The 10 top WhoScored rated players valued £10-20m on Football Manager 2020

Last week we introduced our data-driven Football Manager 20 (FM20) series comparing some of the best breakthrough stars of the 2019/20 campaign according to our unique rating system to their respective stats and valuation on the game.

We found there are players such as Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Mounir Chouiar of Dijon with base valuations of £6.5M and £1.7M, respectively. The task for most on FM20 will be to find value in the transfer market, as only a few clubs will have budgets big enough to land the best players. That's where we come in...

With Football Manager now available on desktop for free until 3PM (GMT) on April 1, we turn our attention to the best WhoScored rated players valued more than £10M and under £20M on FM20, excluding those the wrong side of 30. We have picked out the top 10 WhoScored rated players from Europe's top 5 leagues this season who fall between that range, starting with the 10th best rated player and counting down to number one.

FREE PLAY EXTENSION 📝

Football Manager 2020 remains completely free to play on Steam for one final week, sending you into extra time until 3PM (GMT) on April 1st across PC/Mac.

Continue your #FM20 journey...https://t.co/RizDu4Gz2p pic.twitter.com/gvjQ2Fps9A

— Football Manager (@FootballManager) March 23, 2020

10 - Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) - 7.23 rating / FM Valuation £16.25M

Dayot Upamecano's valuation reflects what was a disappointing 2018/19 for the Frenchman, coupled with the fact he will only have two years left to run on his current RB Leipzig contract when you start FM20 in the summer of 2019. This season, however, he has served a timely reminder of his qualities.

Of players that have attempted at least 15 tackles in the Champions League this season, Upamecano has the best success rate (95%). Furthermore, of players that have attempted more than 10 dribbles, the Leipzig defender impressively has the fourth best success rate (91.2%) in the competition. These attributes are reflected on FM, with tackling and marking stats of 17/20 and 16/20, respectively and dribbling ranked at 12/20 - an impressive return for a centre-back. Keep him on your transfer wishlists until January, however, as he starts FM20 injured.

9. Robin Gosens (Atalanta) - 7.24 rating / FM Valuation £16.25M

Atalanta have picked up from where they left off last season and continue to prove one of the most entertaining teams to watch in any of Europe's top 5 leagues. Their league matches have, remarkably, seen an average of 4.2 goals per game. The likes of Josip Ilicic and Papu Gomez have understandably hogged the headlines, but there have also been other key performers, such as Robin Gosens.

The 25-year-old is enjoying his best ever campaign for goal involvement (12), all from left wing-back. Gosens' conversion rate stands at 18.4% in Serie A this season, while also averaging 3 tackles per game in the Champions League. In comparison to his base stats on FM20, he rates 13/20 for tackling and 14/20 for long shots.

8. Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla) - 7.26 rating / FM Valuation £12.25M

Lucas Ocampos has quietly put together a very good maiden campaign for Sevilla after signing from Marseille last summer. Ocampos' displays for Sevilla have even earned him intenational recognition for Argentina for the first time in his career. The 25-year-old has reached 10 goals in a league campaign for the first time in his career and also supplied two assists in LaLiga across his first 22 league appearances for Sevilla. A return of three WhoScored Man of the Match awards is also a personal best in a single-league campaign for Ocampos.

Despite predominantly being in the side to score goals, Ocampos is also a willing worker off the ball, highlighted by a return of 1.8 tackles per game in LaLiga. His desire to go beyond the call of duty for the team is reflected by a return of 16/20 for work rate on FM20. However, his over-eagerness to win the ball back is often apparent by a return of 14/20 for aggression on FM20 and 1.4 fouls conceded per game, resulting in a statistically calculated weakness of 'discipline'. However, having only just signed for Sevilla you may have to wait until January to get your hands on Ocampos.

7. Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig) - 7.29 rating / FM Valuation £11.75M

Considering what was a superb individual campaign for Marcel Halstenberg in 2018/19, finishing as the fourth highest WhoScored rated player in the Bundesliga, a valuation of just £11.75M is a snip. Capable of playing at left-back and part of a back three, Halstenberg's versatility is another plus point.

The Germany international has played a direct hand in 14 league goals since the beginning of last season and has won the WhoScored Man of the Match four times in that spell. He has nine statistically calculated WhoScored strengths, with a mix of attacking and defensive traits. He is a well-rounded player and that is also reflected on FM20. The German ranks 15/20 for crossing, 14/20 for heading, 15/20 for long shots and 14/20 for concentration, for example.

