The best things in life are free, so if you have a tight budget on Football Manager, you will want to identify who the best free agents available on the game are. With some top talent we are used to seeing in the Premier League, La Liga and the Portuguese Primeira Liga currently without a club.
How to make a free agent signing
Search your player and under 'Contract' click 'Approach to Sign'.
You may then need to give promises to the player's agent to persuade them to sign for your club.
Agree a contract with wages and personal terms and the player will be yours.
All the following free agents have a current ability (CA) rating of at least 120 on FM 2019. For a full list of all the best free agents on Football Manager 2019, please see the table near the end of the page.
Samir Nasri (CA 145 – PA 151)
Age: 30
Positions: AM (LRC), M (RL)
Country: France
Best stats: 17 flair, 17 first touch, 16 passing
Samir Nasri is currently without a club after being stung with a doping ban for using an illegal drip treatment. This suspension is included on Football Manager 2019, meaning the former Manchester City and Arsenal midfielder is not eligible to play until January. A move for him before then could be blocked by your club's board.
The 30-year-old Nasri has stats of 17 flair, 17 first touch and 16 passing to take his CA to 145, which is not far off his 151 potential.
Benoit Tremoulinas (CA 136 – PA 148)
Age: 32
Positions: D (L), WB (L)
Country: France
Best stats: 16 crossing, 16 natural fitness, 16 teamwork
Benoit Tremoulinas has been a free agent after leaving Sevilla in 2017, but a meniscus injury has stopped him from returning to the professional scene. The left back won the Europa League in both the seasons he was in Seville, having also secured league titles in both France and Ukraine with Bordeaux and Dynamo Kyiv, respectively.
On FM, Tremoulinas has stats of 16 crossing, 16 natural fitness and 16 teamwork to take him to a 136 CA, which has fallen from a 148 potential.
Dimitar Berbatov (CA 134 – PA 173)
Age: 37
Positions: AM (C), ST
Country: Bulgaria
Best stats: 20 first touch, 18 penalty taking, 18 composure
Dimitar Berbatov will be remembered fondly by Tottenham and Manchester United, with the Bulgarian striker netting 75 Premier League goals across both clubs. After spells at Fulham, Monaco, PAOK and Kerala Blasters, and now 37, is there enough time for one last move for the forward?
20 first touch, 18 penalty taking and 18 composure add to Berbatov’s 134 CA which has fallen someway from his 173 potential.
Miguel Veloso (CA 132 – PA 148)
Age: 32
Positions: DM, M (C)
Country: Portugal
Best stats: 17 pressure, 16 passing, 16 professionalism
Miguel Veloso was a regular in Portugal’s midfield for some time, earning 56 caps for his country between 2007 and 2015. The defensive midfielder won two domestic cups with Sporting Lisbon, then headed to first Genoa and then Dynamo Kyiv, but has been a free agent since the summer.
A 132 CA has fallen from a 148 potential, but Veloso still has 17 pressure, 16 passing and 16 professionalism to his game.
Javi Varas (CA 130 – PA 138)
Age: 35
Positions: GK
Country: Spain
Best stats: 16 concentration, 15 anticipation, 14 positioning
A player you may not be aware of is Spanish goalkeeper Javi Varas. The 35-year-old has over 150 La Liga appearances to his name, after spells at Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Las Palmas. He left second tier club Granada last season and is yet to sign for a new team.
16 concentration, 15 anticipation and 14 positioning take Varas to a 130 CA, which hasn’t fallen much from his 138 potential.
Diego Cavalieri (CA 130 – PA 154)
Age: 35
Positions: GK
Country: Brazil
Best stats: 16 bravery, 16 natural fitness, 15 determination
A former Brazilian international, Diego Cavalieri signed for Crystal Palace last season, but never made an appearance for the club before his release. Before then, the 34-year-old made over 200 appearances for Fluminense in his homeland, and did serve as an understudy to Pepe Reina at Liverpool between 2008 and 2010.
On FM, a 130 CA has fallen from a 154 potential for Cavalieri, but he still holds abilities of 16 bravery, 16 natural fitness and 15 determination.
Obafemi Martins (CA 130 – PA 152)
Age: 33
Positions: ST
Country: Nigeria
Best stats: 15 determination, 15 flair, 15 agility
Still going aged 33, Obafemi Martins in real life is contracted to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League, but a torn hamstring looks to have ended his time in China, perhaps why he is a free agent on FM 19. The Nigerian striker enjoyed successful spells at Inter Milan and Newcastle early in his career and earned 42 caps for his country.
15 determination, 15 flair and 15 agility for Martins take him to a 130 CA, which has fallen from a 152 potential.
Dario Conca (CA 129 – PA 157)
Age: 35
Positions: AM (C)
Country: Argentina
Best stats: 19 temperament, 17 determination, 17 flair
Attacking midfielder Dario Conca has also had a spell in the Chinese Super League, but the 35-year-old has been without a club since a brief loan spell at Flamengo in 2017. The Argentine performed well in China, scoring 54 goals and adding 37 assists in 99 games for Guangzhou Evergrande.
A 129 current ability rating for Conca can improve to a PA of 157, with his best stats being 19 temperament, 17 determination and 17 flair.
Serdar Tasci (CA 129 – PA 146)
Age: 31
Positions: D (C)
Country: Germany
Best stats: 17 professionalism, 16 composure, 16 natural fitness
Serdar Tasci was solid at the back for Stuttgart for seven years, making over 240 appearances for the club, and winning a remarkable Bundesliga title in 2007. Despite making 15 caps for Germany, the 31-year-old never made the step up to the top level, eventually signing for Spartak Moscow in 2013 and has been a free agent since the summer.
Centre back Tasci has stats of 17 professionalism, 16 composure and 16 natural fitness on FM, which take him to a 129 CA, now someway off his 146 potential.
Eliseu (CA 129 – PA 141)
Age: 34
Positions: D (L), WB (L)
Country: Portugal
Best stats: 15 determination, 15 bravery, 15 aggression
A Portuguese international as recent as 2017, Eliseu had a successful spell at Benfica, winning three league titles. The left back was also part of Portugal’s Euro 2016 winning side, but has been a free agent since leaving Benfica at the end of last season.
15 determination, 15 bravery and 15 aggression take Eliseu to a 129 CA on the game, rising to a potential of 141.
All the best FM 19 free agents
Player | Age | Pos | Country | CA | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Samir Nasri | 30 | AM (LRC) M (RL) | France | 145 | 151 |
Benoit Tremoulinas | 32 | D (L) WB (L) | France | 136 | 148 |
Dimitar Berbatov | 37 | AM (C) ST | Bulgaria | 134 | 173 |
Miguel Veloso | 32 | DM M (C) | Portugal | 132 | 148 |
Diego Cavalieri | 35 | GK | Brazil | 130 | 154 |
Obafemi Martins | 33 | ST | Nigeria | 130 | 152 |
Javi Varas | 35 | GK | Spain | 130 | 138 |
Serdar Tasci | 31 | D (C) | Germany | 129 | 146 |
Eliseu | 34 | D (L WB (L) | Portugal | 129 | 141 |
Darío Conca | 35 | AM (C) | Argentina | 129 | 157 |