Football Manager in its bit is about making smart decisions, and finding hidden gems is key to success. Here’s how to spot great deals and build a strong team without spending too much money. Whether you’re managing a small club with limited resources or a big team looking to get the best value, knowing how to find and get FM bargains can give you a big advantage.
FM Bargains: Key Points
- Low transfer fee (under £15 million)
- Good skills for their price
- Potential to improve
- Fits your team’s needs
- Reasonable wages
- Often from less scouted leagues or countries
- May include players with expiring contracts
- Can be found through thorough scouting
- Require careful negotiation to secure
- Essential for building a competitive team on a budget
Table of Contents
What Are FM Bargains?
FM bargains are players you can sign for low fees, usually under £15 million. These deals are great when you’re managing a team without much money to spend. You can find bargains for all positions – goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, wingers, and strikers. This means you can make your whole team better without spending too much. Bargains aren’t just about the transfer fee; they also consider the player’s wages, how much they might improve, and how quickly they can help your team.
FM25 Bargains Shortlist
Finding FM Bargains / FM24 Bargains by Position
To find the best deals, you need to be smart about how you look for players. Here are some tips:
1. Check out free agents. You don’t have to pay a transfer fee. You can often find good players this way, especially if you’re managing a smaller team.
2. Scout lower leagues. There’s a lot of talent in smaller leagues that big clubs might miss. These players can be great bargains.
3. Look for unhappy players. If a player isn’t happy at their club, you might be able to sign them for less than they’re worth.
4. Keep an eye on contracts. Players with contracts ending soon can be signed for less, or even for free if you wait until their contract runs out.
5. Use your scouting network well. Send your scouts to specific regions or to look for certain types of players to find hidden gems.
| PS | Key Tips |
|---|---|
| GK | Look for young keepers from smaller clubs. They often have good potential and can be signed cheaply. Focus on key skills like reflexes, one-on-ones, and aerial ability. |
| DC | Solid defenders from lower leagues can be great bargains. They might not be flashy, but they can do the job well. Look for players with strong physical attributes and good positioning. |
| MC | Creative midfielders from countries with less famous leagues can be amazing deals. They often have good technical skills but aren’t well-known yet. |
| MR/ML | Fast, skillful wingers from youth academies can be signed for low fees and develop into stars. Look for players with high pace, dribbling, and crossing abilities. |
| ST | Look for strikers with good physical stats but maybe not the best finishing. You can often improve their finishing through training. |
Hidden Gems and High Potential
Some of the best bargains are young players with high potential. These “wonderkids” might not be great right away, but they can become stars if you train them well. Here’s how to find them:
1. Use your scouts to look for young players with high potential. Focus on countries known for producing talent, like Brazil, Argentina, or the Netherlands.
2. Check out youth teams of big clubs. Sometimes they let good young players go because there’s too much competition or they need money.
3. Look at international youth teams. Players who do well for their country’s youth teams often become good pros.
4. Watch for when clubs known for good youth players announce new young players joining their team.
5. Don’t ignore players who develop later. Some players get better when they’re a bit older, so keep an eye on promising 20-23-year-olds who haven’t yet become stars.
How to Get the Best Deals
Once you’ve found a player you want, you need to negotiate a good deal. Here are some tips:
1. Start with a low offer. You can always go up, but starting low gives you room to negotiate.
2. Use clauses in your deals. Things like sell-on fees can make a deal more attractive to the selling club.
3. Be patient. Sometimes waiting until the last day of the transfer window can get you a better price.
4. Look for players who want to leave their club. They might push for a move, making it easier to get a good deal.
5. Consider loan deals with the option to buy. This lets you try a player before deciding to keep them.
6. Don’t forget about swap deals. Offering a player plus cash can sometimes get you a bargain you couldn’t afford otherwise.
Making the Most of Your Budget
Finding bargains isn’t just about saving money. It’s about using your budget wisely. Here’s how to do that:
1. Mix bargains with a few more expensive players. This gives you a balanced team.
2. Use the money you save to improve your club’s facilities. This helps develop young players and can increase your revenue in the long term.
3. Keep some money for emergencies. You never know when you might need to make a quick signing due to injuries or unexpected transfers.
4. Invest in your scouting network. Better scouts can help you find more bargains and reduce the risk of bad signings.
5. Consider selling high-value players to fund multiple bargain signings. Two or three quality bargains can sometimes replace one expensive player.
Success Stories
Many FM players have had great success with bargain strategies. Some have taken small clubs to the top league using only free transfers and cheap signings. Others have built Champions League-winning teams without spending big. Even national team managers in the game often use bargain players to compete with bigger nations.
Things to Watch Out For
While bargain hunting can be great, there are some things to be careful about:
1. Don’t just focus on potential. A player needs to be good enough to help your team now.
2. Check a player’s personality. A cheap player with a bad attitude can cause problems in the team.
3. Make sure bargain signings fit your team’s needs. Don’t buy a player just because they’re cheap.
4. Be careful of hidden clauses or high agent fees that can make a bargain more expensive than you thought.
5. Think about how well foreign players might adjust. A bargain from a far-away league might struggle to fit in, which could affect how well they play.
FM24 Bargains: Best Cheap Players
- Andrew (22) – £5M
- Cristian Rivero (24) – £1M
- David de Gea (32) – Free
- Ferran Quetglás (20) – £250K
- Ivo Grbić (27) – £3M
- Sven Ulreich (35) – £450K
- Lorenzo Montipò (27) – £5M
- Marvin Akahomen (16) – £5M
- Matteo Darmian (33) – £5M
- Patrick Dorgu (18) – £8M
- Samir (28) – £7M
- Simon Kjær (34) – £2.7M
- Valentin Gendrey (22) – £6.9M
- Stefan Posch (26) – £6M
- André Anderson (24) – £2M
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan (34) – £4.5M
- Javier Pastore (34) – Free
- Keaton Parks (24) – £2M
- Kevin Zeroli (18) – £930K
- Marc Cucalón (18) – £1.8M
- Yann M’Vila (34) – Free
- Ángel Di María (35) – £9M
- Gianluca Prestianni (17) – £5M
- Grady Diangana (24) – £7M
- Lucas Vázquez (32) – £10M
- Nathan Redmond (28) – £7M
- Robert Alvarado (24) – £4.5M
- Marko Pjaca (28) – £1M
- Jackson Muleka (24) – £2.5M
- Luis Muriel (32) – £3M
- Mohamed Bouldini (27) – £7M
- Sergio Araujo (31) – £6M
- Ricardo Solbes (17) – £13M
- Tyrese Campbell (23) – £7M
- Paulo Dybala (29) – £12M
Wrapping Up
Finding FM bargains is a key skill for any Football Manager player. It lets you build a strong team even if you’re not managing a rich club. Remember to scout widely, negotiate well, and always think about how a player will fit into your team. With practice, you’ll be finding amazing deals and leading your team to victory in no time!
Keep trying different strategies and share what you learn with other FM players. Everyone finds different bargains, and sharing your discoveries can help the whole FM community. Don’t be afraid to take chances on lesser-known players – they might just become the key to your future success. Happy managing, and may your bargain hunting lead you to FM greatness!