6. Alassane Plea (Gladbach) - 7.29 rating / FM Valuation £14.25M

Into his second season at Gladbach after spending his entire career in native France, Plea has been astute business by the Bundesliga club. The Frenchman returned 12 goals and four assists in his first campaign at the club and already has 15 goal involvements in 2019/20. He rates as 16/20 for finishing, 13/20 for long shots and 13/1 for vision on FM. Gladbach have experimented with Plea out on the wing but to little success. FM stats of 10/20 for crossing, highlight as much, further reinforced by a statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of 'crossing'. Base stats of 8/20 for tackling and 6/20 for marking also suggest he's weak defensively.

He could, however, prove the ideal out-and-out striker on FM for clubs aspiring for European football in the Premier League or a back-up option for those already in the Champions League. You will have to be quick, however, AC Milan start the game interested in him.

5. Jeremie Boga (Sassuolo) - 7.31 rating / FM Valuation £11.5M

Jeremie Boga has been a revelation in Serie A this season and former club Chelsea are now understood to be in talks to re-sign their academy graduate at the end of the season. The versatile winger is at his best in one-on-one situations with defenders, illustrated by the fact he has completed at least 30 more dribbles than any other player in Serie A this season (106). That too is reflected on FM20, with dribbling ranked 18/20 and flair as 16/17 as base attributes.

Boga can still improve in front of goal but a return of eight league goals in 19/20 for a midtable Serie A side is a good start. If you are looking to sign Boga then do not expect much from the youngster off the ball. He has a statistically calculated weakness of defensive contribution, further reinforced by FM stats of 4/20 for tackling, 3/20 for marking and 4/20 for positioning.

4. Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.36 rating / FM Valuation £15.5M

Raphael Guerreiro has struggled to nail down a regular starting berth at Borussia Dortmund in recent years but has impressed when given the chance. Dortmund's loss would certainly be to someone else's gain on FM. Guerreiro is capable of playing at left-back, left wing and has even occupied a central midfield role in the past. From 17 league starts this season, the Portugal international has weighed in with five goals and two assists in the Bundesliga.

Guerreiro is particularly good from deadball situations and rates 15/20 for free-kick taking on FM20. Other standout attributes on the game, that are perhaps undervalued when looking for players to buy, come under the mental category. Guerreiro rates 16/20 for anticipation, 17/20 for composure and 16/20 for decision-making. All pin-point to someone capable of excelling in high-cooker situations, notable for someone that should be available on the transfer market.

3. Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.36 rating / FM Valuation £20M

If it is a rampaging, explosive young wide player capable of playing at full-back and further forward, look no further than Achraf Hakimi. As the Real Madrid loanee has demonstrated this season, he can be a real asset going forward from deep and in attack. This is illustrated on FM20 by returns of 17/18 for natural fitness, 18/20 for pace and 17/20 for stamina. With such a skillset, it's not a surprise Hakimi is a good at getting past people with the ball, highlighted by a base attribute of 14/20 for dribbling on the game.

The Morocco international has returned 17 goals and assists across 33 appearances in league and European competition this season, including four goals in the Champions League and 10 asssists in the Bundesliga. He is, however, right at the top end of the £20M range and will likely cost more than that.

2. Domencio Berardi (Sassuolo) - 7.49 rating / FM Valuation £17.25M

After bursting onto the scene in 2013, it was thought it was a matter of when, rather than if, Domenico Berardi would end up at a club like Juventus. That wasn't the case. A few tame seasons followed and his reputation dipped, as did any talk about a high profile move. That could be about to change, however.

This season Berardi has played a direct hand in 14 goals in 20 league appearances, already two more than he managed in 35 games in 2018/19. As a result, Berardi features in the WhoScored Team of the Season in Serie A and only Cristiano Ronaldo (5.9) averages more shots per game than the Italy international (4.1) in the division. Berardi has shown down the years he is good from scoring from open play and from deadball situations. His FM20 stats reflect that with 14/20 for finishing, 14/20 for free-kick taking and 15/20 for penalty taking.

1. Filip Kostic (Frankfurt) - 7.55 rating / FM Valuation £16.25M

Filip Kostic has been a consistent performer for Frankfurt for a number of seasons now and it's a surprise he stayed at the club last summer when the likes of Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller were snapped up. Kostic is the highest WhoScored rated player available from a price range between £10-20M on FM20 and is seriously worth considering as an option on the left flank.

Kostic has played a direct hand in 12 goals in 23 league starts this season and has won the WhoScored Man of the Match on five occasions in that time. He returns 2.7 shots per game, 2.6 key passes per game and 2.9 successful dribbles per game in the Bundesliga to paint the picture of a thoroughly effective wide area. These are backed up by statistics on FM20, ranking 13/20 for long shots, 15/20 for crossing and 14/20 for dribbling.