One of the best parts of the Football Manager series is delving into the transfer market, especially if you manage to uncover a bargain hidden gem. There’s no better feeling than signing a player for next to nothing, only to sell them on later for a massive profit. So who are the best bargain signings in Football Manager 2024?
Bargain hunting
Before we get into our list, let’s just define what a bargain signing actually is. For the most part, a bargain player in Football Manager 2024 is a player whose value is significantly less than their expected market value. This could be due to their age, nationality, contract duration, or even just their status in their team.
The players in our list are all priced no higher than £10 million. To some that might not seem like much of a bargain, especially those managing in the lower leagues. But for higher division saves, these are definitely the players to go after if you find yourself limited on transfer funds.
So without further delay, let’s go bargain hunting!
Best bargain players in Football Manager 2024
For this list, we’ve tried to show players from every area of the pitch. This will help you either bring in cover for your weaker positions or even build a whole new spine from scratch. We’ll also be ordering our list from most expensive to cheapest.
Even though the transfer fees might be lower, that doesn’t mean the wages will be too, so just bear that in mind before opening negotiations. It’s also worth noting that some of the players on this list may not be interested in joining your club, for financial or reputational reasons, so it’s important to approach their agent first to get an idea of their demands so as to not end up disappointed.
Valentin Barco
Age: 18
Price: £6.4 million - £8 million
South American wonderkids are the three most spoken words in Football Manager, and Valentin Barco definitely fits that bracket. The 18-year-old Argentinian can cover the entire left-hand side of the pitch just by himself, with his versatility making him a very valuable asset for any team.
Barco is at his best when playing in defence, with his encouraging pace and awesome tacking attribute giving him the edge over your opposition. He might lack a little when it comes to other physical stats, and he will never win a header in his career, but give him the ball and he’ll work his magic.
The only stumbling block with Barco is his asking price. As a South American wonderkid, he’s not the cheapest to pick up. Boca Juniors value him at up to £8 million, so you may find yourself priced out of a move for this potential star.
Gaetano Castrovilli
Age: 26
Asking price: £550k - £7.8 million
Sofyan Amrabat might have grabbed all the attention in the midfield at Fiorentina last season, but his teammate is equally as good. Gaetano Castrovilli is perfect if you’re looking for a versatile midfield maestro. With his strong technical stats, peak physical attributes, and his mouth-watering mental ability, Castrovilli is a great signing for any top-division club.
What makes Castrovilli such a bargain is the fact that his contract expires in the summer of 2024. This brings his transfer right the way down to next to nothing, so long as you’re smart with your negotiations. His wage demands are also low, so he won’t break the bank once you’ve signed him either.
If your transfer budget has already been depleted, you could attempt the risk of waiting until January to approach him. Pull it off and you’ll land yourself a bargain for your second season, but just remember you may lose out to other clubs circling.
Sverre Halseth Nypan
Age: 16
Asking price: £2.8 million - £5.4 million
If you’re looking for a young player to mould into the next world-beater, look no further than Nypan. At only 16 years old, Nypan is already showing signs of becoming one of the world’s best midfielders. It’s no coincidence he’s been given the wonderkid label this year.
With incredible dribbling and fantastic passing, you’ll likely want to train Nypan as a playmaker to get the best out of him. He might be at the more expensive end of our list, with his club Rosenborg asking for up to £5.4 million, but his potential alone makes it a worthy expense.
Nypan’s best asset by far is his ability to use either foot. You should never sleep on just how vital this can be when playing fast-flowing attacking football, and with Nypan controlling the attack you’ll slice through the opposition like they’re not even there. Take the Chelsea approach and tie Nypan down to a long-term contract then sit back and watch the ballon d’ors roll in!
Toma Basic
Age: 26
Asking price: £1.6 million
Another midfield bargain. Toma Basic is of the same style as Tomas Soucek, operating principally as a box-to-box midfielder but equally as comfortable playing as either a ball winning midfielder or even a playmaker. Tall, strong, and with good traits, Basic can shore up any struggling midfield.
Age might not necessarily be on Basic’s side, but what makes him stand out is his amazingly low asking price. Basic can be yours for the incredible bargain of only £1.6 million. This makes him a viable purchase for every top-level club, and possibly even some second-division clubs too.
Even his wages are affordable, with his agent asking for around £30k per week. Basic is out of favour at Lazio, which is why his asking price is as low as it is. For a midfielder with his experience, Basic is definitely not a deal you want to miss making.
Sam Curtis
Age: 17
Asking price: £50k - £500k
Seamus Coleman was the biggest bargain to come out of Ireland when he signed for Everton back in 2009, but now there’s another right back waiting for his chance. Sam Curtis already looks like an incredible talent, and his stats certainly back that up.
With double-digit attributes where it counts, Curtis is still one to buy for the future. At only 17 years old, he will need a bit of time to develop, but his asking price of up to £500k makes him worth the risk. Wages are also not an issue, with even the lowest offers beating his rather modest earnings in Ireland.
Curtis does have first-team experience with St Pat’s in Ireland, so could be dropped into an affiliate club to continue getting game time. He’s also versatile, so can be trained to switch to the centre of defence when playing a back three.
David De Gea
Age: 32
Asking price: Free transfer
Despite being hailed as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, can you believe David De Gea is still a free agent? If you’re in the midst of a goalkeeping crisis, De Gea could be the perfect signing for you. No transfer fee makes him an incredible bargain, and that’s not even the best part.
Despite previously being on relatively high wages at Manchester United, De Gea isn’t asking for much on Football Manager 2024. The search for a new club has lowered his demands considerably, making him a bargain both in transfer fees and wages.
There aren’t many teams that can boast of having a goalkeeper as good as De Gea. Whether he’s your first-choice stopper or an experienced backup, David De Gea should be the first player you approach in Football Manager 2024. You will have to move fast though, as a deal this good doesn’t wait for long.