10 teams you need to manage in FM20

With the Football Manager 2020 Beta on the horizon, it is time to start thinking about where your managerial career will start. Will you opt for a side accustomed to success and aim to build a dynasty? Maybe you are the sort of manager who prefers the challenge of taking a side from the bottom of the footballing pyramid to the very top of the game. It’s entirely up to you, but before you make a final decision, we’ve come up with 10 potential save ideas. Will one of these provide the inspiration you’re looking for?

Borussia Dortmund 

Dortmund showed their intent in the summer transfer window, adding Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard, Nico Schulz and Mats Hummels to a world-class squad already packed with wonderkids like Jadon Sancho and Dan-Axel Zagadou.

The Black and Yellows only just missed out on the Bundesliga title last season, so the challenge for you will be to shape these talents into a championship-winning machine.

Leeds United 

One of English football’s sleeping giants. In the 15 years since they dropped out of England’s top flight, Leeds have suffered relegation to League One and numerous financial issues.

However, they are seemingly on an even keel once again and they came within a whisker of promotion last year. Led by Pablo Hernandez and exciting loanees like Eddie Nketiah, can you finally be the one to end their exodus from the top flight and help them relive the glory years gone by?

RB Leipzig 

RB Leipzig’s business model makes them an interesting proposition, with an astonishing crop of youngsters such as Lukas Klostermann, Christopher Nkunku, Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano recruited from across the globe.

Die Roten Bullen have finished second, sixth and third since making their debut in the Bundesliga – can you craft a team, powered by Timo Werner’s goals, capable of going one step further in one of the continent’s most competitive leagues?

FC Nordsjaelland

Statistically the youngest team in Europe two years in a row, Nordsjaelland represent the perfect challenge for FM players who focus on promoting young talent.

Owned by the Right to Dream Academy, The Tigers’ squad has a strong international flavor and ambition to play players from the club’s own academies. Can you channel that and their abundance of young talent into a squad of winners and deliver Nordsjaelland their first Danish Superliga title since 2012 (and potentially much, much more)? 

Bolton Wanderers

The ultimate long-term save challenge for FM20. Starting the season on -12 points after entering administration, Bolton were forced to start the League One season by almost exclusively fielding teenagers, only getting a permanent squad in place during September.

You’ll have to use all of your managerial skill to keep them up in your first season and from there your task will be to restore the club to their previous highs of performing well in the top flight and competing in European club competition. 

Western United FC

For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Hyundai A-League has a new franchise in the shape of Western United FC. 

Based on the outskirts on Melbourne, the club have assembled an interesting squad for their maiden campaign in Australia’s top flight. Led by Alessandro Diamanti, they also boast veterans Panagiotis Kone, Scott McDonald, Besart Berisha and Ersan Gülüm among their ranks – the perfect amount of experience to build an identity around.

Motherwell 

Motherwell have been a revelation in Scotland so far this season, playing an exciting brand of attacking football that has them third in the Scottish Premiership behind Celtic and Rangers.

With a host of talented youngsters like David Turnbull, Alan Campbell, James Scott and Barry Maguire as well as the relatives of footballing greats Clarence Seedorf and Andy Cole in the squad, Motherwell will be an interesting challenge for a lot of managers this year. Do you have what it takes to end the Old Firm’s duopoly at the top of Scottish football?

York City

One for our ‘starting from the bottom’ enthusiasts. Previously Football League stalwarts, York City have had a difficult few years, dropping into the National League North in 2017 and failing to finish in the top 10 in their first two seasons in England’s sixth tier.

However, the Minstermen have started this season well and they currently sit three points clear at the top of the table. With a squad in FM20 capable of making the step up to the National League and decent resources, you should have the tools to mount a promotion challenge in your first season. After that? How far the club goes is down to you and your managerial nous.

1. FC Union Berlin

Union Berlin were promoted to the Bundesliga for the very first time in dramatic circumstances last season - Winning the playoff and becoming just the sixth side from the second tier to do so.

With a mixture of youth and experience, Union Berlin seem suited to a battle in their debut top flight season, and the newly-formed defensive pairing of Marvin Friedrich (23) and Neven Subotic (30) illustrates that nicely. 

Make history with Union Berlin in their history-making season, taking scalps of the nation’s most powerful teams while imposing their own style of play on the league. Make a statement one and take on one of the Bundesliga’s most interesting challenges.

Olympique Lyonnais  

With a rich history of producing wonderkids, Lyon are known as a club who continually maximise their resources to stand as one of France’s most successful and sustainable sides. Wonderkid Houssem Aouar is the latest name from their production line to star for the first team.

Lyon have had a difficult start to the current Ligue 1 Conforama season, winning only two of their first nine games. Can you build a team around Aouar and other youngsters like Joachim Andersen and Moussa Dembele to challenge for domestic domination and European glory?