We all love a bargain in life, but there is a great feeling of satisfaction when we bag ourselves a free agent who either goes straight into our first team or develops into a top player.

Sometimes it takes work to find those sorts of players, which is why we thought we would compile a list of some of our favourites from FM26 so far. Without further ado, here are some of our favourite free agents:

Dorde Nikolic

Are you looking for a reliable back-up goalkeeper who doesn’t break the bank? Well, Dorde Nikolic may well be the signing for you. At 28, the Serbian international has some very impressive stats, with 15+ in handling, reflexes, jumping reach and rushing out.

Nikolic struggled for first-team football in real life at Turkish club Sivasspor. However, that is not a good reflection, as he could even have the stats to be a first-choice goalkeeper for a mid-lower league Premier League club.

He is not the best goalkeeper with his feet, but if you don’t expect him to play out from the back, then he is a solid addition to your squad. The fact that he asks for only £7,250 per week only adds to his appeal.

Mario Rui

The former Portugal international may be 34 years of age, but that shouldn’t put you off signing the left-back. Rui left Napoli this summer when his contract expired, and as of the beginning of the game, he hasn’t yet found a new club.

He was highly consistent in Naples in his first six years. However, he failed to appear in the 2024/25 season.

On FM26, Rui is a player who can serve a mid-table team very well as a short-term option. His stats are very good for a free agent, as the highlights of the stats are 16 for crossing, concentration, teamwork, and work rate.

His wages are £48,500 per week, which is not a massive wage for a player who could be a handy addition to most squads, even if it’s only for the short term.

Renan Lodi

The Brazilian international is another left-back who can be signed as a free agent at the start of FM26, after in real life, Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal decided to end his contract in September following his omission from the club’s league squad.

Unlike Rui, Lodi is a player in his prime, at just 26, and is one of the best free agents you can sign in the first summer. The full-back was plus 14 for technique, first touch, work rate, off the ball, crossing, dribbling and acceleration, amongst others.

Although Lodi is a free agent, his wage demands are high because he is usually in demand. In fact, when we have tried to sign him, he has asked for around £87,000 per week. However, the fact that you don’t pay a fee for him slightly negates the fact.

Christian Rivera

The Spanish defensive or central midfielder is a shrewd signing. At 27, in his prime, his stats are those of someone you would usually pay a hefty fee for. Rivera has 14+ stats for technique, passing and tackling, among other high stats.

Rivera is best deployed as a defensive midfielder, although he can play further forward as a central midfielder. The former Sporting Gijon midfielder would likely suit teams of mid-lower Premier League standard.

His wage demands are reasonable, as you usually have to pay around £38,000 per week to nab persuade the Spaniard to join.

Hakim Ziyech

Ziyech is one of the most skilful players available on a free transfer. In real life, he recently returned to his homeland to sign for Wydad AC. At 32, he is not the youngest player, but the Moroccan international still has plenty left in the tank.

 

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The former Chelsea and Ajax star has impressive stats for a player without a fee attached. The attacking midfielder has +16 in technique, passing, long shot, first touch, and crossing.

Ziyech’s ideal position is as a number in an advanced playmaker role, where he can pull the strings. He can play in all the attacking midfield roles, and his preferred role is as a right-winger, but he lacks the pace to play out wide, so he is not as effective from the wing.

Like many free agents, he has relatively high wage demands, around £70,000 per week. However, when played in the right position, he can prove well worth his wages.

In every FM game, a manager is only as good as the staff they employ. The better the staff, the better the results a team will get. One of the most important members of staff you can employ is, of course, the assistant manager.

One who doesn’t have to be bought out of a contract is even better. Here are our favourite free assistant managers:

Jim Fraser

When the game starts, the 48-year-old is a free agent. That’s a surprise because not only is Fraser a good fit for the assistant manager role, but he can also fill a variety of roles, and his job description is actually head of youth development.

As we know, non-playing personnel no longer have numerical ratings. Fraser’s ratings are strong, though. He is rated as outstanding in judging player and staff ability, as well as determination.

Fraser is also rated very good in attacking, tactical, technique, working with youngsters, judging player potential and motivating. If you can’t nab him as an assistant, then get him on your staff somehow, as his ability is too good to waste.

Peter Krawietz

The German coach is another who is out of work in the game’s first summer. The 53-year-old’s career highlight in real life was working at Liverpool as assistant manager for nine years from 2015 until 2024. He has also worked at Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

There is a reason why so many prestigious clubs have employed Krawietz; he is a very good coach/assistant coach. His ratings on FM26 illustrate that. For instance, he has outstanding for tactical, judging players ability and tactical knowledge.

He is also rated very good among others, coaching both attacking and defending, working with youngsters, and judging player potential. The German coach has other attributes rated very good, making him a fantastic addition to any club.

