The domestic season may be young, but we have already caught an early glimpse into which players could be the stars of this season.
Two weekends into the Premier League and Ligue 1, and one into the Bundesliga and La Liga, RealSport takes a look into who has stood out in the opening weeks of the season, and how they could look in FIFA 20, which doesn’t hit shelves until Friday, 27 September.
Teemu Pukki (OVR 71 – 79)
Position: ST
Age: 29
Club/Country: Norwich/Finland
Teemu Pukki arrived in East Anglia at the start of last season with muted expectations, then scored 29 goals and won EFL Player of the Year. It’s difficult to think of a free transfer more consequential.
His introduction to Premier League life has been similarly explosive, scoring at Anfield then hitting a hat-trick in the first game at Carrow Road, the pick of which was a sumptuous volley to open the scoring.
His FIFA 19 rating was only 71 but after such an expectedly magnificent year for Norwich, it will be interesting to see by how much he will be boosted.
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Mason Mount (OVR 74 – 78)
Position: CAM, CM
Age: 20
Club/Country: Chelsea/England
Mason Mount has so far been the biggest beneficiary of Frank Lampard’s arrival at Chelsea. Mount impressed last year under Lampard when on loan at Derby, and the new Chelsea boss seems to have instilled the same faith in the young Englishman at Premier League level.
On Sunday, Mount scored the first home goal of the Lampard-era, capitalising on a Wilfred Ndidi error to slide home. He seems unfazed by a starting role at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Additionally, it’s refreshing to see an academy product given a proper chance at Chelsea, something the club frequently overlooked before Lampard and assistant Jody Morris’ return.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (OVR 76 – 80)
Position: RB
Age: 21
Club/Country: Manchester United/England
Wan-Bissaka has carried his form from his fine season at Crystal Palace into his first year as a Manchester United player. He looked superb in his debut against Chelsea, proving typically impossible to dribble past, then backed it up with another strong display against Wolves.
With Wan-Bissaka and also Harry Maguire now on board, Manchester United have a young, competent defence to build and depend upon. It will be worth watching whether he can add an offensive element to his game, something he was given little opportunity to do at Crystal Palace.
His rating could be boosted to as much as 80 on FIFA 20.
Dani Ceballos (OVR 81 – 82)
Position: CM, CAM
Age: 23
Club/Country: Arsenal/Spain
Ceballos wasn’t the biggest name signing at Arsenal this summer, especially as he’s only a loanee, but on Saturday, he was the first to make a major impact with a two-assist display against Burnley. He showed such elegance and poise on the ball, something which Arsenal have been missing since Santi Cazorla left.
His performance also possessed grit and passion – most notably when dispossessing a Burnley player before setting up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s winner, then celebrating on his own at the corner flag before his teammates could reach him.
His rating was increased to 81 in January but should increase by at least one more.
Kevin De Bruyne (OVR 91 – 91)
Position: CAM, CM
Age: 28
Club/Country: Manchester City/Belgium
Last season was a frustrating one for Kevin De Bruyne. Having been the centrepiece of Pep Guardiola’s first Premier League triumph, he had to watch the vast majority of their title defence from the sidelines.
De Bruyne is fully fit again and is already showing that he can still be Manchester City’s main man, thanks to a dominant display in City’s thrashing of West Ham and two stunning assists against Spurs on Saturday.
After missing so much of last year, it’s more likely to see De Bruyne’s rating drop than increase. Hopefully, it won’t; De Bruyne is still worthy of one of the highest ratings in the game.
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Eduardo Camavinga (OVR N/A – 70)
Position: CM
Age: 16
Club/Country: Stade Rennais/Angola
Even football fanatics hadn’t heard of Eduardo Camavinga before last weekend. Most probably still haven’t. His name, however, is one you should remember.
Only 16 years old, he announced himself to the football world on Sunday with a fantastic display against Paris Saint-Germain, in which he delivered a pinpoint cross to set up Rennes’ shock winner.
The latest talent coming out of Rennes didn’t even have a FIFA 19 rating. After all, he was only 15. Keep an eye on the young Angolan.
Joao Felix (OVR 69 – 83)
Position: CF, LW, ST
Age: 19
Club/Country: Atletico Madrid/Portugal
Surely there are few teenagers carrying more expectations on their shoulders than Joao Felix. At the age of 19, the €126 million Atletico paid for him makes him the third-most-expensive player in history. He’s expected to step into Antoine Griezmann’s boots, even taking his no. 7 shirt.
His place on this list was largely earned by a majestic pre-season, in which he scored three and assisted four. He also lit up and otherwise drab season opener against Getafe with a mazy, mesmerising run.
His FIFA 20 rating is one of the hardest to predict; he was rated 69 on FIFA 19 and it’s difficult to say how much of a boost EA will give to a player who had a magnificent season, but in a relatively weak league. If they were to be generous, it could be as high as 83 or 84. You can be certain, however, that he’ll receive one of the biggest boosts in the game.
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