The top 10 WhoScored rated players valued £5-10m on Football Manager 2020
If you haven't heard the news yet, then where have you been! Football Manager 20 (FM20) is free to play on desktop until 3PM (GMT) on April 1!
Manoeuvring through the wild west that is the transfer market can be difficult with more information available at your fingertips than ever before and we are here to help, using the unique WhoScored database.
We have already taken a look at how some of our breakthrough stars of 2019/20 compare on FM20 and have since introduced a mini-series finding the best value in the market. We opened with the 10 top WhoScored rated players valued more than £10M and up to £20M and now it's time for the second instalment.
Here we will compare the top 10 WhoScored rated players valued more than £5M up to £10M, in reverse order.
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10. Raphinha (Rennes) - 7.13 rating / FM Valuation £9.25M
Rennes have capitalised on the shortcomings of both Lille and Lyon this season in Ligue 1 to grab the final Champions League qualification place. Helped by the displays of some new faces, including Raphinha. The 23-year-old joined from Sporting CP at the start of the season and has been an instant hit, with five goals and three assists in 22 league appearances for Rennes. His five goals have come from just 14 attempts on target and he is a threat from wide areas with 2.6 successful dribbles per 90.
It's therefore unsurprising Raphinha rates exceptionally well on FM20 for dribbling (16/20), technique (16/20) and flair (17/20) - his three best attributes. The Brazilian looks like the ideal wide forward for most mid-level sides with aspirations of European football. He is a creative hub, emphasised by good base attributes for crossing (14/20), finishing (13/20), free-kick taking (14/20), passing (13/20) and crossing (13/20).
9. Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes) - 7.13 rating / FM Valuation £7.25M
If Eduardo Camavinga can show the potential on FM20 that he has in real life then at £7.25M it's a no brainer. Now 17, Camavinga is being lined up by Real Madrid after establishing himself as a first-team regular for Rennes in 2019/20. Remarkably, no player averages more tackles per game (4.3) than the teenager in Europe's top five leagues this season.
Starting the game at the age of only 16, Camavinga's FM20 stats do not quite reflect his current season form but they are still superb for someone so young. The fact he ranks 15/20 for anticipation, 14/20 for positioning and 14/20 for tackling suggests he will grow into the fantastic ball-winner he has in real life. He will either be a starting midfielder for your FM for the years to come or someone you can make a huge profit on.
8. Pierre Lees-Melou (Nice) - 7.14 rating / FM Valuation £5.5M
Nice will likely fall just short in their pursuit of European football this season and that could lead to the departures of some key performers in the summer. Pierre Lees-Melou is one that could be on the move following his exploits in midfield this season. Now 26, Lees-Melou has scored five goals and provided six assists in 26 league appearances, matching his best ever campaign with 10 games remaining.
The Frenchman can certainly provide your midfield with a bit of everything. Lees-Melou averages 2.4 tackles per game, 2.1 shots per game and 1.3 key passes per game. Returning those sorts of statistics points to a box-to-box midfielder and his ability to carry out that role in midfield is reflected well in his FM20 profile. He rates 16/20 for stamina, 17/20 for work rate and 16/20 for determination - his best base attributes. Two of his five league goals this season have come from outside the box and he rates 14/20 for long shooting on FM20.
7. Andy Delort (Montpellier) - 7.15 rating / FM Valuation 7.5M
After a couple of underwhelming years at Toulouse, Andy Delort has made a happy transition to life at Montpellier since the beginning of last season. He scored 14 goals in his debut league campaign for the club and has netted nine times in 2019/20. Delort has also privided 10 assists in Ligue 1 for Montpellier, suggesting he is not just in the team to score goals. A return of 3.3 shots per game and 1.5 key passes in 2019/20 would reinforce that.
Delort is in the age bracket where hitting the ground running is complusory and his FM20 statistics at least suggest he is well placed for that. The Algerian could prove an effective target man for your side, with FM20 stats of 15/20 for strength, 13/20 first touch, 15/20 heading and 14/20 finishing. He is also prepared to put his body in the line where others may not, with 18/20 for bravery and 14/20 for aggression.
6. Florian Niederlechner (Augsburg) - 7.16 rating / FM Valuation £5.5M
Injury effectively ended Florian Niederlechner's Freiburg career at the end of 2017 and a move away in the summer was a must, which he managed. Since joining fellow Bundesliga side Augsburg, the German striker has rediscovered his form in front of goal and has already matched his best top-flight return with 11 goals. However, Niederlechner has also added assists to his game this season, having set up six goals for team-mates in the Bundesliga across his 25 appearances in 2019/20.
Bringing others into play is perhaps what Niederlechner is best at, as reflected by his base statisticis on FM20. Niederlechner's best attributes are strength (16/20), bravery (16/20), aggression (16/20) and work rate (16/20). His only two statistically calculated WhoScored strengths are 'holding on to the ball' and 'key passes', which also reinforces the point he can hold the ball up when played into feet.
5. Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo) - 7.21 rating / FM Valuation £9.5M
Manuel Locatelli burst onto the scene in Serie A at the end of 2016 after scoring for boyhood club AC Milan against, coincidentally, current club Sassuolo with a long range piledriver. It didn't work out for the Italian midfielder at Milan but their loss has certainly been Sassuolo's gain this season. Locatelli has supplied four assists 19 league starts for the Neroverdi in 2019/20 and is a relatively cheap option on FM20 for most midtable sides across Europe.
Locatelli's main role is to break up opposition play, illustrated by 2.3 tackles per game in Serie A this season, but the now-22-year-old is also averaging 1.2 shots per game, 1.7 key passes per game and 1.8 dribbles per game. He is actually the heartbeat of the side, with more passes per game (62.8) per game than any other player at the club. Suggestions he is more than simply a defensive midfielder are further reinforced on FM20 by ratings of 16/20 for passing, 14/20 for long shots, 14/20 for technique and 13/20 for dribbling.
4. Marcus Thuram (Gladbach) - 7.33 rating / FM Valuation £7.25M
Signed last summer as one for the future, Marcus Thuram's quick development this season may have even caught Gladbach by surprise. Thuram, the son of France World Cup winning defender Lilian, has played a direct hand in four more goals (14) than he managed across the whole of 2018/19 in his final campaign for Guingamp. Thuram only registered one assist in 32 league games for Guingamp last season but has returned eight in 25 games for Gladbach in 2019/20. He created only three clear-cut scoring chances last term compared to 10 for Gladbach this season.
Gladbach appear to have brought the best out of Thuram by playing him as a striker, rather than on the left wing as Guingamp mainly did last season. Pace is a key weapon for the French youngster but he is also a strong ball-carrier. On FM20 he rates 16/20 for both pace and strength, while dribbling is 14/20 with plenty of room for improvent. Expect the unexpected from Thuram, as he rates 15/20 for flair and 13/30 for vision.
3. Suat Serdar (Schalke) - 7.41 rating / FM Valuation £7.5M
Suat Serdar has been one of the unsung heros of the 2019/20 Bundesliga campaign, perhaps in part due to Schalke's hit-and-miss form. The 22-year-old is, however, well on course to become the next big thing to leave Schalke for pastures new, following in the footsteps of Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane and Manuel Neuer in recent times. Indeed, there is a WhoScored rating distance of 0.31 between Serdar and Schalke's second best WhoScored rated (10+ starts) player in the Bundesliga this season.
The 22-year-old has scored seven goals in just 17 league starts in 2019/20 and won the WhoScored Man of the Match award four times. Six of those have come from open play, ranging from goals inside the box and outside the box. Serdar is particularly effective at breaking up opposition play, shown by a return of 2.8 tackles per game, and carrying possession forward with 2.7 successful dribbles per game. Both reinforced on FM20 by ratings of 14/20 for dribbling and 15/20 for tackling. His WhoScored rating in the second half of matches (6.81) is better than the first 45 minutes (6.63) and is reflected on FM20. While others fade, he gets stronger, illustrated by returns of 17/20 for natural fitness, 18/20 for stamina and 16/20 for pace. Moreover, work rate is 18/20 and off the ball is 17/20.
2. Teji Savanier (Montpellier) - 7.45 rating / FM Valuation £7.25M
Teji Savanier has been playing catch up in recent months after starting the season at hometown club Montpellier injured after completing a controversial summer switch from local rivals Nimes. Montpellier managed to pick up Savanier for peanuts considering his remarkably curious output last season. Savanier played a direct hand in 20 league goals for Nimes in 2018/19, including 14 assists. He is particuarly effective from set-pieces, though has managed just two assists in 19 league games for Montpellier in 2019/20.
It is therefore not a surprise Savanier's best attribute on FM20 is free kick taking (16/20). He also ranks 15/20 for corners, 15/20 for technique, 14/20 for vision and 12/20 for crossing. Starting FM20 at 27, you may target players with age on their side but he is certainly a curious case worth considering. A solid dribble success rate of 65% in Ligue 1 since the beginning of last season is also recognised on FM20 (14/20 dribbling).
1. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) 7.54 rating / FM Valuation £6.25M
Alphonso Davies has been nothing short of a revelation for Bayern Munich this season, excelling at left-back for the Bundesliga giants despite signing from MLS as a winger. He is the top WhoScored rated player valued more than £5M up to £10M. Now 19, Davies has scored one goal and provided four assists in 21 league appearances for Bayern so far this season. Starting so deep appears to play to Davies' strengths as a powerful ball-carrier, as the Canada international ranks second of all players aged 21 and under in Europe's top five leagues for successful dribbles per game (3).
What you can expect from Davies is maximum effort and endless energy down the left flank. This is highlighted on FM20 by the fact acceleration (16/20), natural fitness (15), pace (17) and stamina (14) are among his best rated base attributes. With that in mind, it's no surprise he has a statistically calculated strength of 'dribbling'. On FM20 his best trait with the ball at his feet is crossing (12) and that dovetails nicely with a WhoScored strength of 'key passes'. If it's a rampaging, versatile, full-back you are after then look no further.
