How to find a nugget in Football Manager?

Are you tired of seeing world football stars being recruited by big clubs before you can even approach them? Don’t panic, Football Manager offers you several methods to find future stars before they become known to everyone! Here are our tips for finding gems on Football Manager (wonder for purists).

Scouting is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Football Manager and today I’ll reveal the best scouting methods for finding those hidden gems and those wonderful kids. The next Lamine Yamal is ours!! This is how we managed to bring you an article about our nuggets and the best young players on FM 24!

Preparing for the match on FM

Before you dive into scouting, there are a few things to check out before even starting the game. The first thing you need to do is make sure your game setup is perfect, as this will determine your gameplay.
In my experience, having a large number of players doesn’t really slow down the game.
To find hidden gems, it’s often interesting to add players in places like Colombia and Mexico, for example. So in the Mexican First Division or the Colombian First Division players with any reputation in those countries will be available.
Be careful not to confuse this with “playable” leagues. Playable leagues are something you should be careful about. The more playable leagues there are in your game, the slower the game will process. In my experience, having 1 to 5 playable leagues doesn’t really slow down processing speed, but more importantly it can quickly turn the game into a gas factory.
In the game settings you can also choose to reveal player attributes. Well, we’re not going to lie, this takes away the charm of finding nuggets on Football Manager. But it’s up to you to do it or not!

The role of scouts in Football Manager

Having scouts (recruiters) is important, but the most important thing is to have good scouts! To have a good recruiter, you have to look at his characteristics!
When it comes to the characteristics of my scouts, I would look for nothing less than the highest in evaluating the potential and abilities of the players. But another element is also important: knowledge. I wouldn’t necessarily hire a Brazilian scout if he didn’t know Brazil, for example.

External Football Manager resources

Finally, I want to mention the importance of external databases and third-party tools. There are many websites and forums where players share results and advice. You can also use tools like Genie Scout or FMScout to get more information about players. This can be very useful if you need additional help finding players, especially if you are looking for something very specific.

The “Squad Planner”, your new best friend

Let’s talk a little about the “Squad Planner”, this underrated tool that will become your best friend. Many players ignore it, thinking it’s just a way to organize their team. But in reality, it’s a goldmine for identifying gaps in your team and scouting out the perfect players to fill them. How does it work? Easy. You choose the position where you want to reinforce, say, a central midfielder. Then click “Search Players” and BAM! A list of potential candidates appears. You can filter by age, cost, and even specific attributes. With this, finding a gem becomes almost too easy… but don’t panic, there’s still a bit of a challenge!
To learn more about the Squad Planner, visit the FMScout website

From the nugget to the Golden Ball

Searching for a gem in Football Manager is a bit like fishing on the high seas. Sometimes you spend hours without catching anything, sometimes you catch a big fish. But with the tips I just shared, you should be able to fill your networks with promising young talent. So don’t hesitate any longer, go hunting and who knows? Maybe your next discovery will turn the heads of the whole world… or at least those of your opponents in the Champions League final!

Good luck and don’t forget to come back and tell me how many Ballon d’Ors your little protégé has won!

In the meantime, we invite you to elect your best wonderkids each season on Football Manager