decision‑making and end product over time.
  • Yankubah Minteh (Brighton, RM/RW): threat in transition and on the dribble; develops into a high‑impact right‑sider.
  • Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United, RM/LM): direct, energetic profile that becomes more polished with minutes.
  • Conrad Harder (RB Leipzig, ST): well‑rounded striker project with good physical growth curves.
  • Karim Konaté (RB Salzburg, ST): smart runs and acceleration; flourishes with regular starts.
  • Julien Duranville (Borussia Dortmund, RM/LM): early spark on the wing; adds strength and final ball year two.
  • Charalampos Kostoulas (Brighton, ST): promising all‑round forward who benefits from targeted finishing drills.
  • Luis Guilherme (West Ham, RM): ball-carrying threat; decision-making improves with game reps.
  • Assane Diao (Como, LM/RM): line‑breaking runner who becomes a consistent chance creator.
  • Rodrigo Mora (Porto, AM/WF): not yet a household name, but the growth trajectory is excellent.

High-growth “project” picks

If you want maximum upside from a lower starting OVR, target these profiles and plan for two seasons of heavy development:

  • Jorthy Mokio (Ajax): one of the steeper growth curves among teenage defenders.
  • Luka Vuskovic (CB), Finn Jeltsch (CB): center‑back projects who scale with positioning and strength work.
  • Julien Duranville (RM/LM): rapid wide developer if you can give 25–35 games in year one.
  • Francesco Camarda (ST): classic long‑view striker investment; needs patience and finishing reps.
  • Chemsdine Talbi (RM) and Leo Sauer (LW): winger prospects who add end product with playing time.
  • Lewis Miley (CM), Kees Smit (CM), Sverre Nypan (CM/CAM), Assan Ouédraogo (CM/CAM): midfielders with clear multi‑season OVR jumps.

Smart budget targets for Road to Glory

  • Mike Penders (GK): immediate shot-stopper upgrade who grows into a top-tier keeper outside the big five leagues.
  • Jorthy Mokio (CB/CDM): minutes across two positions make him easy to integrate early.
  • Chris Rigg (CM/CAM) and Sverre Nypan (CM/CAM): high ROI midfielders for second-tier promotions or early top-flight survival.
  • Luis Guilherme (RM) and Karim Konaté (ST): athletic profiles that translate from day one and scale well.

How to actually unlock their potential

  • Play time over prestige: 20–30 meaningful appearances in year one usually beats a bench role at a bigger club.
  • Targeted training: choose development plans that address role-critical gaps (e.g., ball control and crossing for wide players, sprint speed and stamina for full-backs, reactions and handling for GKs).
  • Loan with a plan: if you can’t guarantee minutes, send them to clubs where their position is a natural fit and recall if usage is too low.
  • Early contracts: lock down wages and length before the overall jumps to avoid budget shocks.

Quick shortlist by role

Use this if you just need names during a window:

  • GK: Mike Penders, Jonas Urbig
  • RB/LB: Arnau Martínez, Martim Fernandes
  • CB: Pau Cubarsí, Luka Vuskovic, Jorthy Mokio
  • CM/CDM: Warren Zaïre‑Emery, João Neves, Marc Casado, Arthur Vermeeren, Archie Gray
  • AM/Wide: Lamine Yamal, Rayan Cherki, Ethan Nwaneri, Malick Fofana, Yankubah Minteh, Antonio Nusa, Rodrigo Mora
  • ST: Endrick, Samu, Karim Konaté, Conrad Harder, Charalampos Kostoulas

Note: player clubs and starting overalls can shift with title updates and squad moves. The growth trends and role fits above are the consistent beats to scout for: minutes, a clear path to starts, and development plans tied to your system. Do that, and most of these teenagers will turn into the spine of your save within two to three seasons.