As Football Manager deepens in complexity every year, what was once the simple task of signing a good player who’d bolster your side has become a life-swallowing endeavor involving huge scouting operations, board meetings, discarded coffee cups and possibly one of those corkboards covered in photographs and red string like Charlie has in It’s Always Sunny.
Gone are the days of simply signing Maxim Tsigalko to your lower league languishers, sitting back and watching the 30-goal seasons and effortless promotions roll in. So to help you secure the signature of a truly solid player without bankrupting your club, we’ve trawled the database for bargains.
Keep in mind that the exact transfer fee – and, indeed, the performance of a given player at your club – may vary. Your reputation as a manager and your relationship with certain agents may affect transfer fees and contract negotiations. Player personalities, tendencies and positions can all impact how well they fit in with your dressing room and thus perform on the pitch.
However, if you can find a tactical and interpersonal fit for them, the players below have the potential to become hugely important squad members, and at the beginning of the game they’re available at bargain prices. Get them while they’re hot.