EA Sports FC 26 — The best young CAMs to sign in Career Mode

Central attacking midfielders are the heartbeat of most Career Mode saves in EA Sports FC 26, supplying goals, assists, and link-up play. If you want ready-made stars, the official CAM ratings shortlist is topped by Jude Bellingham, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala at launch, all listed on EA’s ratings page for center attacking midfielders (EA CAM ratings). If you’re building a squad over several seasons or working with a tighter budget, the game is packed with younger options who grow quickly and hold value.

Best young CAMs with high potential (at a glance)

Top‑of‑the‑table targets

If your budget stretches to the elite end, these are plug‑and‑play creators with room to grow further:

• Jude Bellingham (90→94, 22, Real Madrid) — the most complete young CAM, already world‑class with headroom.
• Florian Wirtz (89→93, 22, Liverpool) — high ceiling and now among the very best creators in Career Mode.
• Jamal Musiala (88→92, 22, Bayern München) — a dribbling specialist who scales into the low 90s.
• Cole Palmer (87→90, 23, Chelsea) — rare “90 club” potential among young CAMs and productive from day one.

Elite teen wonderkids (build your attack around them)

These players start strong for their age and climb toward late‑80s quickly, making them ideal centerpieces for multi‑season saves:

• Rodrigo Mora (76→89, 18, FC Porto) — versatile across CAM, LW, CM, and ST; a high‑growth playmaker profile.
• Nico Paz (79→89, 21, Como) — near first‑team ready with a top‑tier ceiling for a CAM.
• Kenan Yildiz (79→89, 20, Juventus) — creative and goal‑dangerous with long‑term upside.
• Arda Güler (81→89, 20, Real Madrid) — already polished; climbs toward an 89 ceiling with minutes.
• Franco Mastantuono (77→88, 18, Real Madrid) — balanced attributes at 18 and tracks toward late‑80s by 21.

Mid‑table value signings (high upside, manageable fees)

For clubs chasing Europe without elite transfer budgets, these picks combine affordability with strong growth:

• Kees Smit (72→87, 19, AZ Alkmaar) — standout dribbler with four‑star skills and weak foot; projects to 87.
• Konstantinos Karetsas (70→86, 17, Genk) — a highlight‑reel creator who develops into a reliable starter.
• Paul Wanner (72→86, 19, PSV) — versatile and steady growth into the mid‑80s.
• Claudio Echeverri (74→86, 18–19, Bayer Leverkusen) — rotation‑ready now; becomes an 80‑plus starter after a season or two.

Lower‑league projects (cheap now, valuable later)

If you’re rebuilding on limited funds, these are smart buys that appreciate quickly and can be sold on if needed:

• Lennart Karl (low 60s→86, 17, Bayern München) — one of the cheapest high‑potential CAMs; a classic multi‑season growth play.
• Francis Onyeka (60→83, 18, VfL Bochum) — substantial growth from a very low starting overall.
• Lawrence Wong (56→81, 17, Melbourne City) — the budget option with big relative growth and a low fee.

Why sign early

Young CAMs with strong potential tend to see rapid valuation spikes as they gain minutes and hit development milestones. Moving early locks in lower wages and transfer fees, gives you more seasons of growth, and keeps resale value high if you plan to flip players later.

Pick based on your timeline and budget. If you need productivity on day one, target the elite quartet up top. If you’re building sustainably over multiple seasons, the teenage core here — Mora, Paz, Yildiz, Güler, and Mastantuono — will anchor your attack for years, while Smit, Karetsas, Wanner, and Echeverri offer excellent value paths into the mid‑ to high‑80s.