FIFA 16: Best Young Players to Target in Career Mode
It's too bad there are no American football-style fantasy drafts in FIFA 16 when you want to begin the campaign in career mode. Unless you're playing FIFA Ultimate Team Draft, you'll have to wheel and deal to acquire the services of the best players in the world on one club.
If you're in it for the long haul of a career mode, you'll want to fix your attention on acquiring some of the best young talent in the world to give your club some longevity. Mind you, there's almost no feasible way to get all of the players listed here on the same club—unless you're playing FUT—but getting two of them would be a fantastic accomplishment.
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One position that is often ignored when discussing the game's best young players is the goalkeeper. We know the men in gloves can be the difference in any match. If you're looking for the best young keeper, look no further than 24-year-old Manchester United star David de Gea. He's listed as the 26th-best player in FIFA 16, per EASports.com.
The Spaniard had some amazing saves for a marginal defense last season, and he has drawn praise from the likes of the ESPN FC's Tor Kristian-Karlsen:
"Viewed by some as a liability upon joining Manchester United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 -- and criticized for his alleged "lack of personality" -- more than 100 games later the Spaniard is not only proving inspirational between the posts but also absolutely fundamental to the club's quest to rejoin the Champions League.
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If you want to solidify your play in net for virtual seasons to come, work a transfer deal with Manchester United for De Gea.
Paul Pogba, Juventus
Even though he's just 22 years old, Paul Pogba is already arguably the best midfielder in the sport. Juventus knows what it has in Pogba, as they have been reluctant to turn the bright young star loose despite overtures from huge clubs.
Per Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror, general manager Giuseppe Marotta seems intent on driving a hard bargain for Pogba. Marotta said:
"As we want to win, we have decided to keep hold of a player as important as Pogba, although we have had offers from some very important clubs.
In the future he could be worth more than €100m. We've lost the likes of [Andrea] Pirlo, [Carlos] Tevez and [Arturo] Vidal, three irreplaceable players, against our will and replacing them isn't easy.
Directors, managers and players come and go, but clubs, victories and their successes to come remain.
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You better hope the general manager A.I. isn't as stubborn. Take a look at Pogba's ratings in the game.
He's listed as the 31st-best player in FIFA 16, and he's still in his early 20s. The arrow is pointing way up for Pogba.
Eden Hazard, Chelsea
In FIFA 16, Eden Hazard's overall rating is up to an 89 overall.
That's the highest rating for any player 25 and under. At 24 years old, Hazard still has plenty of upside. His 92 dribbling rating and 90 pacing make him a handful to contain for any opponent.
Good luck finding a way to pry him away from Chelsea. If the general manager A.I. is working properly, Hazard should be one of the most protected players in the game.
That said, if you do have designs on building around him, you might want to consider controlling Chelsea to get Hazard by default. If you then started attempting to acquire some of the other top youngsters to play with him, that might be a plan.
Neymar, FC Barcelona
Last but not least is FC Barcelona's Neymar Jr. Only Hazard has a higher overall rating among players who are 25 and younger.
While Hazard is a touch better in some key areas, Neymar has a 5-star rating for his weak foot and skill moves. If you're looking for a player who will be slightly more dynamic in striking distance of the opponent's goal, you'll want Neymar over Hazard.
Both men have very similar ratings with little difference separating them. Quite honestly, if you have a chance to acquire either man during your career mode experience, jump at it immediately.
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