FIFA 21 player ratings: Who tops the pile for Wolves, West Brom, Aston Villa and Walsall?

EA Sports, the creator of the football simulator, ranks players up to 99 - with Lionel Messi this year's highest rated star at 93.

Here's how players who feature for teams here in our region rank...

Wolves

Wolves are the highest finishing side in the West Midlands last season, so it should come as no surprise (especially with the players the club have signed) that there are some high ranking stars on FIFA 21.

But who takes top spot for Nuno's side?

Raul Jimenez - 84

No surprise here - Wolves' star man Raul Jimenez is actually the joint-highest rated player in the squad with a respectable score of 84.

Whilst only boasting a pace rating of 78, it's his shooting (82) and dribbling (82) which will certainly see him scoring plenty of goals on the virtual stage this season.

The Mexican also boasts a physical rating of 83, which will make him a nightmare to deal with for those coming up against him.

Rui Patricio - 84

Also boasting a score of 84 is Wolves' main man between the sticks, Rui Patricio.

The Portuguese shot stopper is a great option for players needing a goalkeeper in this year's iteration of the game with 84 rated diving and 83 rated reflexes.

He's got very good positioning too according to EA Sports, with a rating of 82 in that area.

Joao Moutinho - 83

Joao Moutinho comes in third across the Wolves squad - despite not being the fastest or strongest player.

Whilst his pace rating of 56 leaves plenty to be desired, it's his dribbling (83) and passing (86) that really make Wolves' midfield maestro stand out.

He's a top notch midfielder in real life, and with a rating like that he should be a good option on the game too.

Nelson Semedo - 83

Not a bad place to find yourself if you're Wolves' latest signing - Nelson Semedo makes the top five in terms of player ratings at Wolves.

Ranked at 83 this year, Wolves' new wing back is set to be a brilliant option for those looking to build their team on FIFA 21 this season.

With a pace rating of 92 and dribbling of 82, he's sure to be running up and down the wing in real life and the virtual stage.

Ruben Neves - 82

Rounding off Wolves' top five is Ruben Neves.

Like Moutinho, Neves' stats aren't the most stunning when it comes to pace and physicality - but his passing (84), shooting (75) and dribbling (77) make him a well-rounded option for FIFA players.

He's got plenty of years left in the tank too, so we could well see this rating climb year on year.

Rest of Wolves' squad:

Jonny Castro Otto (81), Willy Boly (80), Adama Traore (79), Conor Coady (79), Daniel Podence (78), Romain Saiss (78), Leander Dendoncker (78), Marcal (76), Ruben Vinagre (74), Ryan Bennett (72), Pedro Neto (72), Leo Bonatini (71), John Ruddy (70), Roderick Miranda (69), Fabio Silva (69), Leonardo Campana (65), Dion Sanderson (64), Max Kilman (64), Niall Ennis (63), Bruno Jordao (62), Meritan Shabani (62), Luke Matheson (61), Oskar Buur (60), Sadou Diallo (59), Taylor Perry (55)

West Brom

Back in the top flight and looking to hang around, West Brom fans will have a few decent options to choose from on FIFA this year.

Let's see who makes Albion's top five.

Matheus Pereira - 76

Surprise, surprise - guess who tops the lot for Albion? None other than Matheus Pereira of course!

Boasting an overall rating of 76, Pereira is the highest ranked Baggies player in the game, and boasts a very well-rounded card.

With 79 pace, 79 dribbling, 74 passing and 73 shooting - Pereira should be able to do the business on consoles across the Black Country.

Kieran Gibbs - 75

Full-back Kieran Gibbs comes in at second place - and somewhat surprisingly given the other players also at The Hawthorns.

Despite his injury issues, Gibbs earns a solid 75 rating this year, with 76 pace and 72 defending on offer.

If he can stay fit, Gibbs could prove a big factor for Albion this season - maybe he could do you a job on FIFA 21 too?

Matt Phillips - 75

Another surprising entry rounds off the top three, with Matt Phillips also ranking 75 overall.

Despite being used somewhat sparingly by Slaven Bilic, Phillips earns his rating with a decent 81 pace to boot.

He's another well-rounded option on the game, with 74 rated dribbling and 71 rated passing too.

Sam Johnstone - 75

Albion's shot-stopper Sam Johnstone earns his place in the top five Baggies men on FIFA - boasting a 75 rating.

With 79 rated diving, 77 rated reflexes and 74 rated handling, Johnstone is a solid pick in the game early on if you need someone to provide a safe pair of hands.

He could be a busy man this season, so we may see this rating climb higher if he makes the regular team of the week on the video game.

Kamil Grosicki - 74

Rounding off Albion's top five is Polish winger Kamil Grosicki.

He's one of the club's pacey customers on FIFA this season, with speed rating of 82, and his 74 rated dribbling will help him do the business on the game too.

Surprisingly though, he gets in ahead of the likes of Grady Diangana and Callum Robinson, who are both rated below the Pole.

