The Football Manager 2024 mid-season data update has been released following the January transfer window; Sky Sports assesses which players have received the biggest boost thanks to their performances during the first half of the campaign
Thursday 29 February 2024 17:51, UK
With the first half of the season in the record books and the January transfer window done and dusted, Sky Sports looks at some of the players to have received the biggest upgrades in Football Manager 2024's mid-season update...
KENAN YILDIZ
Kenan Yildiz may not be a household name in the UK but he is one of the most-improved players in Football Manager 2024's mid-season update.
That is because the 18-year-old - who can play as an attacking midfielder or winger - announced himself on the big stage with both Juventus and Turkey during the first half of the campaign.
Yildiz is a regular in the Juventus squad that is trying to hunt down Inter Milan at the top of Serie A, while he made his international debut in October - and scored his first Turkey goal in a 3-2 win over Germany, the country of his birth, a month later.
Yildiz's emergence means he joins a Juventus attack that includes Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa and Samuel Iling - an exciting prospect for anyone thinking of attempting to revive the Italian giant's fortunes.
JACK HINSHELWOOD
Jack Hinshelwood has received one of the highest upgrades in the Premier League thanks to his emergence at Brighton under Roberto De Zerbi.
The 18-year-old graduated from the Seagulls' academy as a midfielder but De Zerbi has successfully retooled Hinshelwood as an attacking full-back, resulting in goals in victories over Tottenham and rivals Crystal Palace.
Brighton's squad is packed with exciting talents, including January signing Valentin Barco - a Football Manager fans' favourite. Hinshelwood can now be added to that list.
OSCAR BOBB
Along with Hinshelwood, Oscar Bobb is one of the the most-improved Premier League players given that, four years after signing from Valerenga in his homeland of Norway, the 20-year-old has broken into Pep Guardiola's squad of treble winners.
Capable of playing on either wing or behind a striker, Bobb has featured 17 times for City this season, and scored his first Premier League and Champions League goals.
Bobb also made his Norway debut in October and scored his first international goal a month later, while his relationship with Erling Haaland is growing at club and international level.
Replacing Guardiola as City manager is a daunting prospect for FM24 players - but overseeing Bobb's development would be an interesting part of the job.
ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC
Aleksandar Pavlovic has received one of the biggest upgrades in the Bundesliga after emerging as one of the rare positives in a turbulent season at Bayern Munich.
Thomas Tuchel may be leaving the German champions at the end of the season but his promotion of Pavlovic to the first team is a decent legacy to leave, with the midfielder already claiming two goals and two assists in 11 Bundesliga games.
Despite claiming an 11th straight title last season, Bayern's aging and underperforming squad makes them a consideration for FM24 players in search of a rebuilding project. Pavlovic is certainly capable of being part of that new era.
ARTEM DOVBYK
Girona's stunning title push in LaLiga has ensured significant upgrades for several of their players, with Artem Dovbyk one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Arriving from Dnipro-1 in his native Ukraine at the start of the season, the striker has scored 14 goals and claimed seven assists in 27 games for his new club.
Dovbyk currently ranks behind only Jude Bellingham and Borja Mayoral for goals in LaLiga and is sure to be a key part of the squad for any FM24 players interested in starting their Spanish journey with Girona.
COLE PALMER
Cole Palmer has arguably been Chelsea's best player during an admittedly inconsistent season for the Blues, and is rewarded with a healthy upgrade.
The 21-year-old has 14 goals this season - two of which came for Manchester City before he moved to Chelsea in August - with a further nine assists to his name.
Palmer also made his England debut in November and has a strong chance of being included in their Euro 2024 squad this summer given his impressive form.
Taking charge of Chelsea's talented yet largely inexperienced squad is an interesting prospect for FM24 players - but Palmer is now sure to be a key part of the project for anyone interested in the challenge.
VICTOR BONIFACE
Bayer Leverkusen are yet to lose a single game this season, with Xabi Alonso's side strong favourites to claim their first Bundesliga title.
A key component in this winning machine is Victor Boniface, the 23-year-old striker signed from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise last summer.
The Nigeria international has 16 goals and eight assists in 23 games, resulting in a well-deserved mid-season upgrade.
Along with Alejandro Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, Boniface helps to make Leverkusen a hugely attractive proposition for FM24 players in search of a new save.
CRISTIAN ROMERO
Cristian Romero was already highly-rated in FM24 but has still received a handsome mid-season upgrade, which now makes him one of the standout defenders in the game.
That may raise eyebrows but Romero is a key part of the Tottenham side playing free-flowing football as they push for Champions League qualification under Ange Postecoglou.
Do not forget the 25-year-old is also one of the first names on the Argentina team-sheet and was lifting the World Cup with his country just over a year ago.
With Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner signed in January to play alongside an improved Romero, attempting to replicate Postecoglou's revitalisation of Spurs in FM24 is an enticing challenge.
MATIAS SOULE
The second Juventus youngster on this list, Matias Soule and Yildiz help to ensure the future is bright in Turin.
However, any FM24 players hoping to build a Juventus side around these two talents will have to wait a season, given Soule is currently enjoying a productive loan spell with Serie A rivals Frosinone.
The right winger has 10 goals in 24 Serie A games and was linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in January.
However, Soule stayed put, ensuring the Italian game kept hold of one of its most exciting prospects.
JUDE BELLINGHAM
This list would not have been complete without including Jude Bellingham, whose stunning start to life at Real Madrid has been one of the stories of the season.
At only 20 years of age, the midfielder is LaLiga's top scorer, while he has 20 goals and eight assists in 29 games across all competitions for Real.
Already rated highly in FM24 thanks to his impressive time with Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham will now be one of the most feared players in the game - and the lynchpin around which Real's new era can be built.
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