Unfortunately, as I often manage Everton, he is not willing to join the club due to his time at Liverpool. However, if you are managing other clubs, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Mauro Bianchessi

The Italian is another on our list who can perform many different roles on your staff. He is listed as a Head of Youth Development when you first start the game, but he is a free agent.

However, his work with Milan, Lazio, and Atalanta shows he is well respected. His time with those clubs in his homeland was mostly spent as a scout.

His ratings are that strong that he could easily be a very good assistant manager/coach, too. Bianchessi’s two outstanding ratings are working with youngsters and judging player abilities. Those are two good stats to have, especially if you have a relatively young squad.

He is also very good at coaching tactical and technical skills, while also having the same rating for judging player ability, people management, determination and motivating.

Overall, he has excellent stats. The one negative is that his stats show he is unsuited in the authority category, which is not suitable for an assistant manager. His other high ratings may negate that negative, though.

Francesco Mauri

The Brazilian has an interesting career so far, as at just 36, he has worked as a coach, a fitness coach, and a physio. He is well respected in the football fraternity, having worked for the likes of German giants Bayern Munich and, from 2021 to 2025, for Real Madrid as a fitness coach.

His jobs in football show him as an all-around and he actually has assistant manager as his most suitable position. He obviously has many of the attributes needed for the role, such as being rated very good in, amongst others, authority, people management, tactical knowledge, judging player ability and judging player potential.

He has not yet got any outstanding ratings, but that’s probably because he is younger than the other staff on this list. He is undoubtedly a promising coach, so I doubt you would regret appointing him as assistant manager.

Manuel Pires

Like many of the staff on our list, Manuel Pires has had a varied career in football when it comes to non-playing roles. Although he is listed as Head of Youth Development, he is also considered suitable for the assistant manager role. He has previously worked at Nice and Monaco in the role.

However, he has also worked as an assistant manager at Laval and in the lower leagues at Red Star, so he is not unfamiliar with the role.

His main positive attributes are on the mental side of the game. He is rated as very good for authority, determination, motivating and judging player potential.

The only rating in unsuitable is fitness training, which is not a major issue, as clubs usually have fitness coaches to handle that, so it’s not an essential attribute for an assistant manager.

Overall, his ratings are undoubtedly good enough for him to be an assistant manager and do an excellent job.

Our series on FM26 bargains in particular positions has reached the forward position, meaning we have reached the end of our journey through FM26’s bargains. However, enjoy our final instalment of the series, so without further ado, here are our favourite FM26 forward bargains:

(Please note these are players who I haven’t included in the other lists, who can play as a forward, such as Memphis Depay and Alexis Vega)

Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg)

The Danish international striker has become one of my favourite out-and-out forwards in the last few years, both on FM24 and FM26. The 26-year-old is the sort of player who can fit into the squad of most teams in the European elite.

He is a first-choice for mid-to-low teams, but can also be a handy squad option for bigger teams if not a starter. Wind has some excellent stats; among others, he has 14+ in technique, first touch, heading, passing, composure and determination.

Those are strong stats for a forward who can be signed for around £8.5-£10m from Wolfsburg. The biggest challenge to signing the forward is competition for his signature.

Tomáš Chorý (Slavia Prague)

Chorý is often underrated as he doesn’t play in a high-profile league. However, the 30-year-old’s stats belie his price tag of below £10m. For example, the Czech international has +16 stats for finishing, heading, off-the-ball and bravery.

These are all ideal stats for a lone striker. Playing in a team that will give him the right service, Chorý will score goals for most teams. He may not be quite good enough for elite European teams, unless used as a backup player, but he can thrive for mid-to-low level teams in most of Europe’s leading leagues.

While we may have avoided signing players in their 30s in past editions of the game, Chorý is too good an opportunity to turn down for £10m, a fee that can be negotiated down.

Petr Musa (FC Dallas)

The Croatian international is another diamond in the rough among bargain forwards. He is currently plying his trade in the MLS with FC Dallas. The 27-year-old was prolific in the MLS last season, scoring 18 goals and providing six assists in the US top flight.

On FM26, his stats are highly respectable, and he can certainly do a job for most teams at the highest level of the European game. The highlights of his stats are his finishing, heading, composure, and concentration, all of which are 14+. Like other players on this list, he would make an ideal lone striker.

At 27, he is a good age for a forward. The fact that he can be signed for £10m, including add-ons, makes him highly attractive to most European clubs.

Álvaro Morata (Como, on loan from Milan)

The highly experienced forward is a player who has been around the block of European football during his career, having represented Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, and in some cases has done so on numerous occasions.