Rest of West Brom's squad:

Jake Livermore (74), Romaine Sawyers (73), Semi Ajayi (73), Grady Diangana (73), Kyle Bartley (72), Charlie Austin (72), Callum Robinson (72), Ahmed Hegazi (72), Conor Townsend (71), Darnell Furlong (71), Hal Robson-Kanu (70), Kenneth Zohore (70), David Button (68), Kyle Edwards (68), Dara O'Shea (68), Cedric Kipre (68), Sam Field (67), Rekeem Harper (67), Rayhaan Tulloch (60).

Aston Villa

Villa managed to secure their Premier League status on the final day of last season, and want to build on that in this campaign.

Here's how the players stack up on FIFA 21.

Jack Grealish - 80

It'll come as no shock to see Jack Grealish topping the pile here, with a very tidy overall rating of 80.

Grealish was Villa's key man last season, and expect him to be just that on FIFA 21 too, with a dribbling rating of 84 alongside a decent passing score of 80.

He has 76 pace and 74 shooting on the video game too, so he'll be a very useful players for Villa fans to use this year.

Tom Heaton - 78

Would Villa have been in the trouble they were last season had Tom Heaton stayed fit?

The former Burnley goalkeeper is rated a solid 78 this season, but looks likely to play second fiddle to Emiliano Martinez this season given the fee Villa splashed on the Argentine this summer.

He'll be a decent option on FIFA though with 78 diving, 79 reflexes and 78 positioning on the game.

Emiliano Martinez - 78

Speaking of goalkeepers, Martinez also makes an appearance in Villa's highest rated players this season.

It's a bit of a toss up between Martinez and Heaton on the game, although the former's 80 rated handling may convince gamers to opt for him over his teammate.

Either way, if you opt to play as Villa this season you'll have some decent options between the sticks, that's for sure.

John McGinn - 76

Who else than John McGinn to make his way into Villa's top five, eh?

The Scot boasts a handy 76 overall rating, and is one of the most rounded cards in the squad, with his pace, passing, shooting, dribbling, defending and physical stats all 70 or above.

He's started the season in real life well, so don't be surprised to see him as a handy option on the virtual stage either.

Ollie Watkins - 76

Villa bolstered up front by signing Ollie Watkins earlier this summer, and Villa fans will see him as a brilliant option on FIFA 21 with his 76 overall rating.

With a pace rating of 83, Watkins will be a mobile option up front on the game, whilst his shooting score of 73 should be enough to tuck some good goals away too.

He'll be trusted to bang in the goals at Villa Park this season, and there's nothing saying he won't be able to on EA Sports' latest offering either.

Rest of Aston Villa's squad:

Matt Targett (76), Wesley (76), Bertrand Traore (76), Frederic Guilbert (76), Conor Hourihane (75), Tyrone Mings (75), Anwar El Ghazi (75), Lovre Kalinic (75), Marvelous Nakamba (75), Trezeguet (75), Matty Cash (75), Douglas Luiz (75), Bjorn Engels (74), Orjan Nyland (72), Jota (72), Kortney Hause (72), Ahmed Elmohamady (71), Ezri Konsa (71), Neil Taylor (70), Jed Steer (70), Henri Lansbury (70), Keinan Davis (68), Jacob Ramsey (55).

Walsall

Walsall are doing battle in League Two once again this season - but if you feel you could guide them to success on FIFA 21 you'll need to see who ranks where.

Here's how the Saddlers' squad stands.

Wes McDonald - 64

Winger Wes McDonald earns the top spot for Walsall in terms of FIFA rating this season, with 64.

With a pace rating of 81, McDonald will provide a brilliant option for fans taking charge of the Saddlers on the video game, whilst his dribbling rank of 65 will be decent enough in League Two as well.

His shooting (57) and passing (57) aren't the best on the game though, so keep that in mind.

Dan Scarr - 64

Dan Scarr takes second spot with the same overall rating - although it's his physicality which should set him apart on the virtual stage this year.

Ranking 78 in that respect, it appears that he's the most physical player at the Banks's according to EA Sports.

He'll be a real stopper on the video game, and with pace of 62 he's not the slowest centre back either.

Mat Sadler - 63

Another defender makes the top three in Mat Sadler, with a rank of 63.

Sadler certainly isn't the quickest, with a pace score of just 53 - but he makes up for that with 71 physicality and 62 defending.

Don't go taking any long range shots with him though, his shooting rating is a lowly 40.

Danny Guthrie - 63

Danny Guthrie knows the game like the back of his hand, so it's no shock to see him in Walsall's top five players here.

With a score of 63, Guthrie will be a solid and well-rounded midfield option for fans picking up a controller this year.

He's not the fastest, but his passing (66) and dribbling (65) are decent for League Two.

Caolan Lavery - 63

Rounding off Walsall's top five is Caolan Lavery, scoring 63 overall.

Offering a burst of pace with a speed rating of 75, Lavery will be a good option to play in behind on FIFA 21.

65 physicality and 63 shooting should make him a bit of a troublemaker for your virtual Saddlers side in League Two as well.

Rest of Walsall's squad:

Liam Roberts (63), Liam Kinsella (63), Rory Holden (63), Stuart Sinclair (62), Cameron Norman (62), James Clarke (62), Zak Jules (62), Josh Gordon (62), Elijah Adebayo (61), Callum Cockerill-Mollett (60), Alfie Bates (59), George Nurse (57).