FIFA 17 Career Mode: Best contract expiry signings

What is a contract expiry signing?

If a player is over the age of 23, he can be tapped up by another club in the final six months of his contract and signed for free. You may think clubs would be foolish to do this, but there are some big name players coming towards the end of the career who are definitely worth signing even if they are past their peak.

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• FIFA 18 Career Mode: Contract expiry signings ending in 2018

Zlatan Ibrahimović (OVR 90)

Well, there isn’t much needed to be said. The big Swede has started life off brilliantly at Manchester United, but with the 34-year-old only signing a one-year deal, there does remain a question mark over where he will be next season. If on your Career Mode he hasn’t signed a fresh deal by January, you must sign him up. His level may have dropped, but with all his weapons it’s worth having the striker on your books for a season. Be warned, his whopping wages of £250,000 a week are a tricky hurdle to overcome, however.

Pepe (OVR 88)

With Rafael Varane ready to break through, this could be the last season we see the reckless but brilliant Pepe at Real Madrid. His rating may be a bit generous at 88, but with top quality centre-backs available he could be worth snapping up on a contract expiry deal, or better yet, bite the bullet and sign him straight away so purchase him for a fraction of his £16.9million value. But once again a hefty wage of £260,000 could turn you off.

Arjen Robben (OVR 87)

Arjen Robben, he just keeps going. He was terrorising defences at Chelsea, then Real Madrid, and has probably given every fullback in the Bundesliga a game to forget at some point. The right winger is still just 32, so even if you wait until his contract expires, it’s worth having someone of his calibre around for two seasons. His wages are high, but nowhere near the likes of Zlatan and Pepe, with £145,000 a week.

Franck Ribery (OVR 86)

Robben’s partner in crime Franck Ribery is next, and if both leave the Allianz Arena at the end of this season, they will look a much different side. At 33, Ribery is clearly past his peak, but with an affordable value of £17.3 million, he may be worth purchasing straight away, if you can deal with the £145,000 a week wages.

Santi Cazorla (OVR 86)

The first of two Arsenal players on this list, and it will surprise many that Santi Cazorla is in his last year at The Emirates. He can operate anywhere in the midfield, and at 31, he is definitely worth having in your squad. If you have a bottom half Premier League team, he could even have more of an impact if you build the team around him. His wages, however, are not cheap, so you’d be looking in the area of £165,000 a week.

Laurent Koscielny (OVR 85)

An even more surprising name here is Laurent Koscielny. He is arguably at the peak of his career, and it is astounding that he hasn’t been tied down for a few more years at Arsenal. For that reason, don’t wait until January to sign him, as it his more than likely that he will sign a new deal. With a value of £17.3 million, you should be able to sign him for less than £15 million, and his wages of £125,000 a week are just about affordable.

Aritz Aduriz (OVR 84)

If you are looking for a striker who just does the basics and will consistently find you the net, Aritz Aduriz is your man. The Athletic Bilbao forward has peaked incredibly late, and his rating of 84 at the age of 35 is a great testament to his longevity. The problem is, if you wait a whole season to bring him in, and his level may have dropped dramatically, so you will have to sign him straight away. With a value of £8.3 million and a wage of £32,000 a week, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Xabi Alonso (OVR 84)

Any Liverpool fan would love to see Xabi Alonso back at Anfield, and with midfield options of Lucas, Emre Can and Jordan Henderson, if may just be worth re-signing the Spaniard. He may be 34, but his value is incredibly low (£6.5 million) and his weekly wage of £115,000 is affordable. With short and long passing both over 90, the World Cup winner can be the man to run your midfield.

Yaya Toure (OVR 84)

Perhaps the most realistic of moves would be for Yaya Toure. The Ivorian’s agent has already said he will sign a pre-contract agreement in January, and you can be the manager to jump in there first. At 33 years' old, he's still got enough in his locker to offer you a season, and if you relieve him of his defensive duties, he can be a real handful. His wages of £160,000 a week are a turn-off, however.

John Terry (OVR 84)

Although John Terry’s contract expires at the end of the season, he will be near impossible to sign. He has the ‘One Club Player’ trait, meaning that he will never leave Chelsea, and unless you move on the first day of your season to sign him, you probably have no chance of taking the Stamford Bridge legend away from the club, but it's worth a shot.

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