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Bojan Krkic was born in Linyola (Catalonia) on 28th August 1990. In just one season, from 2006-07 to 2007-08, this promising young forward has made the leap from Juvenil A to the first team. Along the way he played the second part of the season with Barça B in Second Division B.

Bojan joined Barça in 1999 becoming part of the Benjamí A boys squad. His rise through the ranks of the Barça academy teams was meteoric: Aleví B (2000-01), Aleví A (2001-02), Infantil B (2002-03), Infantil A (2003-04) and Cadet B (2004-05). He started the 2005-06 season with the Cadet A team but was soon promoted up to Juvenil A. The pattern was repeated in the 2006-07 season, which he began with Juvenil A and finished with Barça B.

During his half season with Barça B, he scored 10 goals and became the team’s top scorer.

His big breakthrough came in 2007 when he won the European under-17 Championship with Spain, scoring the winning goal in the final against England (1-0). He also made his first team debut with Barça on 24th April against Al-Ahly in Egypt, scoring Barça’s second goal.

Bojan played the 2007-08 pre-season with the first team. But the Catalan forward missed out on the Asian tour due to his participation at the Under 17 World Cup in Korea. He scored five goals in the tournament, and was the star of a Spain side that finished second, while he was also named third best player of the tournament.

Back in Barcelona, Rijkaard handed the youngster his first chances both in the League and the Champions League. He set two records, becoming both the youngest Barça player ever to make his debut in the Champions league and the youngest player ever to score a league goal for Barça. The first record was achieved on September 19 2007, against Olympique Lyon, when he was 17 years and 22 days; the second was against Villarreal, on October 20 of the same year, when he scored aged just 17 years, 1 month and 22 days.

Full Name: Bojan Krkić
DOB: 28/08/1990 (age 17)
POB: Linyola, Lleida, Spain
Clubs: FC Barcelona (2007-)
Position: Striker
Number: 27
Preferred Foot: Right

(5 votes, average: 4.2 out of 5)

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Lets have a little look at yet another of our crop of wonderkids in Football Manager 2008 and this time it’ll be Juventus’ little attacking midfield sensation Sebastian Giovinco.

Giovinco a 21 year old forward for the Juventus primavera squad has made some headlines over the last twelve months and his performances have lead to the “next Del Piero” comparisons which have also been put upon past primavera stars Davide Chiumiento, Michele Paolucci, Rey Volpato, and recently Raffaele Palladino. Chiumiento being the most highly rated out of the group.

Giovinco impressed many at the Copa Carnevale tournament last season scoring twice against Palermo and then again against Malaysian. The young forward seems to have an easier path to Juventus first team football then past primavera strikers, due to the new UEFA regulations mandating home grown talent. Giovinco has impressive skills, excellent speed and finishing abilities which of course encouraged the Del Piero comparisons. The only knock is his size and very small frame but still only 21 has time to develop. He is also a staple in the Italian Under 21 team, he has excelled in the primavera squad and is getting recognition from abroad.

Apart from all this speculation, the forward is being held in high regards and may pass Palladino in the ranks if he continues his impressive form. In the Moggi era a player like this was sure to be loaned out and left to rot (Chiumiento, Guzman, Masiello, Volpato, Sculli). Hopefully with the new management and new regulations Giovinco along with other primavera starlets will be able to stick with the bianconeri.

Full Name: Sebastian Giovinco
DOB: 26/01/1987 (age 21)
POB: Turin, Italy
Clubs: Juventus (2006-), Empoli (2007-2008)*
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Striker
Number: 21
Preferred Foot: Right

*on loan

(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)

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We’ll have a quick look today at attacking midfielder/forward Henri Saivet who for me is probably the best wonderkid in Football Manager 2008.

While he can technically be picked up for free at the start of the game I have found it pretty difficult to do so and have usually had to pay around £5 million to from his French club Girondins Bordeaux. Either way, when you do pick him up he goes from strength to strength.

Saivet was promoted from the FC Girondins Bordeaux new youth training centre to the first team squad on his 16th birthday making him the youngest professional player in history of the the club. Coach Philipe Lucas, in an interview on the evaluation of 18 years has certified that “Henry is a player who plays with a pleasure and a rare opportunism.” As for Patrick Battiston, he confirmed that “the speed of the game and his technique were the strengths of a game brought forward.”

Full Name: Henri Saivet
DOB: 26/10/1990 (age 17)
POB: Dakar
Clubs: Girondins Bordeaux (2006-)
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Striker
Number: 25
Preferred Foot: Right

(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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This is number three in our series looking at the wonderkids of Football Manager 2008 and how they are getting on in real life.

Attacking midfielder Lulinha really goes on to get things in Football Manager 2008 and can be picked up for less than £1 million if you get in there early enough… He really is a must and doesn’t have issues signing for Championship sides, the greats have to start somewhere!

Lulinha was born in Maua, a Brazilian village in the State of São Paulo on 10/04/90. He started as a futsal player before joining the Corinthians youth system at the age of 8. A prolific attacking midfielder, he helped the Brazilian national team to win the 2007 U-17 South-American Championship, scoring 12 goals in 7 matches. In 2007 he played in the Pan American Games and scored 3 goals in 3 games.

There is much speculation involving Lulinha’s transfer to Europe, but at the end of 2007 he signed a new contract with his club Corinthians, committing himself to the club until 2012. Corinthian President Andres Sanchez added “to take him off Corinthians, the interested club would have to pay 35 million Euro (£24million), and the player has 25 per cent of his rights”. E

Full Name: Luiz Marcelo Morais dos Reis
DOB: 10/04/1990 (age 17)
POB: Maua, SP, Brazil
Clubs: Corinthians (2007-)
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Number: 19
Preferred Foot: Right

(10 votes, average: 4.6 out of 5)

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This is number two in our series looking at the wonderkids of Football Manager 2008 and how they are getting on in real life.

By far and away the best young goalkeeper in the game and a sure fire wonderkid we are going to have a quick look at Oscar Ustari.

Ustari played in children’s league in his native Argentina with Club Atlético Rivadavia before moving to Independiente at age 14. He first shot to prominence as part of a strong Argentinian side at the World Under-17 Championship in 2003 and made his professional debut in the Argentine first division in 2005, later going on to be the goalkeeper for the Argentina Under-20 team that won the 2005 Football World Youth Championship, which took place in the Netherlands (Holland).

On May 15, 2006 he was named by coach José Pekerman as a squad member of the Argentine team for the 2006 World Cup.

On January 4, 2007 reports emerged claiming he has been signed by FC Barcelona on a pre-contract deal due to begin in July 2007, with the fee believed to be in the region of £7 million. As it turns out it was in fact Getafe CF secured his services on July 4, for a fee of £4.5 million.

Full Name: Oscar Alfredo Ustari
DOB: 03/07/1986 (age 21)
POB: América, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Clubs: Independiente (2005-2007), Getafe CF (2007-)
Position: Goalkeeper
Number: 25
Preferred Foot: Right

(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)

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