FIFA 19 Career Mode: Free Agent XI & All the Best Free Agents to Sign

If you’ve got a tight budget or just looking to maximise what you do have on FIFA 19’s Career Mode, you must consider free agents. On the game, these are players who play for international teams, but their clubs do not appear on the game, making them free to claim on Career Mode. All you need to agree is wages and additional terms for their contract. 

How do I sign a free agent?

To view all the available free agents, head over to the transfers tab and go to search players. On the transfer status box, change it to free agents. Hit search and all the current free agents will be revealed. Add the player you wish to sign to your shortlist and then head to the Transfer Hub. Press ‘Approach to Sign’ and you can begin negotiations with the player.

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

Contract expiry signings are players that can be signed for free when their contract ends. You can make the agreement in the final six months of a player’s contract. They will join at the start of the following season.

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

Where are the big names?

As has been the case on recent FIFA editions, the best players without clubs on the game are assigned to random clubs after you set up your Career Mode. On FIFA 19, this will include Argentina international Leandro Paredes (OVR 80 – POT 85) and Sweden captain Andreas Granqvist (OVR 80). Therefore, you cannot snatch them up for free, and this is extended to any player rated 70 or higher, or that has any potential growth. 

As a result, it is slim pickings for decent free agents on FIFA 19, but if you are a lower league club, you can make some shrewd acquisitions.

Who is available?

So that leaves us with players rated 69 and below with no growth. For managers of lower league clubs, with three star ratings and below, there is still plenty of players out there to be snapped up for free. These are all international players who play for clubs that are not on FIFA 19. One thing to be careful of is that free agents are international players without a club, meaning when international football is on, if your division doesn’t have an international break, you will be without your players for those matches. 

Here is the best 11 you can make up from entirely free agent players. 

Hannes Thor Halldorsson (OVR 69)

Age: 34

Positions: GK

Country: Iceland

Best stats: 71 GK reflexes, 70 GK diving, 68 jumping

You may recognise this name, with Hannes Thor Halldorsson thwarting England amongst other sides at Euro 2016, before travelling to a first World Cup with Iceland last summer. The goalkeeper plies his trade in real life for Qarabag, who he joined in the summer from Danish side Randers.

Given Halldorsson’s FIFA World Cup Ultimate Team card last year was rated at 80, he can feel hard done by to have his rating so low. His 69 overall consists of stats of 71 GK reflexes, 70 GK diving and 68 jumping so you are probably looking at the 34-year-old as a back-up and not a starter. 

Gergo Lovrencsics (OVR 68)

Age: 30

Positions: RB, RM 

Country: Hungary

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 90 acceleration, 85 jumping, 82 sprint speed

If you like bombing full backs, Hungarian international Gergo Lovrencsics is your man. The 30-year-old plays for Ferencvaros back in his homeland and has chalked up 400 appearances during his career across Hungary and Poland.

The 19-time capped Lovrencsics has 90 acceleration, 85 jumping and 82 sprint speed to give him a 68 overall. With a high attacking work rate, and also able to play as a right midfielder he could be perfect for anyone with wing-backs in their formation. 

Nikolay Bodurov (OVR 69)

Age: 32

Positions: CB

Country: Bulgaria

Work rate: Medium/High

Best stats: 74 standing tackle, 74 strength, 73 aggression

A former Championship player, Nikolay Bodurov has been a solid free agent acquisition on Career Mode for some time now. The centre back played for now Premier League side Fulham for a season and a half, and after six months at Danish side Midtjylland he's now a regular starter for Bulgarian outfit CSKA Sofia.

Bodurov has 43 Bulgarian caps to his name, which earn him a 69 overall rating on FIFA 19. This consists of 74 standing tackle, 74 strength and 73 aggression. 

Vinicius (OVR 69)

Age: 28

Positions: CB

Country: Hungary

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 78 strength, 74 standing tackle, 72 sprint speed

Born in Brazil, centre back Vicinius became a Hungarian citizen last year having played for top flight side Videoton for seven seasons. A centre back, Vicinius has earned three caps for his adopted country, and at the age of 28, he looks on course to add many more. 

78 strength, 74 standing tackle and 72 sprint speed give Vicinius a 68 overall, making him a good starter for clubs right at the bottom of the pyramid. 

