Football Manager 23 Best Bargains
Profiles on some of the best bargains to buy on your FM23 saves
We cover youth football and we love Football Manager. We’ve combined both to compile a list of the young players that represent bargain buys on Football Manager 2023. These aren’t necessarily “best” but they’re interesting prospects for clubs across the spectrum of football.
They’re players that we like in real-life that look good in FM23. We’ve set the maximum price at €5 million to try and make it accessible to managers at various levels of clubs, from the elite to those in the lower divisions.
For more insight into young players, check out our extensive talent lists and in-depth player profiles.
Adamo Nagalo
- Position: CB
- Club: FC Nordsjælland (DEN)
- Country: Burkina Faso
FC Nordsjælland have a unique relationship with African football. The club itself is owned by a youth academy based in Ghana and Egypt, with the Danish side providing a pipeline for its products to get into European football.
Adamo Nagalo's FM23 attributes
Adama Nagalo is among the next ones up. The Burkinabé international is an impressive centre-back that has a lot of the basic qualities to play at a high level. Big and athletic, he is adept in physical contact. On the ball, he’s a progressive passer with a level-headed mindset. That skillset is reflected pretty well in FM23, where he looks like a very solid centre-back from the start.
Valued at a top rate of €3.9 million, it shouldn’t take much more than that to get him out of Denmark. If you’re managing a club in Belgium, the Netherlands, or anywhere really, Nagano is a strong option to consider.
Johan Bånsgbo
- Position: LCB
- Club: IFK Göteborg (SWE)
- Country: Sweden
Year on year, FM on FM, Scandinavia is a goldmine of undervalued talent. FM23 is no different. Johan Bångsbo is one of the better prospects to target in Sweden. He’s one of a handful of good little talents, along with the likes of Hussein Carneil, at IFK Göteborg.
Johan Bångsbo's FM23 attributes
Tall and stylish, Bångsbo has the makings of an impressive ball-playing centre-back in eal life and in FM23. The fact he’s left-footed adds another layer of value to his promising profile.
He’d be a good option for those managing in leagues like the Eredivisie, where the speed of play is a little slower and the style is a bit more technical – especially if you’re style is orientated around possession play. You won’t need more than €2 million to get him. That should give you a lot of leeway to develop him into a Swedish international.
Alan Matturro
- Position: CB
- Club: Defensor Sporting (URU)
- Country: Uruguay
Uruguay have a strong history of developing high-level centre-backs, and Alan Matturro looks like the next one off the production line. The Defensor Sporting defender is being heavily linked with Internazionale in real life.
Matturro looks like an excellent prospect in FM23. He may lack some physicality, despite his 1.89 metre tall frame, but everything else is advanced for his age. His mentals are especially promising, with a functional combination of Positioning, Concentration and Aggression. He also stacks up well as a ball-player, equipped with a strong technical skillset and traits that will make him a valuable ball-player out the back.
Defensor Sporting will try and squeeze as much out of you as possible, but it shouldn’t take much more than €2.5 million to secure Matturro. He’d be a fantastic option for a range of clubs in the bigger American leagues or in Europe, ranging from big clubs trying to stockpile talent or smaller clubs looking for a high-upside starter.
Ahmed Abdelmonem
- Position: CB, RB
- Club: Al Ahly (EGY)
- Country: Egypt
Mohamed Abdelmonem made a name for himself at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. He played in every game as Egypt got to the final, playing a full 120 minutes in four successive games from the last sixteen round.
His defending caught the eye. Fairly small but mobile and aggressive, he made the role on the exterior of a back three his own. His FM23 profile is well-suited to taht outside centre-back role as well; a strong defensive resence and fairly mobile, he’ll be one to lock down a flank of your defence.
He starts saves being courted by multiple Premier League clubs, which is often a good indicator of a good player in FM. €4 million is the ballpark figure to sign the Egyptian international. He’d be a clever buy for lower-level clubs across European football.
Sam Curtis
- Positions: RB, CB
- Club: St. Patrick's Athletic (ROI)
- Country: Republic of Ireland
A regular Irish youth international, Sam Curtis has burst onto the senior scene in the Republic of Ireland this season. He’s broken into the first-team at St. Patrick’s Athletic and is being linked with big moves to England and the contient; Manchester City are the latest club linked after he had been on trial at AS Roma.
