It seems only yesterday that Trent Alexander-Arnold, the highest-rated right-back on this year’s edition of FC 25, was a fresh-faced 17-year-old with a 68 overall hoping to break into Jürgen Klopp’s illustrious Liverpool team.
Alexander-Arnold is now 25 years old, in the prime of his career, has won every trophy available at club level and ultimately, has re-defined how we view the right-back position. A position that was perhaps once perceived as unattractive, bland, and defensive can now be one of the deadliest components of an elite team’s attacking moves.
Today, a new wave of talented teenage right-backs, all like Alexander-Arnold and unique in their own way, strive to replicate the successes of the Englishman. What’s more, they’re all available for you to sign on in EA FC 25’s latest instalment of the much-loved career mode feature.
So, if you’re team is missing a deadly right-back that’ll progress into one of the world’s best in the coming years on your career mode save, we’re here to provide you with a detailed scouting report of the best right-backs.
We’ll explore beyond simply analysing the overalls and potential ratings of the world’s top teenage talents and advise you on the right backs to sign to align with your team’s tactics and objectives over the coming seasons.
Let’s explore the top five young right-backs to sign on EAFC25.
All stats courtesy of SOFIFA and TransferMarkt.
Table of Contents
5. Josh Acheampong (Chelsea)
Chelsea’s 18-year-old sensation, Josh Acheampong, a member of Will Antwi’s England U19 team, has the potential to be special in FC25 career mode.
Acheampong, who has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea’s first team, only has a rating of 63 on FC25, but if managed correctly, could grow into one of the world’s best players by the late 2020s.
There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the powerful right-back among those who watch the West London club’s youth games, reflected in his FC 25 stats.
The 6 ft right-back already has great physical stats: 76 sprint speed, 72 strength, and 74 jumping. He shows promise in developing into a ball-playing defender with technical stats such as 60 short passing.
Acheampong probably isn’t ready for teams in the elite league’s yet, but he would represent a good long-term project for almost any club on the game. Unlike many wonderkids on our list, the Englishman will only set you back approximately £1.3M, making him accessible if you’re working under budget restrictions.
Our tip: Train Acheampong to become a ball-playing CB and play him on the right-hand side of a back three to see the best long-term results for your investment.
4. Martim Fernandes (Porto)
In recent seasons, Porto, arguably Portugal’s most iconic club, has produced some absolute gems, with the likes of Luis Diaz, Eder Militao, and Vitinha stepping out of their world-renowned talent factory.
Martim Fernandes, an 18-year-old right-back who’s already featured on five occasions for the first team, has the potential to be the next international superstar stepping out of Porto’s Estadio do Dragão.
Fernandes, a typical Portuguese full-back who’s comfortable with the ball at his feet, is 69-rated on FC 25 and will almost certainly develop into one of his nation’s best defenders in the game by the turn of the decade.
With 64 short passing, 73 ball control, and 68 dribbling combined with 72 sprint, Fernandes will evolve into a technically competent attacking full-back who will eventually be comfortable performing for Europe’s best possession-heavy teams.
The £3.1M-rated full-back is strong defensive, too; with 70 standing tackle and 66 sliding tackle, Fernandes represents a player that’ll develop into one of the game’s most complete defenders.
Our tip: If you’re playing as one of the world’s biggest clubs, sign Fernandes in the first transfer window and loan him out for a couple of seasons while he develops. Once Fernandes returns, there’s every chance he’ll be ready to feature in your first team.
3. Ivàn Fresneda (Sporting CP)
Ivàn Fresneda, once a member of Real Madrid’s youth set-up, is a player to look out for on FC 25. The Sporting CP right-back, who attracted interest from Chelsea and Arsenal in the Summer of 2023, was once considered among the most exciting young prospects in the soccer world.
But the 19-year-old has been plagued by injuries throughout his early career and interest from Europe’s elite clubs seems to have simmered down. Nonetheless, Fresneda already has a 73 overall and still has plenty of time of fulfil his potential.
Standing at 6 ft tall, possessing a 4-star weak foot, and having solid technical stats, such as 77 ball control and 75 dribbling, are all evidence of a player that could develop into one of the game’s best right-backs, but is perhaps lacking a strong identity.
If you sign Fresneda in one of the early transfer windows, you’ll be able to mold him into whatever player suits your team. Fresneda’s height and key defensive stats, including 76 standing tackle, demonstrate a player who could play on the right side of a back three. Meanwhile his technical and physical stats, such as 76 acceleration, show a player who can operate as a marauding right-back or even further up the pitch.
Our tip: Sign Fresneda, who could be available for as little as £7M in the first transfer window, if you’re a team in an elite league that isn’t expected to win major silverware straight away. The Spaniard would be a good signing for clubs such as Brentford, Girona, or Atalanta.
2. Connor Bradley (Liverpool)
In real life, Connor Bradley isn’t going anywhere soon. Last season, many Liverpool supporters were uneasy after discovering Alexander-Arnold would spend an extended period on the sidelines due to injury, but nobody could’ve expected the Northern Irish right-back to step up in his place as competently as he did.
The right-back provided three goal involvements in Liverpool’s 4-1 maul over Chelsea in January 2024 and lifted the Carabao Cup just a few weeks later.
In FC 25, Bradley has a 75 overall and is explosive. The 20-year-old is rated 83 for sprint speed, 83 for aggression, and 84 for stamina. Bradley is far from just a relentless running engine at the back. The full-back has 72 crossing, 74 dribbling, and 74 ball control making him the perfect attacking right-back.
Bradley’s attributes best suit attacking and counter-pressing teams who win the ball high up the pitch. To get the best out of the £12M rated defender, consider using a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation with narrow wingers, enabling Bradley to bomb up the pitch.
Our tip: If you’re using Liverpool for your career mode save, consider selling Alexander-Arnold and experiment with whether Bradley can replace the game’s highest-rated right-back at Anfield.
1. Rico Lewis (Manchester City)
Rico Lewis, described by Pep Guardiola as “a little Phillip Lamb,” is perhaps the most exciting young right-back on the planet right now. Still, Manchester City’s sales of Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, and Romeo Lavia demonstrate that the Premier League champions don’t stand in the way of young players seeking regular minutes elsewhere.
Take advantage of Manchester City’s youth policy on FC 25 and bring the 76-rated Rico Lewis to your team. The 19-year-old has some mouth-watering technical such as 82 short passing, 82 ball control, and 81 dribbling, meaning he’s just as comfortable in midfield or when operating as an inverted full-back as he is in his regular position.
The 5ft7 defender could be available for as little as £15M in the first transfer window of career mode, but his value is likely to sore as the game develops. If you want Lewis on your team, make a move for the Englishman early on to avoid him becoming too integral to Manchester City’s plans for them to consider letting their academy graduate leave.
Lewis is the perfect signing for any of the world’s biggest clubs. Perhaps Arsenal could consider pinching another player from their Premier League title rivals, or Barcelona or Real Madrid could do with a promising young right-back to help them get over the line in La Liga.
Our tip: Experiment with Rico Lewis in different positions. The right-back’s high technical competence makes him versatile in a way that he could provide cover in positions such as CDM, CM, or even AM.
