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Best free transfers
You don’t always need to pay a transfer fee to get players on your team. If you can snag a player whose contract is expiring, all you need to pay are his wages.
To work, the player must have less than one year on his contract and must be 23 or older by the January transfer window. Just approach the player at this time and select ‘approach to sign on contract expiry’. Once he’s agreed your terms, he’ll join your team at the start of the next season.
The following players can all be signed for free in January of the first season, but keep an eye out for free players in subsequent years, as there are always great bargains to be found.
Goalkeeper – Nicola Leali
OVR: 73
Potential: 81
Age: 23
Club: Olympiacos CFP
Cost: £0
Wages: £25,000
No one wants to defend well all game and then concede due to an unreliable goalkeeper. But even if you can’t afford much in transfer fees, you can still get a high potential goalkeeper in Nicola Leali for free.
He really excels when it comes to diving and reflexes, meaning he’s great when it comes to saving one-on-ones. He can react quickly to close range shots and reach those that other goalkeepers might not be able to.
His 81 potential will make him a great player for the future, but he could well exceed that. Goalkeepers tend to keep growing into their early 30s in FIFA – much later than outfield players – so don’t be surprised if he makes it into the mid 80s. Not bad for a free player.
Defender – Mattia De Sciglio
OVR: 76
Potential: 81
Age: 23
Club: Milan
Cost: £0
Wages: £50,000
Mattia De Sciglio has everything you need in a full back. He’s not only pacey but has 87 stamina too, so can bomb forward and track back all game long. His crossing is one of his better stats and should provide his teammates with plenty of dangerous opportunities when he gets forward.
Defensively he’s solid too. His tackling stats are almost in the 80s and his interceptions aren’t too far behind, so he can perform well at the back when needed. He’s also got a four star weak foot, so can play on either side of defence.
Like Leali he has 81 potential but has a higher starting OVR, so should be well on his way to that after a season or so.
Central midfielder – Riccardo Saponara
OVR: 80
Potential: 84
Age: 24
Club: Empoli
Cost: £0
Wages: £25,000
What a player this is. If you’re looking for either a playmaker or a dribbler, you get both rolled into one with Saponara. His 84 vision, 83 short passing and 77 long passing will see him create chance after chance for his teammates, making him an invaluable attacking threat.
But at the same time, his decent pace, 84 dribbling, 85 ball control and four star skills will make beating defenders a breeze. He’s got good stamina too and can score free kicks, adding a few more strings to his bow.
He’s one of the best free players you can get, yet his £25,000 wages are much lower than you’d expect. A must for any team that can afford him.
Winger – Paul-Georges Ntep
OVR: 80
Potential: 85
Age: 23
Club: Stade Rennais FC
Cost: £0
Wages: £60,000
The highest rated free transfer in the game. It’s not often you get an 85 potential player for nothing, so sign Paul-Georges Ntep up quickly before someone else gets him.
As you’d expect for a winger, he’s rapid – 91 acceleration and 91 sprint speed will be deadly. But what you don’t normally expect is for a winger to be fairly strong, but Ntep’s 74 strength should help him out when duelling with physical defenders.
His 84 dribbling and four star skill moves show he can go it alone, but his 75 short passing and 77 crossing mean he’s a good team player too, and will send plenty of opportunities his teammates’ way.
He can even take a deadly free kick and has good finishing and long shots, so don’t be afraid to shoot if the chance arises.
Striker – Saido Berahino
OVR: 76
Potential: 82
Age: 22
Club: West Brom
Cost: £0
Wages: £60,000
Saido Berahino has had a fairly rotten time at West Brom recently, so now’s your chance to rescue him and give him a better home – for free, of course.
He’ll repay that kindness with goals galore. His rapid pace, powerful shot and 80 finishing stat mean he’s a great poacher in the box, and with 79 positioning he’ll be in the right place at the right time. He can also beat defenders one-on-one with his 76 dribbling and 77 ball control.
He lacks aerial presence, but if all you’re looking for is a fantastic poacher, you’ll be sorted. Pair him with a big target man and you’ll have all the bases covered.
Note also that although he starts your career aged 22, he quickly turns 23 so will be available to sign for free in the first January transfer window.
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