FIFA 19 Career Mode: Contract expiry signings ending in 2019

Transfer fees are far from cheap these days, and it is vital on FIFA 19’s Career Mode that you maximise the effectiveness of your cash. The best way to do this is by picking players on a pre-contract agreement. These are players who are in the final six months of their contract and can therefore negotiate with new clubs to join at the end of the season for free.

Bayern Munich pulled off a contract expiry signing with Leon Goretzka (OVR 83), but who could be available this year? RealSport gives you all you need on contract expiry signings and which players can be picked up on pre-contract agreements on FIFA 19.

What players on FIFA 19 are available as contract expiry signings?

Any player aged 24 or over who is in the final six months of their contract can enter negotiations for a contract expiry deal.

What’s the difference between a Contract Expiry signing and a Free Agent?

Contract expiry signings can be made when a player is in the final six months of their contract. They will join at the start of the following season.

A free agent has no current club and can be signed instantly.

What are the advantages of a Contact Expiry signing?

A contract expiry signing does not involve a transfer fee. That means you can sign the player for free, all you need to negotiate is the player’s wage, role, contract length and contract clauses.

When is the ideal time to approach a signing?

January 1st. This is when a player enters the final six months of their contract. You can still try to sign them after this point, but you risk being beaten to the signing by other clubs.

When will the player join my club?

The contract expiry signing will join your side on July 1st. This is when their contract at their former club finishes. From that point on he is at your disposal. 

How to make a contract expiry signing

It’s not a straightforward process to pick up a contract expiry signing on a pre-contract agreement, but if you pull it off, you can sign some top talent for no transfer fee. We secured the services of David De Gea on our Career Mode, but who are you going to sign? 

Step 1 – wait until the January transfer window

You can be risky and sim through to January if you can't wait to get your hands on a player, but we would recommend playing most of the games so you don't endure any catastrophic upsets.

Step 2 – find the player you want to sign

Unfortunately, you cannot search for players by contract end, so you will need to know which players are in the final year of their contracts (see below). 

Step 3 – add him to your shortlist

As part of the transfer process, you can only approach a player if they are already on your shortlist.

Step 4 – in the Transfer Hub press ‘Approach to Sign’ on the player

Go back to the Transfer tab and select Transfers Hub. Compare all the players in your shortlist, and 'approach' to sign the man you want. 

Step 5 – negotiate a deal

A little bit of skill is needed when negotiating a deal, but if you want the player at all costs, do what ever their agent desires. You will need to negotiate squad role, wage, contract length and optional extras of release and sell-on clauses.

Step 6 - see out the rest of the season

If successful, you will secure the deal and the player will join your team next year on July 1. That does mean you have to wait until the beginning of next season to have him in your team. 

Step 7 - get him on the pitch

The new season arrives, and once you advance, you will receive an e-mail for a pre-contract player arrival. From then on, he's all yours. 

The best contract expiry signings on FIFA 19 Career Mode

So there's how to do it, and now here are the best players available on contract expiry deals on Career Mode. All the following players are aged over 24 and have an overall of at least 81. For more contract expiry signings, look at the table at the end of this page.

A full list of all the contract expiry signings rated 81 or higher can be found at the bottom of this page.

David De Gea (OVR 91 – POT 93)

Age: 27

Positions: GK

Club: Manchester United

Country: Spain

Best stats: 94 GK reflexes, 90 GK diving, 90 reactions

Wage: £260,000 a week

Yes, the best goalkeeper in the world can be yours for free at the end of the season. With Manchester United struggling for some time now, you could see David De Gea walking away from Old Trafford at the end of the campaign, putting the biggest clubs in the world on red alert. The Premier League, FA Cup and two-time Europa League winner made the most clean sheets in the league last year (18), despite making the fifth-most amount of saves (115).

On FIFA 19, the 27-year-old De Gea could be yours if you match his hefty £260,000 a week wages. Considering there is no transfer price to pay, it is certainly worth it, with the 91 rated De Gea holding the potential to reach 93. The Spaniard’s best stats include 94 GK reflexes, 90 GK diving and 90 reactions. 

Diego Godin (OVR 90 – POT 90)

Age: 32

Positions: CB

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Uruguay

Work rate: Medium/High

Best stats: 92 heading accuracy, 91 jumping, 90 marking

Wage: £110,000 a week

One of the world’s finest centre backs, it seems strange that Diego Godin could be playing his football away from Atletico Madrid next season. The Uruguay captain joined Atletico from Villarreal in 2010, going on to win La Liga, a Copa del Rey, two Europa Leagues and two UEFA Super Cups.

The 32-year-old Godin can be yours on a contract expiring signing for wages of £110,000 a week, giving you his 92 heading accuracy, 91 jumping and 90 marking. Those stats contribute to his superb 90 overall rating. 

Jan Vertonghen (OVR 87 – POT 87)

Age: 31

Positions: CB

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Country: Belgium

Work rate: High/High

Best stats: 90 marking, 89 interceptions, 88 sliding tackle

Wage: £136,000 a week

The best centre back in the Premier League last season, Jan Vertonghen will want to end this wait for a trophy, with the Belgian last tasting silverware during his last season at Ajax in 2012. At 31, the Tottenham man could leave North London if he feels silverware just isn’t destined to arrive at the club.

Vertonghen’s 87 overall rating can be yours for wages of £136,000 a week at the end of the season. With stats of 90 marking, 89 interceptions and 88 sliding tackle, the defender will be a rock at the back for your team.