He moved to Italian minnows Como in the summer for a fresh challenge. He has yet to set the world alight in Serie A in real life. However, in FM26, he can prove to be a handy player, even if he is towards the latter stages of his playing career.

On FM26, Morata has strong stats, as his finishing, first touch, technique, and decision-making are all rated at 15+. He might be 32, but there is still plenty left in his tank.

Although he is not the quickest player on FM26, if you set up your team to get the best out of the Spanish international, then he will score goals. His value of between £1.8m and £6m makes him excellent value.

There is a caveat to signing Morata in the fact that he is only on loan at Como from Milan. They have an option to buy included in the loan deal. However, if they don’t exercise that right, Morata can be signed in the second summer transfer window.

Henry Martin (Club America)

The experienced forward is a familiar name to those who have played FIFA/EA FC Sports in recent seasons, as he is a fantastic free-agent signing given that the game lacks rights to Mexican clubs.

Although the 32-year-old is not free on FM26, his £3m price tag is still an absolute bargain. His stats are strong for a player of such good value, too. In fact, the Mexican international has +15 for finishing, heading, off the ball and work rate.

Due to his age, he is not one for the long term, but he can certainly come in and do a decent job for your team for a few seasons.

In our series on FM26 bargains, we have reached the position of good-value attacking midfielders or wingers. I have included them in one category, as many can play in both roles. So without further ado, here are our favourite attacking midfielders/wingers:

Malcom (Al-Hilal)

The Brazilian winger has offered decent value for money in the last few editions of the game, as he has always played for clubs that were willing to let him go for a knockdown fee, as he was with Zenit before his switch to the Saudi Pro League.

In FM26, that is still the case. At the start of the game, he is on the transfer list and valued at just £7.8m, which, given his stats, is an excellent price. The only caveat is that his wage demands are massive, as he is on a bumper contract at Al-Hilal. However, if you can afford his wages, then he could be a shrewd signing, who is likely to thrive in your team.

Memphis Depay (Corinthians)

The Netherlands international is almost a forgotten man after moving to the Brazilian top-flight. However, even at 31, Depay is an excellent signing. He may not be the youngest player in the world, but his stats are very good for the forward. His technique, passing, long shots, dribbling, and finishing are all 14+. That combination of stats is highly respectable for any attacking player.

The main attraction of the Dutchman is that he is available for under £8m. Once again, he isn’t the cheapest player when it comes to wages. However, the relatively small transfer negates his wages. He is highly effective for most teams in the top European leagues. He can even be a star in mid-range teams in the Premier League or the equivalent.

Alexis Vega (Deportivo Toluca)

Vega could well be the most versatile and biggest bargain on our list. The 27-year-old plies his trade in his homeland, Mexico, with Deportivo Toluca at the start of the game. He is an attacking player with all-around good stats, including 14+ in technique, dribbling, and long shots. Most of his other stats are in the mid- to low-teens, too. He is a good player all-around.

The fact that he can play across all the attacking midfield positions and as a central striker makes him a handy player to have in your squad. He is valued at around £10m, but you have to negotiate with Toluca to get him for around £12m, or £15, if you include add-ons.

That makes him one of the more expensive players on our list. However, he is certainly worth the outlay, as he will score goals and produce assists from any position he plays.

Alvaro Fidalgo (Club America)

Although he starts the game in Mexico with Club America, Alvaro Fidalgo is actually Spanish and began his career in the youth ranks at Spanish giants Real Madrid. However, it was not until he moved to Mexico in 2021 and joined Club América that the attacking midfielder’s career really took off.

His main high stats indicate he is a quality player, with 15+ in dribbling, passing, technique, and flair. Those stats scream attacking midfielder, who is a playmaker. Fidalgo doesn’t just play in the number ten role, though, as he can also play as a left-winger and in central midfield.

Fidalgo’s price tag is usually around £8m, which is obviously a small fee for a player of his ability. His wages are not massive either for such a decent player. He is a player you very rarely regret signing, especially given the small outlay required for most top division clubs.

Rafinha (Free Agent)

Rafinha is something of a blast from the past. The Brazilian came through the youth system at Barcelona, then played for Inter and PSG before joining the Qatari outfit Al-Arabi in 2022.

However, he is now a free agent after leaving the Qatari club and, even at 32, is still a high-quality player for clubs that need a bit of inspiration in the centre of the park. The fact that he has stats of 16+ for technique, passing, first touch and dribbling tells you the sort of player you are getting. Rafinha is capable of playing in virtually any attacking midfield role, as well as in central midfield.

Another good thing about Rafinha is that he doesn’t demand ridiculous wages, although he does ask for a lot of performance-related bonuses. However, if he meets the criteria, it’s an indication that he’s had a good season and was well worth the minimal money spent on his wages.

Who is your favourite attacking midfield/winger bargain on FM26?