We have ALL the best young central midfielders (CM) on FIFA 22 Career Mode.
Central midfielders remain the engine of almost all football teams, even with some that would have once fallen into the role parting off into the more specialised jobs of defensive or attacking midfield.
In FIFA 22 Career Mode, you want stability in the middle of the park, with players capable of lasting entire games while working defensively and contributing to the attack.
As CMs with the highest overall ratings in the game are very expensive, you should turn to one of the best young central midfielders to develop into your team’s very own superstar.
Choosing FIFA 22 Career Mode’s best young central midfielders (CM)
Featuring lauded talents like Renato Sanches, Pedri, and Federico Valverde, there are plenty of top young central midfielders who are ready to compete for a starting XI place in your team.
The best young central midfielders here are sorted by their overall ratings, but to make it onto the list, each has to not be older than 23-years-old and have CM listed as their main position in FIFA 22.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll find the complete list of all of the best young central midfielders (CM) in FIFA 22.
Federico Valverde (83 OVR – 89 POT)
Team: Real Madrid
Age: 22
Wage: £140,000
Value: £50 million
Best Attributes: 90 Sprint Speed, 86 Stamina, 85 Short Pass
Certainly not featuring the highest rating of all of the best young players in the game, Federico Valverde’s 83 overall does manage to land him as the best young CM to sign in FIFA 22.
The Uruguayan is already well-equipped to work as a box-to-box midfielder, boasting 90 sprint speed, 86 stamina, 84 reactions, and 82 acceleration. With his 85 short pass and 84 long pass, you can also trust him to keep possession and even turn playmaker when your forwards start a run.
Despite being 22-years-old, Valverde has already played for Real Madrid 110 times – a count that he’ll add to as the season progresses. This season, his natural athleticism and versatility have been utilised in central midfield, right midfield, and right back.
Pedri (81 OVR – 91 POT)
Team: FC Barcelona
Age: 18
Wage: £43,500
Value: £46.5 million
Best Attributes: 89 Balance, 88 Agility, 86 Stamina
Easily one of the best wonderkids in FIFA 22 due to his 91 potential rating, Pedri also ranks among the best young central midfielders to sign straight away in Career Mode due to his 81 overall rating.
The combination of potential and overall rating make the young player a costly addition at £46.5 million in value. However, the start of the first season on Career Mode will certainly present the most low-cost opportunity to get the right-footer and his 88 agility, 86 vision, and 85 short pass into your team.
Already entrenched in the Barcelona and Spanish national team midfields, Pedri is one of the most exciting emerging talents in the world of football. He was held back a bit at the start of this season, but that was likely a result of him featuring prominently in Euro 2020 and the Olympic Games.
Houssem Aouar (81 OVR – 86 POT)
Team: Olympique Lyonnais
Age: 23
Wage: £56,000
Value: £33.5 million
Best Attributes: 86 Ball Control, 86 Short Pass, 86 Dribbling
Houssem Aouar breaks into the upper-echelons of the best young CMs in FIFA 22 with his 81 overall rating at the age of 23, with his attribute ratings already making him an assured playmaker.
The Frenchman’s 86 ball control, 86 short pass, 86 dribbling, 84 vision, 80 long pass, and 82 composure mean that you’ll want to feed him the ball in the middle of the park. From there, you can either tap it around to keep possession or trust Aouar to release a precise through-ball over to your attackers.
A graduate of the Olympique Lyonnais youth set-up, local lad Aouar made his Ligue 1 debut for the club way back in 2017. He scored 32 goals and 33 assists by his 179th appearance and continues to be a mainstay in central and attacking midfield.
Lucas Paquetá (81 OVR – 86 POT)
Team: Olympique Lyonnais
Age: 23
Wage: £56,000
Value: £33.5 million
Best Attributes: 85 Dribbling, 84 Stamina, 84 Ball Control
Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá ensures that Olympique Lyonnais boast two of the very best young central midfielders in FIFA 22, coming into Career Mode with an 81 overall rating.
While Aouar has more of a creative build in FIFA 22, Paquetá is very much of a workhorse. His 84 stamina, 84 composure, 82 reactions, 78 aggression, 72 interceptions, 84 strength, and 72 standing tackle make the CM particularly good at recovering the ball.
Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Paquetá’s career began with Flamengo. In 2019, AC Milan paid a massive (for what teams usually pay for relatively raw Brazilian prospects) £34.5 million to bring him to Italy. In 2020, the Rossoneri sold him for £18 million, with a sell-on clause. Now, he’s a first-team regular in Ligue 1, even starting this season with four goals in nine games.
