Football Manager 2020 Scottish wonderkids: 10 best young, high potential signings on the new game

Football Manager has always been a great way for avid fans of the game to forecast where the stars of tomorrow are likely to be found.
Billy Gilmour at Chelsea Training Ground in October 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Billy Gilmour at Chelsea Training Ground in October 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Billy Gilmour at Chelsea Training Ground in October 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

With the release of Football Manager 2020, another round of predictions can be made about the future of Scottish football's best and brightest, from those who have already struck out to make their names abroad, to those still biding their time.

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While no FM campaign pans out quite like any other, there are a few youngsters whose futures look all but assured.

Hearts Harry Cochrane during the pre season friendly between Hearts and Newcastle on July 14, 2017 in Edinburgh. (Photo by Christian Cooksey/Getty Images)Hearts Harry Cochrane during the pre season friendly between Hearts and Newcastle on July 14, 2017 in Edinburgh. (Photo by Christian Cooksey/Getty Images)
Hearts Harry Cochrane during the pre season friendly between Hearts and Newcastle on July 14, 2017 in Edinburgh. (Photo by Christian Cooksey/Getty Images)
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A quick, tricky winger from the get-go, Dembele earns his real-life reputation as the most hotly-anticipated player currently in the SFPL.

Whether or not he remains a “Scottish footballer” is another matter entirely, with England currently also looking to secure his loyalty.

While his small stature may hold him back at the very start, he makes up for it with dazzling feet and a real turn of pace.

Karamoko Dembele of Celtic is faced by Conor Shaughnessy of Hearts. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)Karamoko Dembele of Celtic is faced by Conor Shaughnessy of Hearts. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)
Karamoko Dembele of Celtic is faced by Conor Shaughnessy of Hearts. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)

Though you'll need to pay a fair bit to lure him away from Celtic, his value can soar over the £50m mark within a few seasons, and he can potentially become one of the best wingers in the game.

Position: AMR

Value: £2.5m

Aaron Hickey, Hearts

Aaron Hickey before the Betfred League Cup semi final between Rangers and Hearts in November 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Aaron Hickey before the Betfred League Cup semi final between Rangers and Hearts in November 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Aaron Hickey before the Betfred League Cup semi final between Rangers and Hearts in November 2019. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

A former Celtic youth, Hickey has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe after an explosive start to his professional career.

At only 17 years old, he begins FM 2020 with a nice balance of defensive and attacking talents, making him an able understudy. Within a few years, you could be dealing with one of the most well-rounded full-backs in Britain.

While he thrives on the left, he can also fill in at right-back, making him even better value for money.

Given that his value sits just under £100k at the start of the season, a raid on the Edinburgh club could prove highly fruitful in years to come.

Position: DL

Value: £93k

Billy Gilmour, Chelsea

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Another one who will cost you a lot more than his value from day one, Gilmour is a bargain in terms of how good he could become.

The ex-Rangers youth made his long-awaited first team debut for Chelsea this season and there is a huge amount of excitement surrounding him on both sides of the border.

In FM 2020, Gilmour has some stunning technical stats from day one and can grow quickly into one of the Premier League's most refined midfielders.

Position: MC

Value: £925k

Harry Cochrane, Hearts

Another well-documented Hearts prospect, Cochrane rose quickly to fame after swaggering through a duel with Celtic's Scott Brown at just 16 years old, becoming the club's youngest ever league goalscorer in the process.

In FM 2020, he has the potential to become one of Scotland's premier midfielders, providing a real goal threat from the middle of the park.

Starting off with double-figure stats for both close-range Finishing and Long Shots, he'll grow into somebody who can add goals from all over the park.

Beyond that, he's an incredibly well-balanced players with little in the way of real weaknesses.

Position: AMC

Value: £44k

James Scott, Motherwell

At the moment, Motherwell have a number of names on their books that are earmarked for the future – David Turnbull, Alan Campbell and Barry Maguire among others.

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However, 19-year-old James Scott could make a claim to being the pick of the bunch in Football Manager.

With strong stats for Finishing, Heading and First Touch already, Scott is a natural predator with all the raw materials to become a first class poacher.

Most impressively though, he also possesses an almost maxed out Determination rating, making him an extremely valuable presence to have in your locker room.

Position: ST

Value: £236k

Liam Morrison, Bayern Munich

Like aforementioned Billy Gilmour and the ultimately ill-fated Islam Feruz, Morrison's name was added to the list of ones that got away when he departed Celtic Park in favour of the German champions.

At only 16 years old, Morrison has a long way to go but boasts the perfect foundation to become an elite centre-half.

Already adept at all of the defensive fundamentals, he also boasts Decision Making and Position nous well beyond his years, and his towering Determination attribute is likely to drive him all the way to the top before long.

Position: CB

Value: £51k

Fraser Hornby, Everton (on loan at KV Kortrijk)

Everton hitman Fraser Hornby has been quickly rising through the Scottish youth ranks, knocking in more than a few goals along the way.

After going on loan to Belgian side KV Kortrijk this year, he added his first every senior strike when he put one past RFC Seraing in the Belgian cup.

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Another diamond in the rough, Hornby has the potential to grow into a rugged centre-forward with a bulldozing physicality and a great eye for a goal.

As a Premier League player, he won't come as cheap as many of the SPFL alternatives, but he makes for a good investment further down the line.

Position: ST

Value: £428k

Kyle Magennis, St Mirren

Still only 21 years old, Magennis is already an established part of the St Mirren midfield with over 60 appearances under his belt when the game begins.

As a player almost at the end of the “wonderkid” age bracket, it's less likely that Magennis will turn into a true world-beater the way someone like Gilmour or Dembele might.

However, he has an interesting mix of qualities that would make him an interesting addition to many midfields – blending tricky dribbling skills with thunderous long shots and a bit of aggression to create player that's hard to pin down.

Position: M(RC)

Value: £385k

Harvey St Clair, Kilmarnock (on loan from Venezia)

St Clair is a slightly hard sell in the short-term, lacking the kind of stand-out technical attributes to make an immediate impact for most teams.

However, he is blessed with a couple of strong mental stats as well as a good amount of Pace and Natural Fitness.

While the rest of his starting stats aren't all that showy, they are nicely-balanced, giving the Killie winger the potential to develop into a highly reliable wideman who could at the very least make a useful squad player for a better team.

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Like Magennis, St Clair is unlikely to be the transfer coup of the season, but he can easily pay back a lot more than what you'll spend on him over the course of the following seasons.

Position: AMR

Value: £171k

Josh McPake, Rangers (on loan at Dundee)

Few SPFL stars have the potential to rise as high as Rangers' attacking midfielder Josh McPake.

Right from the start, McPake combines ace Dribbling skills with excellent Off The Ball instincts to make him a constant threat whether he's in possession or not.

A Scotsman with a Flair stat of 15 is far from a common sight, especially at only 18 years old, giving him the potential to become one of the most exciting players in Scottish football.

Get in there fast and he represents one of the best bargain buys you'll find anywhere in Scotland.

Position: AMC

Value: £25k