Following last week’s beta release, Football Manager fans have finally been able to get acquainted with the new game ahead of the full release on November 4th. It’s been a long time.
The 2025 version of the game has been canceled, and Sports Interactive Studios director Miles Jacobson has revealed that the game’s issues would have caused irreparable damage to its reputation had it been released.
But FM26 is full steam ahead, adding a host of exciting new features including official FIFA tournaments, a Premier League license, over 40 new roles and the introduction of women’s football.
But many of the core principles remain the same, and arguably one of the most satisfying parts of FM Save is developing lesser-known talent into world-leading stars.
goalkeeper
Guillaume’s remains
All first-team teams are built from the back and one of the most exciting up-and-coming goalkeepers is Toulouse’s Guillaume Resto, who has already made 18 appearances for France’s Under-21s, indicating that the youngster could be Mike Maignan’s successor.
At just 20 years old, the Frenchman is still in the early stages of his career but has emerged as Toulouse’s first choice between the sticks and has kept three clean sheets in Ligue 1 this season.
Restes would provide a solid foundation if they aim to emulate Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal by building from the back, but the goalkeeper is likely to attract interest from a number of Europe’s elite clubs, so be sure to snap him up soon.
Hidden gems: Quenten Atiga, Tommaso Martinelli, Alessandro Nunziante
right full back
Jivairo Reed
A previously unfashionable position, with Jamie Carragher famously quipping that “nobody wants to grow up to be Gary Neville”, Trent Alexander-Arnold proved just how influential right-backs can be during his time at Liverpool.
It may be difficult to repeat Trent’s impressive assist record, but there are plenty of options in FM26, with many players already at top clubs, such as FC Barcelona’s Hector Fortea and Real Madrid’s Jesus Fortea.
Meanwhile, Zivairo Reid may be more likely to win the award away from Feyenoord, despite breaking out as a first-team player for the Dutch side with two assists in nine Eredivisie games this season.
Hidden gems: Martim Fernandes, Daniel Bagnaqui, Marco Palestra
center back
Willie Kambwala
Manchester United may end up regretting their decision to let Willy Kambwala leave in the summer of 2024, but the 21-year-old was an instant hit for Villarreal last season, making 19 La Liga appearances.
Kambwala also attracted attention in a United shirt early in his career and was called up to face Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, when he was just 19 years old.
If they are looking to sign the Villarreal star, they should be aware that United have a buy-back clause that does not expire until 2027.
Hidden Gem: Mateo Palma
left full back
Miles Lewis-Skelly
Lewis-Skelly needs little introduction given the influence the 18-year-old has had on Arsenal from an early age, having infamously congratulated and mocked Erling Haaland after scoring in the Gunners’ 5-1 win over Manchester City last season.
The teenager has not featured too regularly for Arteta’s side this season, but it is testament to his ability that he has already won six caps for England, and he is highly expected to make his World Cup debut next summer.
However, the north Londoner is likely to command a huge transfer fee for his left-back, so it might be worth considering some of the more affordable options below…
Hidden Gems: Saba Kalebashvili, Da Vinci, Tom Rote
central midfield
Ayyub Buadi
It’s no surprise that Ayyoub Bouadi has already begun to attract the attention of some top clubs, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all planning to sign the Lille midfielder.
Boadi only turned 18 earlier this month but has already emerged as a key player in Lille’s first team, making 66 appearances for the French club, during which time he has shown his versatility by playing in both defensive and attacking midfield roles.
Born just a month too late to be included in the last edition, FM26 fans should be chomping at the bit to sign the Lille star, given that Beta players have already discovered that he has developed into a midfielder with incredible physical and mental attributes.
Hidden Gem: Tom Bischoff, Niccolo Pisilli, Kees Smit
right wing
Lamine Yamal
It would be impossible to compile this list without mentioning Lamine Yamal, who is already considered one of the best wingers in world football and currently ranks second in the 2026 Ballon d’Or Power Rankings.
However, signing Yamal, who has established himself as one of the best players in the world, is likely to be a big-money deal, and it may be worth keeping an eye on lesser-known prospects such as Vasco da Gama’s Rayan, with whom Tottenham Hotspur have recently begun contract negotiations.
Still, if he chooses to start saving for Barça, or somehow manages to convince the La Liga giants to cash in, the 18-year-old will surely remain one of the best right-wingers in the world for the next 10 years.
Hidden Gem: Rayanne, David Martinez, Ian Subiabre
left wing
Kenan Yildiz
Like Bouadi, Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz has already begun to attract significant interest from the Premier League, with it recently revealed that Man United are preparing an “attacking pitch” to sign the 20-year-old.
Although his breakthrough initially came in the 2023-24 season, Yildiz really started to blossom last season, regularly scoring and assisting Juventus in all competitions.
competition | Appearance | Contribution to goal |
Serie A | 35 | 12 |
champions league | 10 | 2 |
club world cup | 4 | 5 |
italian cup | 2 | 1 |
italian super cup | 1 | 1 |
The Turkish star made a name for himself around the world with his impressive performances at the Club World Cup and could make a huge difference in our bid to conquer Europe in FM26…
Hidden Gem: Jeremy Monga, Gabriel Meck
attacking midfielder
Alda Guler
Arda Güler has already sealed a big move to Real Madrid and his appearance on FM26 will no doubt cost a fortune, but the Turkish is showing every sign of being able to reach the top level with his performances under manager Xabi Alonso.
Alonso clearly has a lot of faith in the 20-year-old, who has played in every La Liga game this season, with the Turkish youngster repaying his manager with three goals and four assists.
FM fans will be familiar with the Real Madrid star considering he was one of the players with the highest potential in FM24 and, although there may be more affordable alternatives, he looks set to be one of the most exciting young attacking midfielders once again.
Hidden Gem: Rodrigo Mora, Luca Williams-Barnett
striker
Victor Roque
South American strikers have helped turn struggling teams into European champions with countless FM saves over the years, and Vitor Roque has the ability to do just that.
The 20-year-old Brazilian was versatile in front of goal for Palmeiras in Serie A in 2025, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in 27 games, and it won’t be long before he is linked with a move to England again, having previously been targeted by Newcastle United.
With the former Brazil international still plying his trade in his home country, the deal will not be a huge sum, at least compared to the highest potential of any striker in the game, as it has been revealed that the deal is expected to be around £45m.
Hidden Gem: Sami Boufudan