Renato Sanches (80 OVR – 86 POT)
Team: LOSC Lille
Age: 23
Wage: £32,500
Value: £28.5 million
Best Attributes: 89 Balance, 89 Shot Power, 87 Stamina
Narrowly making the cut at 23-years-old, midfield talent Renato Sanches has established himself well enough to earn an 80 overall rating in FIFA 22, making him one of the best young CMs to sign in Career Mode.
Known as a dogged midfield presence, Sanches’ attributes in-game lend him to a more advanced role if required. While his 87 stamina, 86 acceleration, 84 jumping and 85 agility all help him to command the centre circle, his 89 shot power will make you want to feed him in and around the box.
Things just didn’t pan out for Sanches in Germany, with his path to the starting XI of Bayern Munich often being blocked when he wasn’t questionably sent out on-loan to a struggling Swansea City in the Premier League. However, above all else, the biggest hindrance has been injuries, with yet another long-term ailment putting the young midfielder on the sidelines to start this season.
Ismaël Bennacer (80 OVR – 84 POT)
Team: AC Milan
Age: 23
Wage: £34,500
Value: £26 million
Best Attributes: 88 Balance, 86 Agility, 84 Short Pass
Ismaël Bennacer stands as the final best young CM with an overall rating of at least 80, and he also has a potential rating of 84 in FIFA 22.
The French-born Algerian centre-mid has several very user-friendly ratings at the age of 23, coming into Career Mode with 84 short pass, 83 long pass, 84 dribbling, 81 vision, and 84 ball control. So, Bennacer can be trusted to orchestrate your tactics when you’re in possession.
Bennacer took the long way to becoming a first-team regular in an elite league. He went from his local club, Athlétic Club Arlésien, to the Arsenal youth set-up. Then, he was sold to Empoli for £900,000, where he’d break out as a star in 2018/19, leading to AC Milan paying £15 million for his services that summer.
Jude Bellingham (79 OVR – 89 POT)
Team: Borussia Dortmund
Age: 18
Wage: £17,500
Value: £31.5 million
Best Attributes: 87 Stamina, 82 Reactions, 82 Aggression
Having joined Pedri in the list of the best CM wonderkids in FIFA 22, Jude Bellingham also climbs into the upper-ranks of the best young central midfielders with his 79 overall rating.
In Career Mode, it’s Bellingham’s gaudy 89 potential rating that makes him such an attractive signing. Still, from the get-go, he can certainly do a job in your midfield. His 87 stamina, 82 aggression, 82 reactions, 79 short passing, 78 defensive awareness, and 77 interceptions make Bellingham a force in the middle of the park.
After scoring four goals and three assists in 44 games for Birmingham City, Borussia Dortmund decided to make Bellingham their next English wonderkid project. Already, he’s played more than 50 games for the club, scoring six goals and teeing up eight more by his 55th appearance.
All of the best young central midfielders (CM) in FIFA 22 Career Mode
Here’s the list of all of FIFA 22’s best centre-mids to sign, with the young players being ranked by their overall ratings in Career Mode.
| Player | Overall | Potential | Age | Position | Team | Value | Wage |
| Federico Valverde | 83 | 89 | 22 | CM | Real Madrid | £50 million | £140,000 |
| Pedri | 81 | 91 | 18 | CM | FC Barcelona | £46.5 million | £43,500 |
| Houssem Aouar | 81 | 86 | 23 | CM, CAM | Olympique Lyonnais | £33.5 million | £56,000 |
| Lucas Paquetá | 81 | 86 | 23 | CM, CAM | Olympique Lyonnais | £33.5 million | £56,000 |
| Renato Sanches | 80 | 86 | 23 | CM, RM | LOSC Lille | £28.5 million | £32,500 |
| Ismaël Bennacer | 80 | 84 | 23 | CM, CDM | AC Milan | £26 million | £34,500 |
| Jude Bellingham | 79 | 89 | 18 | CM, LM | Borussia Dortmund | £31.5 million | £17,500 |
