We live in a footballing era where exposure is the greatest it has ever been. Not a week goes by without someone discovering 'the next Lionel Messi' on YouTube, and every young prospect in the world is analysed and re-analysed by everyone from professional scouts to armchair fans.

Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum you'll find the likes of EA, Konami and Sports Interactive, because FIFA, Pro Evolution Soccer and Football Manager aren’' just games anymore – the'’re up-to-date football encyclopedias, with accurate representations of all your favourite stars. But to make sure they're up to date involves more than a little prediction – will those hot scout picks realise their potential by the time FIFA 18 arrives later this year?

As good as EA are at nailing their player ratings each year, it's part of the beauty of football that it retains a degree of unpredictability – just look at Leicester's unlikely charge to the Premier League title last year for proof. There's always a few breakout stars that slip through the scouting net, and we've picked out 4 guys who've been playing far beyond their FIFA ratings this year.

Jordan Pickford

We picked out Pickford for special attention in our Premier League Wonderkid round-up, and with good reason because the young Sunderland keeper has been in superb form this year, keeping his often hapless team-mates in games when they've been outclassed all over the rest of the pitch.

Although he has a solid potential rating of 85, his FIFA 17 overall is just 76, which is well below the form he's shown. He's a tremendous shot-stopper, so his 78 reflexes and 76 handling could do with a significant boost, and if he ends up moving to a big club come the summer, Pickford could easily be looking at an 80+ rating in next year's game.

Ben Mee

Burnley have surprised many this season, playing with a defensive resolve that has earned them crucial points against some big Premier League clubs. That stoic foundation starts with Ben Mee, who's been superb for The Clarets, repelling aerial ball after aerial ball, and inspiring his team into the top half of the league.

At 27 years old, he's already made over 200 appearances for his club, and it'll surely take a huge offer to prise him away. Even if he stays with Burnley next season, his performances have been nothing short of superb, and he deserves a significant bump from 74 overall into the high 70s at least for FIFA 18.

Idrissa Gueye

No-one has won more tackles in the Premier League this season than Gueye, and given that England plays host to one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world, that makes Gueye an incredibly valuable asset. It's no wonder that he's already a firm favourite with the Everton faithful, and his standout performances – particularly in games against the big clubs – have surely marked him out for a considerable upgrade in FIFA 18. His 73 strength rating certainly needs looking at, and though his tackling numbers are good, they should be considerably better next year.

Alex Iwobi

Although Iwobi emerged as a real talent last season, he's continued to grow in stature and confidence for Arsenal, showing ability and experience well beyond his 20 years. He's an important part of an Arsenal squad that look capable of dismantling any side in the country when they're on their game, and we reckon he's due for another ratings boost in FIFA 18.

His form last season got him a solid boost from the mid-60s into the 70s, but his stats are still rather off the mark – Iwobi is quicker than his 78 acceleration and 77 sprint speed suggest, and his finishing and passing are worthy of an increase too.

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