Football Manager 2023 bargains: 20 best players under £15m – The Athletic

Bargain signings that outperform their transfer fees are one of the main reasons why a lot of people are excited about Football Manager 2023.

The idea of adding a player for a low price and watching them increase in value is one of the core reasons that’s made players so loyal to FM over the years.

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Sourcing those bargains, however, is not as simple as it may seem. We’ve done a lot of the hard work for you; we’ve profiled at least two players in every position to give you some variety and all of the players listed here shouldn’t cost more than £15million to sign.

So, here is The Athletic’s list of the 20 best bargains to sign in Football Manager 2023.

Josip Sutalo

Position: Centre-back

Club: Dinamo Zagreb

There are two Sutalos — Josip and Bosko — who play for Dinamo Zagreb. Both are 22, represent Croatia and play at centre-back, but they are not related.

Josip gets the nod here because his defensive attributes are better, while in real life he’s put in a few impressive displays in the Champions League too. He’d be a solid pickup for a lot of Premier League teams in need of a new starting centre-back.

Brenner

Position: Striker

Club: FC Cincinnati

Brenner was signed for £10.25million in 2021 so if you want to add him to your team, you’ll likely have to pay a similar fee.

But at 23, the Brazilian ticks all the right boxes: a forward who can finish, works hard out of possession and still has room to grow.

Filippo Terracciano

Position: Right-back

Club: Hellas Verona

Terracciano finds himself on the radar of some of Europe’s biggest clubs at the start of most saves in FM23.

For just under £10million, you’ll be getting a player with plenty of room to improve and someone open to a move to the Championship as well clubs in more reputable leagues. He’s a cheap, accessible, high-growth acquisition.

Sebastian Driussi

Position: Left-winger

Club: Austin FC

With 25 goals during the 2021-22 MLS season in real life, Driussi is an affordable goalscoring wide option.

The River Plate youth product is dependable and can be signed by most Premier League sides. The only caveat is his wage demands will likely exceed £40,000 per week.

Ibrahima Bamba

Position: Defensive midfielder

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Club: Vitoria (VTSC)

In real life, he will cost around £26million. The defensive midfielder, who can also operate as a centre-back, is already on the radar of bigger clubs, which makes him the perfect signing.

After a few seasons, his attributes will increase, and he often develops into a regular for Italy’s national side — and almost always get signed by a bigger club within two seasons, so sign him up as soon as you can.

Javi Galan

Position: Left-back

Club: Celta Vigo

Galan was nicknamed ‘Rooney’ during his youth career because he had a physical style of play that mirrored that of former England striker, Wayne.

At 27, he isn’t likely to improve a great deal but that’s OK, because his attributes are impressive — he occupies the rare feat of being a full-back who is rated at least 15/20 in the following areas: tackling, crossing, dribbling, acceleration, work rate and teamwork.

Altay Bayindir

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce often compete in European competition, so Bayindir won’t just join any team.

But clubs aiming for a top-half finish in their respective division are in a strong position to get a deal done for a player whose contract expires in 2023.

Ludovic Blas

Position: Central attacking midfield

Club: Nantes

Blas has scored 10 league goals in the past two seasons in Ligue 1. He is already fairly accomplished in French football and, as such, will demand in excess of £50,000 per week. Given he’s still just 24, it could prove to be a worthy investment.

Ronnie Edwards

Position: Centre-back

Club: Peterborough United

“Ronnie will be bought and in two and a half years he will be sold for £60million to £70million.” Peterborough’s chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, has high hopes for the promising centre-back, who was part of England’s under-19 side that won the European Championship in 2022.

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In FM23, you will only need to spend a few million to sign Edwards from League One. He’d be a strong fit for clubs chasing promotion or seeking to avoid relegation.

Martin Baturina

Position: Centre midfield

Club: Dinamo Zagreb

Baturina doubles up as being both a good bargain and something of a wonderkid in FM23.

After a few years, he will develop into a starting-calibre midfielder for most teams, and in the meantime, he can be signed for a modest fee by a range of different clubs in the Championship and Premier League.

Irfan Can Kahveci

Position: Right-winger

Club: Fenerbahce

Kahveci announced his quality by curling home an effort from outside the box into the top corner for Turkey against Switzerland at Euro 2020.

The Fenerbahce winger is an excellent technician and a prime candidate to take charge of your team’s set pieces. He won’t cost too much to sign and is often willing to join most Premier League teams.

Orkun Kokcu

Position: Centre midfielder

Club: Feyenoord

Leicester considered making a move for the Dutch-born Turkey international and, at 21, Kokcu still has plenty of room to improve. The defensive side of his game is not as strong as what he brings going forward, but an individual training program aimed at improving his tackling and positioning could help remedy that.

Fer Nino

Position: Striker

Club: Villarreal

Nino is a Spain Under-21 international who broke into Villarreal’s first team the year they won the Europa League in 2021 before being sent out on loan to Mallorca last season.

Cheap strikers who are young and have a finishing ability rated at 16/20 or higher are something of a rare commodity in FM23.

Gabriel Strefezza

Position: Left-winger

Club: Salento (Leece)

Strefezza was an instrumental part of Leece’s promotion bid last season and he’s started this campaign well in Serie A, with four goals in his first seven games.

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The Brazilian is cheap in FM23, with the ability to make an impact at the highest level. He can also be signed a wide range of clubs across Europe, the US and South America.

Anton Stach

Position: Defensive midfielder

Club: Mainz

At 6ft 4in, Stach offers an aerial presence in the centre of your midfield for a reasonable fee.

Having climbed up the lower ranks of German football before breaking through at Mainz, Stach has strong physical stats and enough technical ability to occupy a starting spot.

Million Manhoef

Position: Right-back

Club: Vitesse

Manhoef’s versatility makes him a prospect that’s hard to overlook. Used as a left-back in real life, the Dutch youngster can also play on the right and further forward in midfield.

At the start of the 2022-23 season, he became the youngest Vitesse player to score or assist in three consecutive Eredivisie games since Martin Odegaard, and looks set to continue his rise. In FM23, Manhoef can also be signed by smaller clubs in the Championship and across Europe’s top five divisions.

Aaron Martin

Position: Left-back

Club: Mainz

Aaron, once-capped by the Catalonia national team, is a cheaper alternative to other expensive left-backs on the market.

The attributes you see below aren’t likely to change too much. For a player who only costs a few million, it’s worth taking a chance on him if you’re short at full-back and don’t have much money to spend.

Jorge de Frutos

Position: Right-winger

Club: Levante

Levante’s relegation to Spain’s second division means many of their players can be poached by other clubs for prices that won’t break the bank.

If you manage a Championship side or bottom-half top-division side in need of a new right winger, De Frutos, a former Real Madrid youth-team player, is a dependable option.

Vincenzo Grifo

Position: Centre attacking midfield

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Club: Freiburg

At 29, Grifo isn’t a long-term option, but he can be relied upon for a few seasons and can also be trusted as your team’s leading set-piece taker.

He’s registered at least nine league goals in the past two seasons, can score long-range screamers and will likely provide plenty of assists from corners and free kicks.

Geronimo Rulli

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Villarreal

It usually wouldn’t be advisable to sign players over 30 in FM23. But goalkeepers defy that rule.

Rulli, who scored the winning penalty in the 2021 Europa League final against Manchester United, still has a good few seasons left in the tank and would offer most teams who can afford his wages a dependable option.