| Aurélien Tchouaméni | 79 | 85 | 21 | CM, CDM | AS Monaco | £24.1 million | £35,000 |
| Eduardo Camavinga | 78 | 89 | 18 | CM, CDM | Real Madrid | £25.4 million | £38,000 |
| Maxence Caqueret | 78 | 86 | 21 | CM, CDM | Olympique Lyonnais | £27.1 million | £38,000 |
| Ryan Gravenberch | 78 | 90 | 19 | CM, CDM | Ajax | £28.4 million | £9,000 |
| Youssouf Fofana | 78 | 83 | 22 | CM, CDM | AS Monaco | £18.5 million | £37,000 |
| Uroš Račić | 78 | 85 | 23 | CM, CDM | Valencia CF | £24.1 million | £27,000 |
| Amadou Haidara | 78 | 83 | 23 | CM, RM, LM | RB Leipzig | £18.1 million | £50,000 |
| Yangel Herrera | 78 | 84 | 23 | CM, CDM, CAM | RCD Espanyol (on-loan from Manchester City) | £18.9 million | £77,000 |
| Joey Veerman | 77 | 83 | 22 | CM, CDM, CAM | SC Heerenveen | £14.6 million | £9,000 |
| Weston McKennie | 77 | 82 | 22 | CM, RM, LM | Juventus | £13.8 million | £49,000 |
| Gedson Fernandes | 77 | 83 | 22 | CM | SL Benfica | £14.6 million | £11,000 |
| Exequiel Palacios | 77 | 83 | 22 | CM, CDM, CAM | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | £14.6 million | £35,000 |
| Matheus Nunes | 76 | 85 | 22 | CM | Sporting CP | £14.6 million | £10,000 |
| Gonzalo Villar | 76 | 83 | 23 | CM, CDM | Roma | £12.9 million | £34,000 |
| Mykola Shaparenko | 76 | 84 | 22 | CM, CAM | Dynamo Kyiv | £14.6 million | £774 |
| Riqui Puig | 76 | 85 | 21 | CM | FC Barcelona | £14.6 million | £65,000 |
| Ander Guevara | 76 | 82 | 23 | CM, CDM | Real Sociedad | £10.3 million | £22,000 |
| Orel Mangala | 76 | 81 | 23 | CM, CDM | VfB Stuttgart | £9.9 million | £20,000 |
| Matheus Henrique | 75 | 83 | 23 | CM, CDM | Sassuolo | £10.8 million | £22,000 |
| Hicham Boudaoui | 75 | 82 | 21 | CM, CDM | OGC Nice | £9.9 million | £18,000 |
| Daniel Bragança | 75 | 85 | 22 | CM | Sporting CP | £10.8 million | £9,000 |
| Unai Vencedor | 75 | 83 | 20 | CM, CDM | Athletic Club de Bilbao | £10.8 million | £15,000 |
| Yacine Adli | 75 | 81 | 20 | CM, CDM | FC Girondins de Bordeaux (on-loan from AC Milan) | £7.3 million | £22,000 |
| Orkun Kökçü | 75 | 83 | 20 | CM, CAM | Feyenoord | £10.8 million | £7,000 |
| Enock Mwepu | 75 | 81 | 23 | CM, CDM, CAM | Brighton & Hove Albion | £7.7 million | £36,000 |
| Imran Louza | 75 | 81 | 22 | CM, CAM, CDM | Watford | £7.7 million | £34,000 |
| Cheick Doucouré | 75 | 80 | 21 | CM | Racing Club de Lens | £7.3 million | £17,000 |
| Nicolás Domínguez | 75 | 83 | 23 | CM, CDM | Bologna | £10.8 million | £22,000 |
| Fran Beltrán | 75 | 82 | 22 | CM, CDM, CAM | RC Celta | £9.9 million | £16,000 |
| Jeff Reine-Adélaïde | 75 | 82 | 23 | CM, CAM, RW | Olympique Lyonnais | £9.5 million | £37,000 |
| Jean Lucas | 74 | 80 | 23 | CM, CDM | AS Monaco | £5.6 million | £29,000 |
| Zubimendi | 74 | 84 | 22 | CM, CDM, CB | Real Sociedad | £8.2 million | £20,000 |
| Pavel Bucha | 74 | 81 | 23 | CM, CAM, RM | Viktoria Plzeň | £7.3 million | £774 |
| Conor Gallagher | 74 | 82 | 21 | CM | Crystal Palace (on-loan from Chelsea) | £8.2 million | £46,000 |
| Arne Maier | 74 | 82 | 22 | CM, CDM | FC Augsburg (on-loan from Hertha BSC) | £8.2 million | £27,000 |
| Idrissa Doumbia | 74 | 80 | 23 | CM, CDM | SV Zulte-Waregem (on-loan from Sporting CP) | £5.6 million | £9,000 |
| Evander | 74 | 81 | 23 | CM, CAM | FC Midtjylland | £7.3 million | £18,000 |
Establish your midfield for years to come by transferring in one of the best young CMs in FIFA 22, as shown in the table above.
Looking for wonderkids?
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Right Backs (RB & RWB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Backs (LB & LWB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Wingers (LW & LM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Central Midfielders (CM) to Sign in Career Mode