Naldo (OVR 86 – POT 86)

Age: 35

Positions: CB

Club: Schalke

Country: Brazil

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 94 heading accuracy, 92 shot power, 90 standing tackle

Wage: £40,000 a week

An underestimated centre back, Naldo is still going strong aged 35. The Brazilian has been a stalwart in German football since 2005, and has a surprisingly good goal scoring record. The big defender netted seven times last season, taking his Bundesliga total up to 65. 

Capped just four times by Brazil, Naldo is a much cheaper option on Career Mode with wages of £40,000 a week. However, his age means his 86 overall rating will drop this season, so only bring him in if you want a one-season stop-gap at the back. 94 heading accuracy, 92 shot power and 90 standing tackle are his best skills. 

Koke (OVR 85 – POT 86)

Age: 26

Positions: LM, CM, RM

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Spain

Work rate: High/High

Best stats: 90 short passing, 89 long passing, 87 vision

Wage: £78,000 a week

A player who is yet to reach his prime is Koke. The Spaniard offers versatility, being able to play anywhere in midfield, something that has made him a necessity for Atletico Madrid for close to a decade. Despite being aged just 26, the left midfielder has pulled on the red and white stripes over 370 times, the most in the current squad and the ninth-most in the club’s history. 

Given he has been at Atletico his entire career, it is surprising to see Koke enter the final year of his contract, but he could be eying up a move and a pay rise to one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Koke’s wages of £78,000 a week make him a very affordable option, and an absolute bargain for his 85 overall which can rise to 86. His best attributes include 90 short passing, 89 long passing and 87 vision. 

Yacine Brahimi (OVR 85 – POT 85)

Age: 28

Positions: LM

Club: Porto

Country: Algeria

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 93 dribbling, 92 agility, 90 composure

Wage: £25,000 a week

A name you may be less familiar with is Porto’s Yacine Brahimi. The left midfielder has a great return having scored 44 goals and notched a further 34 assists in his five seasons at the Portuguese giants. At the age of 28 he is also the captain of Algeria, with his movement opening up pockets for teammate Riyad Mahrez (OVR 85).

Abilities of 93 dribbling, 92 agility and 90 composure five Brahimi an 85 overall rating. Wages of £25,000 a week make him an absolute bargain for a top class wide midfielder with a few years left at the top.

Sami Khedira (OVR 85 – POT 85)

Age: 31

Positions: CM, CDM

Club: Juventus

Country: Germany

Work rate: High/High

Best stats: 87 strength, 87 reactions, 86 interceptions

Wage: £141,000 a week

With Emre Can (OVR 80) arriving at Juventus on a free transfer, you sense the clock is starting to tick on German compatriot Sami Khedira. The 31-year-old was one of many players to struggle for Die Mannschaft during the World Cup, and he must show his class at Juventus to win back the supporters. 

Central or defensive midfielder Khedira has an 85 overall rating, and with stats of 87 strength, 87 reaction and 86 interceptions you should consider the former Real Madrid man. Wages of £141,000 for a midfielder are expensive, so think about negotiating to make him more affordable. 

Arjen Robben (OVR 85 – POT 85)

Age: 34

Positions: RM, RW

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Holland

Work rate: High/Low

Best stats: 90 curve, 90 balance, 89 dribbling

Wage: £106,000 a week

Despite his age of 34, Arjen Robben still possesses so much quality. The flying Dutchman has dribbled past countless defenders during his career, with his trademark cut inside on to his left foot firing him to league titles in Holland, England, Spain and Germany. 

With hefty wages for a player of his age, there is still an element of risk in bringing in Robben. By the end of the season his 85 overall could fall to 83, meaning you may only get a decent six months out of him next year. His stats of 90 curve, 90 balance and 89 dribbling could persuade you to bring Robben to your club. 

Filipe Luis (OVR 85 – POT 85)

Age: 32

Positions: LB

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Brazil

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 89 stamina, 88 composure, 86 sliding tackle

Wage: £71,000 a week

A reliable left back, there is a reason Filipe Luis has played over 300 times for Atletico Madrid. The defender has helped form one of the meanest defences in world football, conceding the least amount of goals in La Liga over the last three seasons.

La Liga, Premier League, Copa Del Rey and double Europa League winner Luis has an 85 overall rating on FIFA 19, with stats of 89 stamina, 88 composure and 86 sliding tackle. Reasonable wages of £71,000 a week can help you pick him up for free at the end of the season. 

Vincent Kompany (OVR 85 – POT 85)

Age: 32

Positions: CB

Club: Manchester City

Country: Belgium

High rate: Medium/High

Best stats: 87 reactions, 87 strength, 87 marking

Wage: £150,000 a week

An absolute beast of a centre back, but with other options at Manchester City and suffering from many seasons plagued by injury, the signs suggest that captain Vincent Kompany will not be at the club at the end of the season. The Belgian has failed to chalk up 30 or more games in a season since 2014/15, with his issues costing him the captaincy of the national team.

At 32, there is still enough time to pick up Kompany and see his quality. With stats of 87 reactions, 87 strength and 87 marking contributing to his 85 overall rating, you should move in for him. His wages of £150,000 a week are steep, so try to get those reduced to closer to the £100,000 mark. 

Full list of players ending contracts in 2019 above 80 OVR

*Will turn 23 before January 1, 2019