Marvin Bejarano (OVR 68)

Age: 30

Positions: LB, LWB

Country: Bolivia

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 90 stamina, 77 balance, 68 sprint speed

Another attacking full back, the 30-year-old Marvin Bejarano has picked up 34 caps for Bolivia since 2009. Playing for Club The Strongest La Paz, Bejarano is a threat on the left flank, tirelessly working up and down his channel.

This is supported by his stats of 90 stamina, 77 balance and 68 sprint speed, providing him with a 68 overall. Bejarano can operate as a left or wing-back. 

Horacio Calcaterra (OVR 68)

Age: 29

Positions: RM, CM 

Country: Peru

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 75 stamina, 74 short passing, 72 ball control

Peru qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, and although Horacio Calcaterra was not there, he is part of the group looking to make it to Qatar in 2022. The 29-year-old was only handed his debut in September following consistency at native side Sporting Cristal.

Right or central midfielder Calcaterra has attributes of 75 stamina, 74 short passing and 72 ball control on FIFA 19, giving him an overall of 68. 

Georges Mandjeck (OVR 69)

Age: 29

Positions: CDM 

Country: Cameroon

Work rate: Medium/High

Best stats: 83 stamina, 79 aggression, 78 strength

A man who plays his football in Europe is Georges Mandjeck. The defensive midfielder has had spells at Stuttgart, Rennes, Auxerre, Metz and Sparta Prague, but currently finds himself on loan at Maccabi Haifa in Israel. With 41 caps for Cameroon, this is a midfielder with pedigree.

The 29-year-old Mandjeck has stats of 83 stamina, 79 aggression and 78 strength to help him to a 69 overall. A high defensive work rate makes him a great option in midfield to add extra defensive protection. 

Mihai Pintilii (OVR 69)

Age: 33

Positions: CDM, CM 

Country: Romania

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 77 aggression, 76 shot power, 76 strength

Defensive or central midfielder Mihai Pintilii is enduring a second spell at Romanian giants Steaua Bucharest, with the 33-year-old a consistent performer for club and country. He has represented his nation 43 times, taking his career appearance total up to 383. 

The 33-year-old Pintilii has a 69 overall on the game with 77 aggression, 76 shot power and 76 strength. 

Osvaldo Ruisalvo (OVR 69)

Age: 26

Positions: LM

Country: Paraguay

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 84 balance, 81 agility, 75 sprint speed

On the left side of midfield we have the agile Osvaldo Ruisalvo. It would appear the 26-year-old is a completely made-up player, but that should not discourage you from moving for him.

The 26-year-old Ruisalvo has attributes of 84 balance, 81 agility and 75 sprint speed to give him a 69 overall. With a high attacking work rate, the left midfielder could be useful to throw late on to help you search for a goal. 

Ayman Ashraf (OVR 69)

Age: 27

Positions: LM, LW, CAM

Country: Egypt

Work rate: Medium/Medium

Best stats: 77 balance, 76 acceleration, 74 short passing

Left midfielder Ayman Ashraf moves into an attacking midfield role for our side, with the Egyptian international the most technically gifted free agent there is. Currently at Egyptian side Ahly, Ashraf went to the World Cup in Russia with his country, but failed to make an appearance. 

A 69 overall for Ashraf, he has useful skills of 77 balance, 76 acceleration and 74 short passing. His versatility to play left midfield, left wing and attacking midfield (and left back in real life) makes him a serious asset to any squad. 

Sunil Chhetri (OVR 67)

Age: 34

Positions: ST, CF

Country: India

Work rate: High/Medium

Best stats: 76 acceleration, 76 balance, 73 sprint speed

A goal scoring machine for India, Sunil Chhetri has scored 65 goals in 102 games for his country. Now 34, Chhetri has tried to crack football outside of his homeland but failed spells at Kansas City and Sporting Lisbon in a career involving 13 moves has seen him return to the Indian Super League.

Chettri can operate as a striker or centre forward on the game, with stats of 76 acceleration, 76 balance and 73 sprint speed. His 67 overall could make him a starter for lower league clubs, but most likely you will want him on the bench or just in the squad as injury cover.

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