The Football Manager 2020 Beta is now available, so it is time to get a feel of the new game.
Remember you can keep up to date with all FM20 news by reading our 'absolutely everything' piece right here.
First off you need to decide who you are going to take charge of, and if you are anything like us, you will want to manage a club with a big budget.
That said, Football Manager is far more realistic than its manager mode counterparts in FIFA 20 (Career Mode) and PES 2020 (Master League) – in that it takes into account the transfer activity that took place over the summer. This means that every club’s transfer budget will be far less than you would expect.
RealSport lets you know the clubs with the biggest budgets as you start your FM 20 save.
Chelsea
BLUES: Chelsea may have money, but you can't spend it
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 3rd
Honours: 6 First Division titles, 8 FA Cups, 5 League
Cups, 1 European Cups, 2 Europa Leagues
Notable players: N’Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta,
Jorginho
FM 20 Transfer budget: £120 million
It may shock you to see Chelsea have such a whopping big transfer
budget – but remember the Blues are under a one year transfer embargo.
This makes the Londoners a great prospect to take charge of FM, as you look to qualify for the Champions Cup with a whole load of homegrown academy prospects.
Can you replicate Frank Lampard’s exceptional start to the
season with Premier League giants?
Liverpool
MONEY TO BURN: Hunt down a first Premier League title with £100+ million
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 2nd
Honours: 18 First Division titles, 7 FA Cups, 8 League
Cups, 6 European Cups, 3 Europa Leagues
Notable players: Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio
Mane
FM 20 Transfer budget: £102 million
Sure to be a popular choice on FM 20, Liverpool are desperate
to claim a first ever Premier League title.
There was still plenty to shout about last season with a Champions League trophy and missing out on the domestic league by one point, but there is a sense that this is there year to claim a first league title in 30 years.
READ MORE: Absolutely Everything you need to know about Football Manager 20
The Reds also have a big budget to fall back on, having only
spent £1.3 million on transfers over the summer.
Manchester United
BOUNCE BACK: Utd are struggling, can you return them to the top?
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 6th
Honours: 20 First Division titles, 12 FA Cups, 5 League
Cups, 3 European Cups, 1 Europa Leagues, 1 Club World Cup
Notable players: David De Gea, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial
FM 20 Transfer budget: £100 million
It’s a similar budget for Manchester United, but for a very different reason. The Red Devils are under transition after trimming the fat with summer departures of Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling and Ander Herrera.
It’s a fresh start, but as much as the results need to
improve, the quality of football must do to.
With a useful amount of cash can you take the English giants
back to the top of the table in style?
Real Madrid
Galacticos: Real spent big this summer so there isn't much left
League: Spanish First Division
Last season: 3rd
Honours: 33 La Liga titles, 19 Copa del Reys, 13 European
Cups, 2 Europa Leagues, 4 Club World Cups
Notable players: Eden Hazard, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos
FM 20 Transfer budget: £54 million
It’s a big drop off in budgets as Real Madrid spent a huge
£260 million on new talent over the summer.
The arrivals of Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo point that change is on the way with the likes of Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo edging closer to the exit door.
READ MORE: Every single new feature in Football Manager 20
With only three teams in the title race, you always have a
chance in Spain – so don’t rule yourself out of pushing an inconsistent
Barcelona close at the end of the campaign.
Manchester City
DOMINANCE: Can you keep City atop the league?
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 1st (Champions)
Honours: 6 First Division titles, 6 FA Cups, 6 League
Cups
Notable players: Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem
Sterling
FM 20 Transfer budget: £44 million
It may not feel like Manchester City went big in the summer transfer window, but the Citizens did still sign the likes of Joao Cancelo and Rodri, spending a total of £143 million.
Still the favourites for the Premier League title, but after
overcoming Liverpool by just a single point, can they handle the pressure of another
title race and chasing a first ever European crown?
With a great youth setup, top class facilities and super wealthy owners, City are the best side to manage if you are targeting an era of domination.