A right-sided defender, he can play at right-back and at centre-back. For a 16-year-old, his game is impressively mature already. His FM23 profile is a very solid one relative to his age as well. He’s a solid athlete and a capable defender with obvious room to develop much further, probably into a two-way full-back.
The fact that Curtis is still in Irish football, Curtis is available at a very attainable price. If you structure the deal correctly, using a couple of future incentives, you can get the Irish youth international for €300,000 or so. That’s a great price.
Rafael Obrador
- Positions: LB
- Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
- Country: Spain
Real Madrid’s youth teams are a goldmine of talent in both real life and on Football Manager. Their prolific academy and proficient youth recruitment provides an endless stream of high-level talent, almost all of which will have to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Rafael Obrador is a highly-rated Spanish youth international that they signed from Mallorca a couple of years ago. He’s a proactive left-back and his FM23 profile is a promising one. He has solid athletic and technical attributes, equipped with a 15 rating for Stamina which will enable him to get up and down the flank regularly.
You can get Obrador for just €2.1 million at the start of your saves via a release clause in his contract. He’d be an intelligent pick up for clubs at a lower level, maybe those managing in Spain’s Segunda División or Portugal’s Primeira Liga.
Markus Solbakken
- Positions: DM, CM
- Club: Viking FK (NOR)
- Country: Norway
If you’re a keen Football Manager, you’ll know that Norway is a hotbed for undervalued talent. FM23 is no different. Andreas Schjelderup and Tobias Gulliksen are must-buys on most saves, but another name to consider is Markus Solbakken.
He’s now at Viking FK having initially broken through at HamKam before making a stepping-stone move to Stabæk. The son of national team manager Ståle, Solbakken is a very solid number six. Very solid across the board, his skillset is best-suited to a team that wants to control possession. He’s a talented passer with composure and positional sense, as well as multiple player traits that make him perfect for that DLP role.
€3 million is the ballpark figure needed to sign Solbakken at the start of your save – although keep in mind that he’s only just joined Viking in FM23. He’d be an excellent addition for a possession-based team in a mid-level league.
Mohamed Kaba
- Positions: DM, CM
- Club: Valenciennes (FRA)
- Country: France
The French football system is full of hidden gems – and Mohamed Kaba is a good example of one. He’s broken into senior football at Valenciennes in the past year after leading a relatively obscure youth career, with no youth international caps at all or any similar honours.
Mohamed Kaba's FM23 attributes
Nevertheless, Kaba is a very solid player if you’re looking for a defensive midfielder. He has a strong base of attributes across the technical, mental and physical spectrum – there aren’t any obvious flaws to his game. He isn’t an expansive passer, a dynamic dribbler, an exceptional ball-winner, but he does do a bit of everything. Rounded skillsets like his are valuable at the base of midfield.
Kaba would be a good option for those managing a step higher than Ligue 2. Levels like the top-flight of Belgium, Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland make plenty of sense. He’d even be a good option for those managing at the lower end of Ligue 1.
Duccio Degli Innocenti
- Positions: DM, CM
- Club: Empoli (ITA)
- Country: Italy
For a relatively small club nestled in the heart of the country, Empoli have been punching above their weight in terms of talent production for some time now. Many clubs have benefitted from their ability to devleop young talent. Duccio Degli Innocenti is another home-grown player emerging from their academy, just like Tomasso Baldanzi.
Duccio Degli Innocenti's FM23 attributes
In FM23, Degli Innocenti has a really solid profle relative to his estimated price range. Solid is exactly the word to describe him too – the soon-to-be 20-year-old has a firm footing across every aspect of his game.
With a contract set to expire after the first season, Degli Innocenti should be a young prospect to prioritise for those managing in Serie B for instance, or similar levels. He’d be a good player to target for the present and future of your project. Solid if unspectacular, definitely a bargain.
Bilal Hussein
- Positions: CM, DM, RB
- Club: AIK (SWE)
- Country: Sweden
Bilal Hussein has been a starter at Stockholm’s AIK in the Allsvenskan for a couple of seasons now. While the club have struggled to compete with its rivals, Hussein has been a standout in midfield.
