As we have covered the best budget players in each position on FM24 in recent weeks, we thought we would look at the best budget midfielders in today’s article.
We have decided to omit some wonderkids, as I believe we have covered those in previous articles. Here are our favourite midfield bargains in FM24:
Bryan Heynen (Genk)
We start our list with a Belgian midfielder, who, though unlikely to thrill, is a hard-working and highly consistent performer in the centre of the park.
The 26-year-old is a defensive-minded midfielder with decent work rate, passing, bravery, determination and vision stats.
For example, Heynen is a good player for mid-lower-level teams in the Premier League. However, he might be able to do a job as a squad player at teams higher up the table.
On my saves, I have bought him for as little as £6m, which for a player of his quality is an absolute steal. He isn’t likely to cost you a fortune in wages, either.
Renato Sanches (Roma)
The Portuguese international was once regarded as one of the brightest young midfielders in the world game. However, his career has not entirely panned out in the way anybody would have wanted it to.
Still only 25 years of age, Sanches is still relatively young. His stats are impressive, too, as he has 16 for technique, work rate, bravery and stamina.
The fact that he can play virtually anywhere in midfield and all the attacking midfield roles makes him an even better prospect.
The best part of Sanches is that his club will accept a fee of less than £9m for his services, which is ridiculous for a player of his ability.
The only sticking point for Sanches if you are a mid-to-lower Premier League team is that he takes some persuading to join your club. His wages are also quite high. However, Sanches can be a standout player if deployed in the right position.
Mario Pasalic (Atalanta)
The Croatian international has been an excellent servant to Atalanta in recent years. Now 28, the former Chelsea player is in the prime of his career.
Pasalic is an attack-minded midfielder who can play any central midfield role. His stats point to a technically gifted player, as he has good stats when it comes to technique, passing, first touch, long shots, off the ball and teamwork.
Pasalic has been available for less than £10m in my previous games. Once again, like any self-respecting quality player, he takes some persuading to join a club that is not at an elite level. However, by Premier League standards, his wages are not massive.
Maxence Caqueret (Lyon)
The French midfielder is another diamond in the rough when it comes to midfielders. At 23, he is a good age and has not yet even finished developing as a player.
The OL star is a player who can do a bit of everything in all the central midfield positions, from defensive midfielder to attacking midfielder.
He has good stats in technique, work rate, passing, marking, determination and teamwork, to name just a few. He is an excellent all-around midfielder.
To make him even more enticing, Caqueret can be signed for around £9m, which is a fee well worth paying for a player of his talents.
Like the other players on this list, he is dubious about joining a mid-low-level team in the equivalent of the Premier League. However, he will discuss terms, and his weekly wages are usually around £80,000.
Wendel (Zenit)
The 25-year-old is a player I seem to always sign in the early seasons of the game, as he usually represents good value for money.
Wendel is just a solid all-around central midfield option who is highly versatile, as he can not only play in all the central midfield positions but is also competent at playing out on the left flank.
He is an attack-minded player, with 16 passing, 15 technique, and 14 long shots. However, he does also have a rating of 15 for teamwork, so he isn’t going to neglect the defensive side of the game completely.
Wendel usually costs £8-12m, depending on what add-ons Zenit decides to tag onto the deal.
He can be pretty demanding in his signing on promises, but once you come to an agreement there, his wages are usually around £60,000 per week, which once again isn’t big money by Premier League going rates.
Who are the best budget midfielders you have signed in FM24? Let us know via our socials.
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