Bayern Munich
SMALL BUDGET: Bayern don't have a lot left in the bank
League: German Bundesliga
Last season: 1st (Champions)
Honours: 29 Bundesliga titles, 19 DFB-Pokals, 5 European
Cups, 1 Europa League, 1 Club World Cup
Notable players: Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer, Joshua
Kimmich
FM 20 Transfer budget: £36 million
Seemingly every Bundesliga season, it’s hard to look past
Bayern Munich. Under new management, they received a scare last season from Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund, but showed their experience to come back and take the
title.
Experienced players Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Mats Hummels have all left the club, so you have a new challenge on Football Manager 20 to bring on and add to this squad.
READ MORE: Best clubs to manage on Football Manager 20
You may be wondering why there is so little budget to play
with, but FCB did ship £100 million on defenders Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin
Pavard alone.
Zebre (Juventus)
ALREADY SPENT: Juve's money is all gone, but there is talent here
League: Italian Serie A
Last season: 1st (Champions)
Honours: 35 Serie A titles, 13 Coppa Italias, 2 European
Cups, 3 Europa Leagues
Notable players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Miralem Pjanic,
Giorgio Chiellini
FM 20 Transfer budget: £31 million
PES 2020’s exclusive deal with Juventus strikes again with the Italian giants called Zebre on FM 20.
With Max Allegri departing it is a new start in Turin, but
you may want to do more than what Maurizio Sarri has done in real life –
restoring Gonzalo Higuain to the first team.
Matthijs de Ligt is a £65 million arrival of Ajax and he
should be the marker for what is a new era at the club – but you may have one
last crack with the current crop of players, with Cristiano Ronaldo now 34, to
win a first European Cup since 1996.
Tottenham Hotspur
LAST LEGS: Spurs have no trophies to show for their hot stretch
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 4th
Honours: 2 First Division titles, 8 FA Cups, 4 League
Cups, 2 Europa Leagues
Notable players: Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Hugo Lloris
FM 20 Transfer budget: £30 million
Although no silverware, it is hard to deny that Spurs had a successful season last term. The Lilywhites went all the way to the Champions League final and maintained their top four status, despite brining in no first team signings.
The difficulty they have this year is – what’s next? Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon have all arrived, but a lot of the club’s players have an eye on their next move.
READ MORE: Every single league in Football Manager 20
Your challenge is to keep the squad together and aim for a first
trophy in 12 years, only then can you start to think about competing for a
Premier League title.
Arsenal
GONE: Arsenal's record Summer leaves little left for you
League: English Premier Division
Last season: 5th
Honours: 13 First Division titles, 13 FA Cups, 2 League
Cups
Notable players: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre
Lacazette, Mesut Ozil
FM 20 Transfer budget: £10 million
Like Chelsea and Manchester United, Arsenal are another club
having to turn to youth this season.
They tried it one way with Arsene Wenger for too long, and Unai Emery has only added to the defensive problems the Gunners have before.
Their blistering attack is being let down by their
teammates, making your job on FM 20 quite simple -patch up the back four. The
£72 million signing of Nicolas Pepe has hindered you off brining in reinforcements,
so it could be a tough first season at the Emirates.
Barcelona
EMPTY: Barca's Griezmann signing leaves nothing behind
League: Spanish First Division
Last season: 1st (Champions)
Honours: 26La Liga titles, 30 Copa del Reys, 4 Champions
Leagues, 3 Club World Cups
Notable players: Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann,
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
FM 20 Transfer budget: £9 million
The humongous £120 million arrival of Antoine Griezmann has impacted the ability to bring in further talent, but with Frenkie de Jong, Neto and Junior Firpo arriving, the squad is set to fight on all fronts this term.
You only have a handful of more seasons with Lionel Messi at his pomp, so make sure you savour the time you have with him.
READ MORE: How to install face, kit and badge packs on Football Manager 20
The signing of Griezmann suggests the club are preparing for
life without their talisman, with a series of youngsters waiting in the wings
to come into the side and give it a push of young energy.
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