Wolfsburg's Gian-Luca Itter: the best young Bundesliga LB to sign on FIFA 18 career mode
Game-changing left-backs are a prized commodity both in the real world and in FIFA 18’s career mode. If you’re looking for a bargain to bolster your back line, look no further than Wolfsburg’s Gian-Luca Itter, the most promising left-back in the Bundesliga.
Germany offers a wide range of potential left-backs in their mid 20s for armchair managers to choose from. Augsburg’s Philipp Max (77 rating) has a deadly cross, Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro (80 rating) is a polyvalent asset and Bayern Munich’s David Alaba (85 rating) is simply one of the best in his position.
However, if you’re keen on making the deal of your life by outwitting the opposition scouts and fostering the next great LB, look no further than Wolfsburg’s Gian-Luca Itter. Don’t be fooled by his initial rating of 67, this 19-year-old boasts a potential of 85 overall, which is only topped in the league by Alaba’s possible 87.
In real life
With a little patience, courting his signature could mean having a world class defender for a fraction of the cost.
Itter was originally part of Eintracht Frankfurt’s academy before moving to Wolfsburg in 2015, where he immediately settled into their U17 team. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Fritz Walter Gold Medal, Germany’s highest honour for junior footballers, beating Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz to the top honour.
He progressed to the U19 squad last season, where he played almost every minute, netted three goals and landed ten assists. His performances at junior level for club and country proved impressive enough to warrant a move to the big boys’ locker room.
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Playing Style
While the young German hasn’t enjoyed an excess of minutes over the 2017/18 season, he’s made the most out of every opportunity. On his Bundesliga debut, he showed impressive composure against Bayern at the Allianz Arena and the man he was tasked with making for the day: none other than Arjen Robben.
Standing at 6ft tall, Itter has shown throughout his career at youth level that assisting for goals is one his biggest strengths. “He’s also very good in 1-on-1 situations”, said his father Frank speaking to German media after his son’s debut. “Playing gives him more confidence and I see no reason for his progression to slow down”.
Papa Itter is particularly well-informed about youth football development as he has fathered not one but two football prodigies. Davide, Gian-Luca’s twin brother is also on the road to Bundesliga stardom at Wolfsburg. He hasn’t been promoted to the first team yet, but he’s a key member of their U19 squad and is also part of the junior national team at right-back.
The brothers have previously formed a very dangerous threat from both flanks that could soon rival Lars and Sven Bender as the Bundesliga’s premier twin tandem. While we’ll have to wait to try out this double threat in the virtual realm, the left half of the pair is ready to make a splash for your squad in career mode.
Watch: Itter's Wolfsburg teammates take on the FIFA 18 Freekick Challenge.
Jaime Duque Cevallos