We have ALL the best cheap central midfielders (CM) with high potential ratings on FIFA 22 Career Mode.
The ceiling of the outright best young central midfielders is rather shallow, despite there being plenty of high potential CMs out there. So, opting for one of the cheap players with high potential can be the smart play in FIFA 22.
In order for you to stack your CM corps with players that will only increase in value, we’ve compiled all of the best cheap central midfielders with high potentials who you can sign from the start of Career Mode.
Choosing FIFA 22 Career Mode’s best cheap central midfielders (CM) with high potential
There are plenty of top talents at cut-rate prices available in FIFA 22, with the likes of Gavi, Gori, and Aster Vranckx featuring among the top spots.
This list of the best cheap central midfielders with high potential only features players who have a potential rating of at least 82, are valued at around £5 million or less, and have CM set as their best position.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll find the complete list of all of the best cheap central midfielders (CM) with high potential ratings in FIFA 22.
Pablo Gabi (66 OVR – 85 POT)
Team: FC Barcelona
Age: 16
Wage: £3,300
Value: £1.8 million
Best Attributes: 78 Balance, 77 Agility, 74 Short Pass
At 16-years-old with a 66 overall rating, Pablo Gavi is able to remain under the radar in terms of valuation, with his 85 potential and £1.8 million value making him the best cheap CM to sign in FIFA 22.
Naturally, the 85 potential is the main draw of those looking to add a high potential CM in Career Mode, but his current ratings should lay the foundations of a very useful player. Among his best are 69 long pass, 74 short pass, and 70 vision – potentially making him a future deep-lying playmaker.
As Barcelona seek to rebuild, the first-team has been more trusting of the club’s home-grown top prospects this season, with Gavi being one of the beneficiaries. Featuring on both wings, in attacking midfield, and central midfield, the young Spaniard played in six of Barça’s first nine games of the season.
Aster Vranckx (67 OVR – 85 POT)
Team: VfL Wolfsburg
Age: 18
Wage: £5,100
Value: £2.2 million
Best Attributes: 74 Aggression, 73 Strength, 72 Sprint Speed
A regular among the wonderkids of recent FIFA games, Aster Vranckx’s low overall rating and age of 18 allows him to enter FIFA 22’s Career mode as a cheap CM, who also boasts a potential rating of 85.
The young Belgian is already a very useful box-to-box midfielder, boasting 72 stamina, 71 agility, 71 acceleration, 72 sprint speed, and 73 strength. On the technical side, the 67-overall CM has a bit of work to do as his 67 long passing and 66 standing tackle are a bit low.
After scoring five goals and four assists in 47 games for KV Mechelen in the Jupiler Pro League, VfL Wolfsburg pulled the trigger to spend a bit over £7 million to sign Vranckx. While he didn’t feature in the first seven Bundesliga games of the campaign, the young player was still involved in the first-team.
Gori (64 OVR – 84 POT)
Team: RCD Espanyol
Age: 19
Wage: £2,100
Value: £1.4 million
Best Attributes: 80 Balance, 75 Acceleration, 74 Sprint Speed
Left-footed centre-mid Gori comes into Career Mode with a lowly 64 overall rating, allowing his 84 potential to fly under the radar and give him a value of just £1.4 million.
The 19-year-old CM stands as one of the best cheap high potential players to sign but is already of use in FIFA 22. Gori’s 75 acceleration, 74 sprint speed, and 74 agility give him the mobility needed to be effective.
Gori made his first-team debut for RCD Espanyol in the first game of this season, clocking in eight minutes against CA Osasuna. However, at the time of writing, he was getting most of his football with the B-Team in the Segunda División Grupo III.
Marko Bulat (70 OVR – 84 POT)
Team: Dinamo Zagreb
Age: 19
Wage: £5,100
Value: £3.2 million
Best Attributes: 76 Balance, 76 Composure, 76 Long Pass
Croatian central midfielder Marko Bulat makes his way onto the list of the best cheap high potential players thanks to his 84 potential and £3.2 million valuation.
The right-footer who stands 5’10’’ can already be a threat with the through ball and when taking a free-kick. Bulat’s 76 long passing, 75 shot power, 72 vision, and 73 free-kick accuracy all make him useful even as a 19-year-old CM.
Having impressed with HNK Sibenik, both coming through the youth system and during a short loan spell back to the club, Bulat has now joined up with Dinamo Zagreb. His early chances in 1.HNL were fairly fleeting, but big things are expected of the Šibenik native.
Samuele Ricci (67 OVR – 84 POT)
Team: FC Empoli
Age: 19
Wage: £7,000
Value: £2.3 million
Best Attributes: 74 Stamina, 74 Short Pass, 72 Ball Control
Valued at £2.3 million but with an 84 potential rating, Samuele Ricci makes the cut as one of the best cheap CMs with a high potential rating to sign in Career Mode.
Still only 19-years-old, the FC Empoli midfielder has some usable ratings that exceed his 67 overall. The Italian’s 69 composure, 74 short pass, 74 stamina, and 72 ball control look to be the foundations of a decent holding midfielder down the line.
Ricci is already a reliable starting XI player for Empoli in Serie A, having been a regular feature in the club’s promotion from Serie B last season. Already, he’s notched three goals and four assists by his 73rd game for the Italian outfit.
Manuel Ugarte (72 OVR – 84 POT)
Team: Sporting CP
Age: 20
Wage: £6,100
Value: £4.8 million
Best Attributes: 75 Stamina, 75 Stand Tackle, 75 Ball Control
One of the more high-cost players on this list of cheap CMs to sign, Manuel Ugarte weighs-in with a 72 overall rating and £4.8 million value.
