FIFA 23 Contract Expiry Signings: Elite players available for FREE


It can feel like cheating, but bagging a star player as a contract expiry signing can turn your FIFA 23 squad into a juggernaut. These players come without any transfer fee and can save you tens of millions that you can then spend elsewhere.

When it comes to making contract expiry signings in FIFA 23 there are a few hoops to jump through, but we will guide you through the journey and make sure you can grab some of the best players in world football for free, as long as you can afford their wages of course.

These players are likely to have signed new contracts by the time EA Sports FC comes around, but can be total game-changers for you in FIFA 23.

What is a Contract Expiry signing?

A contract expiry signing is securing a player on a free transfer as the contract with their current club enters its final six months.

You sign the player on what is known as a pre-contract agreement, for the player to join your club on a free transfer when their current contract expires.

Karim Benzema in FIFA 23
click to enlarge
+ 4
GOLDEN MAN - Benzema can be grabbed on a free, but his age is a worry

You can only sign players this way who have less than six months remaining on their contract and are over the age of 23. That means you can't grab the likes of Giorgio Scalvini or Rayan Cherki on a free I'm afraid.

How to make a Contract Expiry signing

Making a Contract Expiry signing in FIFA 23 is the same as FIFA 22 and previous versions of the FIFA franchise, it will go as follows:

Wait until 1 January 2023 - players whose contracts run out in the first season can be approached from this point.

Search for your player - head to the transfers tab to get the player you want, and add them to your shortlist.

Head to your shortlist on the Transfer Hub and press "Approach to Sign".

Negotiate a deal - given you don't need to pay a transfer fee, you can afford to be a bit more generous in wages.

Wait until the next season - your player will join your club at the start of the 2023/24 season.

So now that you know how to get them, these are the players you should target!

Milan Skriniar (OVR 86)

Skriniar doesn't have the highest OVR of all those with a contract expiring at the end of the first season, but what he does have is prime years ahead of him. He starts FIFA 23 career mode age 27, which means he has a lot of football ahead of him.

Skriniar is already an elite centre back, with terrific defensive skills and aerial presence. The Slovakian CB is 6'2" and has 89 strength, 85 jumping, and 81 heading accuracy to be a set piece threat while his 92 standing tackle, 90 defensive awareness, and 85 interceptions will make him a quality option at CB for practically any team.

Lionel Messi (OVR 91)

It seems odd to put Skriniar ahead of Messi, but by the time you get Messi into your squad he will be 36 and will demand a massive salary too. At that age Messi's physical stats will be in a steep decline and we all know that pace and strength are crucial in FIFA 23.

Lionel Messi in FIFA 23
click to enlarge
+ 4
MAGIC MAN - Who wouldn't want to add Messi?

Messi obviously starts with god-like attributes in FIFA 23, with 95 dribbling, 93 ball control, 91 short passing, and 90 finishing. He's a brilliant little player as always, but his physicals are already on shaky ground, with 87 acceleration, 76 sprint speed, and 70 stamina. By the time your second season comes around they will be even worse.

N'Golo Kante (OVR 88)

Injuries have hampered Kante in recent years, but he is still a dominant ball-winning midfielder. Chelsea's CDM is coming to the end of a €210k contract and should be available to sign for much less.

He'll be 32 if you do sign him as a contract expiry, but that means he'll still have a season or two of productive play in him. Kante has 91 stamina, 92 standing tackle, 90 defensive awareness, and 81 short passing to be a strong ball winner and distributor at the base of your midfield.

David De Gea (OVR 87)

If you need a goalkeeper you can do a lot worse than grabbing David De Gea on a free. The Man Unitd goalie has been much maligned for his lack of distribution skill in recent years, but in FIFA 23 that matters a lot less, and his quality between the sticks has never been in doubt.

De Gea will be 32 by the time you can add him to your team, but that's a prime age for goalkeepers. He has 89 reflexes, 88 reactions, 88 diving, and 86 positioning.

Ilkay Gundogan (OVR 85)

The Man City captain might be about to complete a treble at the Etihad, but you can also grab him as a contract expiry signing in FIFA 23. He would be 32 when he joins your team, so has one or two years left.

Ilkay Gundogan in FIFA 23
click to enlarge
+ 4
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC - Gundogan has been a leader at City for a long time

His physical attributes are already pretty low, but he's a quality creative midfielder with plenty of useful ability up the pitch. He has 90 ball control, 88 short passing, 85 dribbling, and 75 standing tackle to be a decent player both on and off the ball.

Konrad Laimer (OVR 83)

A more active and youthful midfield option is RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer. While not as good on the ball as Gundogan, Laimer will be 26 by the time you sign him, so he has plenty of prime years ahead of him.

Laimer is an incredibly balanced player, with 90 stamina, 86 interceptions, 85 defensive awareness, 82 acceleration, and 80 short passing. He's a natural CDM but can play further up the field too and is a cheaper option that can perform well for a long time.

Rafael Guerreiro (OVR 83)

Versatility is a brilliant thing to have in your squad, and Rafael Guerreiro has that in spades. Many remember him as a wonderkid left back in his youth, but at 28 years old he is now more of a CM, CAM, and LW/LM. However, he can happily still play left back in a pinch and even CDM.

Rafael Guerriero in FIFA 23
click to enlarge
+ 4
DO IT ALL - He can play anywhere

Guerreiro is great on the ball, with 90 balance, 90 agility, 89 short passing, 89 ball control, and 87 dribbling. He lacks the raw speed and stamina to play at left back regularly, but his 85 interceptions, 79 defensive awareness, and 78 stand tackle means he can still put a shift in there.

Youri Tielemans (OVR 83)

Another strong midfield option is Leicester's Youri Tielemans. Another player that was a wonderkid once upon a time, Tielemans has developed into a solid player and has been disgruntled at Leicester all season. He'll be just 26 when you can add him, meaning there is plenty of football left ahead of him.

Tielemans has 89 short passing, 88 long passing, 87 shot power, and 87 long shots to be a tempo-setter and goal scorer in your midfield.

Even more FIFA 23 contract expiry signings for 2023

Player
Team
Position
Age
OVR
POT
Karim Benzema
Real Madrid
ST
34
91
91
Toni Kroos
Real Madrid
CM, CDM
32
88
88
Luka Modric
Real Madrid
CM
36
88
88
Sergio Busquets
Barcelona
CDM
33
85
85
Marco Reus
Borussia Dortmund
CAM
33
85
85
Angel Di Maria
Juventus
RW
34
84
84
Dries Mertens
Galatasaray
CAM
35
84
84
Alejandro Garnacho
Manchester United
LW
18
70
86
Evan Ndicka
Eintract Frankfurt
CB
22
79
85

For more articles like this, take a look at our FIFA page.