Youth Contracts question!

I just signed a 16 year old to a youth contract. I am in the 2nd Division-B2 (Spain). And this kid has a 5 star potential but his current ability is not even a 1 star. So its a guy that will be a project and will take some time. The day after I signed him to a youth contract, my Assistant Gm told me that he is eligible for a pro contract and should be signed to one immediately.

My question is...what if I keep him on his youth contract through out its duration (3 years I believe). Will another team still be able to sign him to a pro contract, or do I have the rights to have?

I don't want to sign him to a pro contract since he is still extreme undeveloped and needs time in the youth academy/leagues. But if another team can sign him to a pro contract at any time, then I would ofcourse rather not lose him and just sign him to one right now. What do you think?

If you offer him a pro contract now he wont be able to officially sign it until his 17th birthday anyway and you do risk having him poached from you by another club the entire time he's on a youth contract and since his contract type should have no bearing at all on his development at all, I'd get him on pro terms as soon as possible.

You also won't be able to loan him out to get first team experience whilst he's on an amateur deal, so that's another good reason to make sure he signs a full contract as soon as he hits 17, as 1 of the best ways to help the development of young players is to have them out on loan getting regular first team experience, rather than youth level or reserve team football at his own club.

Thanks Slipknot. I appreciate your help.

Another quick question. I am in a very low division in spain. When I scout a player, I've gotten guys that were 16-18 with 6 star potential(the highest)...are these star ratings relative to that league or is it saying that he has the potential to be one of the best in the world? Like if I have a 4 star player...is he only a 4 star in that respective league, and potential a lower star if he were to be in say La Liga?

Also, with all these age restrictions..how the hell did freddy Adu play in the MLS as a 14-15 year old? lol

Thanks Slipknot. I appreciate your help.

Another quick question. I am in a very low division in spain. When I scout a player, I've gotten guys that were 16-18 with 6 star potential(the highest)...are these star ratings relative to that league or is it saying that he has the potential to be one of the best in the world? Like if I have a 4 star player...is he only a 4 star in that respective league, and potential a lower star if he were to be in say La Liga?

Also, with all these age restrictions..how the hell did freddy Adu play in the MLS as a 14-15 year old? lol

That's a very good question about Adu now you mention it, which as I don't follow the MLS irl or play in it on FM I unfortunately have no idea how he managed it, I assume that in real life there are loopholes that clubs exploit in various ways that would be difficult to replicate in FM.

As for the star rating system in FM, as I understand it the ratings are based on a comparison between the scouted player and the best players in your squad and in your league that play in the same position as the player being scouted.

ahh ok that makes sense about the ratings. So just because I found a 6 star 17 year old in the 2nd division, doesnt mean he is the next messi huh? Its just a rating relative to my team and the league I am in. Makes sense.

And ya I read about the qualifications to be in the mls draft. Aside from transfer deals with other countries, like the deal with beckham, I am pretty sure the MLS draft is the only way the MLS teams can get new players. But I read that the MLS draft is only open to college sr's and a select few 18-21 year olds who dropped out of college to pursue a career in soccer and which got picked up by generation addidas.

So there definitely had to have been a loop whole for a team to draft a 14 year old lol.