Six of the best bargain buys to consider on Football Manager 2021

 

It's that time of the year again! We finally get to sink our teeth into the new and improved Football Manager. To celebrate the launch of FM21 we have teamed up with Football Manager and have 100 free download codes to give away. All you need to do is register an account with WhoScored.com before November 30 and opt in for emails so we can contact the winners. It's that simple (T&Cs apply).

 

Three months into the season and by now, we have a good indication of how the season is going to pan out. Depending on what team you support, you will be either content, disgruntled or ecstatic about how things are going. Though no matter who you support you will always how an opinion on something, a way, in your mind, that will make your team better without question.

 

 

That is the beauty of Football Manager. You are in control. You can choose the tactics, pick the players and deal with recruitment. Tired of watching your club make hard work of transfers? Enough is enough. With Football Manager, you can assemble your dream side and conquer Europe.

 

Landing established stars is part of the fun but unearthing hidden gems offers greater satisfaction. Not everyone likes to take over clubs with the biggest budgets, however. Some take great pride from guiding lesser clubs to league glory, for example. Football Manager have taken COVID-19 into account in their latest release and that means budgets are down for all. Sifting through the transfer window is a tough task and we are on hand to help.

 

Using our stats-rich database, we have picked out six players worth considering from some of the top leagues in Europe with a base valuation of £5m or less. Players that have made an encouraging start to the 2020/21 campaign and may not only improve your team but also lead to handsome profit in the future. Enough of the chatter, let's dive straight in.

 

Amine Gouiri (Nice) - 7.29 WhoScored rating / £3.5M FM21 Value

 

Signed from league rivals Lyon over the summer, you may have a challenge on your hand wrestling Amine Gouiri from Nice straight away but he is certainly one to keep an eye on regardless. With no obvious path into the Lyon first-team, Gouiri will feel his decision to leave has already been vindicated by his flying start to life at Nice. The 20-year-old has impressive managed a direct hand in 10 goals in 14 appearances across league and European competition this season (seven goals, three assists). Capable of playing in the front three, deeper or centrally, Gouiri has versatility to further his appeal. No player has made more accurate through balls than Gouiri in Ligue 1 this season (3) and FM also believe the youngster to be excellent technically, with that ranking among one of his better base stats. Having scored from half of his attempts on target this season (7/14), he is equally efficient in front of goal.

 

Joey Veerman (Heerenveen) - 7.69 WhoScored rating / £4.2m FM21 Value

 

Six of the best bargain buys to consider on Football Manager 2021

 

Into his second season in the Heerenveen first-team and Joey Veerman is kicking on. The 22-year-old central midfielder played a direct hand in nine goals (four goals, five assists) in 22 league appearances last season and has already raced to six goal involvements (two goals, four assists) in his first nine Eredivisie league games in 2020/21. The Dutch outfit are certainly benefitting from Veerman's set-piece quality this season. Yet, Veerman offers more than just that. Veerman manages 1.9 tackles pg and 1.6 interceptions pg, as well as an impressive return of 2.8 successful dribbles pg. Moreover, of players that have attempted at least 20 dribbles in the Eredivisie this season, only two have a better success rate than Veerman (75.8%). He could be the all-action midfield you need in your team, with dribbling, work rate, vision and stamina all among his best traits on FM21.

 

Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) - 7.42 rating / £1.1M FM21 Value

 

Beyond Rangers' outstanding start to the season there hasn't been much to shout about in the Scottish Premiership but Aberdeen are putting pressure on an underperforming Celtic for second spot. 21-year-old midfielder Lewis Ferguson has been a standout performer for the Dons this season and some may even call him the Scottish Bruno Fernandes. Ferguson has scored eight league goals this season, with six of those coming from the penalty spot. He trails Rangers' James Tavernier by one in the Golden Boot race in Scotland. For someone as cheap as Ferguson, his base stats on FM21 are hugely encouraging and could be worth a punt with an side in the bottom half of the English top flight or a promotion chasing Championship outfit.

 

Nicolas Gonzalez (Stuttgart) - 7.36 WhoScored Rating / £5M FM21 Value

 

After firing Stuttgart back to the Bundesliga with 14 goals last season, Nicolas Gonzalez would have been full of enthusiasm entering the new season only to find himself injured for their first few matches. The 22-year-old striker has now worked his way back to full fitness and has scored in three straight games for the newly promoted side. In fact, he has already surpassed his best ever tally in a Bundesliga campaign, having managed just two goals in 30 appearances for Stuttgart in 2018/19. With 3.6 aerial duels won per 90 this season and four headed goals scored last term, FM21 believe Gonzalez to be very capable in the air and that could be something to think about when shaping your team if you are chasing a forward with a particular skillset.

 

Romain Faivre (Brest) - 7.45 WhoScored rating / £1.4M FM21 Value

 

Unless you are Sean Dyche, everyone loves a tricky winger. Someone capable of getting the fans off their feet. If you are in charge of a side with a smaller budget someone that fits that criteria can be difficult to find but Brests' Romain Faivre could be an option for you. The 22-year-old has made a bright start to the season in France with three goals and one assist in 11 league appearances. Able to play on the left and right wing or in the middle, Faivre's versatility is an added bonus. His performances have been even more encouraging this season given Brest are in the lower reaches of the table in France. Only two players average more dribbles per game than Faivre (3) in Ligue 1 this season, while the Brest starlet is also managing 2.1 key passes pg and shots pg. Having only left Monaco over the summer, you may have a tough task prising him Brest right away.

 

Abdou Harroui (Sparta Rotterdam) - 7.53 WhoScored rating / £3.3M FM21 Value

 

Finding a midfielder that can defend and attack can be quite hard. So, to find a midfielder that ticks those boxes on a budget can be even more difficult. But that is where Sparta Rotterdam's Abdou Harroui comes in. The 22-year-old has made an excellent start to the season in the Eredivisie, into his second full campaign as a professional. Harroui has four goals in nine league appearances this term, already matching his tally from 26 league games in 2019/20. His work rate, as mirrored on FM21, is exemplary. Harroui is capable of winning the ball back in midfield, illustrated by the fact he has completed the third most tackles in the league this season, and driving his team forward, with a return of 2.3 successful dribbles per game ranking seventh in the league.

 

Football Manager 2021 is out now

Six of the best bargain buys to consider on Football Manager 2021