Ugarte is easily the most first-team ready of the best high potential players here, with his 75 ball control, 75 standing tackle, 73 interceptions, and 74 short pass giving him more of a defensive build.
Already toting a cap for Uruguay, the Montevideo midfielder made his way from CA Fénix to FC Famalicao in January 2021 for nearly £4 million. Seven months and 21 appearances later, Sporting CP paid nearly £6 million for Ugarte.
Martin Baturina (64 OVR – 843 POT)
Team: Dinamo Zagreb
Age: 18
Wage: £1,300
Value: £1.3 million
Best Attributes: 75 Agility, 75 Balance, 74 Acceleration
Martin Baturina helps to make Dinamo Zagreb raid-worthy for cheap high potential centre-mids, joining Marko Bulat but with a slightly lower 83 potential rating, and only valued at £1.3 million.
Despite his 64 overall rating, the Croatian midfielder already makes for a busy player to have in the middle of the park. The 75 agility, 73 ball control, 72 stamina, 74 acceleration, 75 balance, and 73 sprint speed enable Baturina to get all over the field with ease.
Still only 18-years-old, the Split-native has been drifting between the Dinamo Zagreb first-team and second-team, occasionally getting minutes in the domestic league and Europa League.
All of the best cheap high potential central midfielders (CM) on FIFA 22
For the list of all of the best low-cost CMs with high potential ratings to sign in Career Mode, check out the table below.
| Player | Overall | Potential | Age | Position | Team | Value | Wage |
| Gavi | 66 | 85 | 16 | CM | FC Barcelona | £1.8 million | £3,300 |
| Aster Vranckx | 67 | 85 | 18 | CM, CDM | VfL Wolfsburg | £2.2 million | £5,100 |
| Gori | 64 | 84 | 19 | CM, CAM | RCD Espanyol | £1.4 million | £2,100 |
| Marko Bulat | 69 | 84 | 19 | CM, CDM | Dinamo Zagreb | £3.2 million | £5,100 |
| Samuele Ricci | 67 | 84 | 19 | CM, CDM | Empoli | £2.3 million | £7,000 |
| Manuel Ugarte | 72 | 84 | 20 | CM, CDM | Sporting CP | £4.8 million | £6,100 |
| Martin Baturina | 64 | 83 | 18 | CM, CAM | Dinamo Zagreb | £1.3 million | £1,300 |
| Blanco | 71 | 83 | 20 | CM, CDM | Real Madrid | £3.9 million | £44,000 |
| Lewis Bate | 63 | 83 | 18 | CM, CDM | Leeds United | £1.1 million | £4,000 |
| Cristian Medina | 70 | 83 | 19 | CM | Boca Juniors | £3.3 million | £4,000 |
| Nicolò Fagioli | 68 | 83 | 20 | CM, CAM | Juventus | £2.5 million | £15,000 |
| Erik Lira | 69 | 83 | 21 | CM | U.N.A.M. | £2.9 million | £4,000 |
| Nico González | 68 | 83 | 19 | CM, CAM | FC Barcelona | £2.5 million | £20,000 |
| Xavi Simons | 66 | 83 | 18 | CM | Paris Saint-Germain | £1.9 million | £5,000 |
| Fausto Vera | 69 | 83 | 21 | CM, CDM | Argentinos Juniors | £2.9 million | £4,000 |
| Nicolas Raskin | 71 | 83 | 20 | CM, CDM | Standard de Liège | £3.9 million | £7,000 |
| Alfie Devine | 57 | 82 | 16 | CM, CDM | Tottenham Hotspur | £430,000 | £860 |
| Turrientes | 65 | 82 | 19 | CM, CAM, CDM | Real Sociedad B | £1.5 million | £860 |
| Álex Cardero | 63 | 82 | 17 | CM, CAM | Real Oviedo | £1 million | £430 |
| Édouard Michut | 65 | 82 | 18 | CM | Paris Saint-Germain | £1.5 million | £5,000 |
| Vassilis Sourlis | 64 | 82 | 18 | CM, CDM, CAM | Olympiacos CFP | £1.3 million | £430 |
| Ivan Ilić | 72 | 82 | 20 | CM | Hellas Verona | £4.3 million | £12,000 |
| Juan Sforza | 65 | 82 | 19 | CM, CDM | Newell’s Old Boys | £1.5 million | £2,000 |
| Santiago Naveda | 69 | 82 | 20 | CM, CDM | Club América | £2.8 million | £13,000 |
| Francho Serrano | 67 | 82 | 19 | CM, CDM, CAM | Real Zaragoza | £2.1 million | £2,000 |
| Kenneth Taylor | 68 | 82 | 19 | CM | Ajax | £2.5 million | £3,000 |
| Kouadio Manu Koné | 69 | 82 | 20 | CM | Borussia Mönchengladbach | £2.8 million | £8,000 |
| Giuliano Galoppo | 72 | 82 | 22 | CM | Club Atlético Banfield | £4.3 million | £9,000 |
| Marcel Ruiz | 72 | 82 | 20 | CM | Club Tijuana | £4.3 million | £10,000 |
| Jens-Lys Cajuste | 72 | 82 | 21 | CM, CDM | FC Midtjylland | £4.3 million | £13,000 |
| Lewis Ferguson | 71 | 82 | 21 | CM, CDM | Aberdeen | £3.6 million | £4,000 |
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