He’s a quick-tempo midfielder that keeps possession moving with crisp pass-and-move sequences. His skillset is an interesting one in FM23 as well. Not only does he have a fairly well-rounded profile, solid across the board, he also has the capability of playing in multiple positions to a decent level. He isn’t quite ready for a top-five league, but he can be a starter in the Eredivisie, for instance.
With clubs like AC Milan and Juventus interested in Hussein from the start, you’ll probably have to move quickly to get him – but it won’t cost much to do so. His release clause at around €1 million makes Hussein a very good value acquisition.
Mohammed Diomandé
- Positions: CM, AM
- Club: FC Nordsjælland (DEN)
- Country: Côte d'Ivoire
Like Adamo Nagalo, who you can read more about further up the page, Mohammed Diomandé is a product of the unique dynamic between the Right to Dream academy in Ghana and youth-oriented FC Nordsjælland in Denmark.
Mohammed Diomandé's FM23 attributes
A favourite on FM22, his FM23 profile is just as excellent relative to his age and transfer value. Diomandé is perfect for a three-man midfield, where he should be tasked as being the one that breaks forward to attack the box. His skillset – a good dribbler, passer and finisher – and traits are perfect for that sort of role. Having managed Nordsjælland ourselves on FM23, the Ivorian is capable of putting up impressive numbers.
You can sign Diomandé at the start of your saves for about €3 million. That is a bonafide bargain. He could play a role for a team in a top-five league immediately; if not as a starter initially, definitely as a depth option with the potential to develop into one.
Oscar Gloukh
- Positions: AM
- Club: Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
- Country: Israel
A standout at the 2022 UEFA U-19 European Championship, Oscar Gloukh is one of the best emerging talents in Israeli football right now.
A tricky attacking midfielder, his best role is as one of the supporting attackers behind a centre-forward. Give him the ball between the lines and he’ll be able to wriggle out of a tight space, slip the ball through to an attacker, or threaten the goal himself. His base FM23 profile is a very promising one. He doesn’t excel in anything right now, but he will do with a bit of targeted development.
You can get Gloukh for a straight up fee of €3 million at the start of the game, which is excellent value for a prospect of his talent and potential. That fee affords you some flexibility in how you choose to develop him, and it means he will be accessible to a wide range of clubs. If you’re managing in England, he might not quality for a work permit immediately.
Carlos Álvarez
- Positions: RW, AM, LW, ST
- Club: Sevilla (ESP)
- Country: Spain
We call Carlos Alvarez the ‘Mini Maradona’ – he’s small and stocky, wears the number 10 shirt, plays for Sevilla and has locks of curly hair.
He plays a bit like Maradona as well, dribbling with the ball through bodies, riding challenges, providing a creative spark around the box. His FM23 profile is a little undercooked relative to his talent in real life, but he still looks like a promising attacker that can play across the attacking third and unlock defences.
If you want to sign the ‘Mini Maradona’, all you need is €3.5 million – there’s a release clause in his contract set at that price. Whether your managing big or small, Álvarez retains a lot of value at that price.
Darío Osorio
- Positions: LW, LM
- Club: Universidad de Chile (CHI)
- Country: Chile
2022 has been a big year for Darío Osorio. It’s seen him break into senior football at Universidad de Chile, establishing himself as a regular starter for the club, and burst into the Chile squad.
Mohammed Diomandé's FM23 attributes
Osorio has plenty of promise in FM23. He’s a creative winger, with good ratings for Dribbling, Technique, Vision and Flair. There is an obvious potential to develop him into a skilful inverted winger off the right or a do-it-all wide player down his natural left side.
If you want to negotiate, you can get the fee down to €500,000 or so. If all else fails, though, you can get him for a guaranteed fee of €925,000 if you buy out his contract at the start of the game. Osorio is an exciting option for those of you managing in South America, MLS, or some of Europe’s mid-level leagues.
Yerson Chacón
- Positions: LW, RW
- Club: Deportivo Táchira (VEN)
- Country: Venezuela
Yerson Chacón was a must-buy bargain on FM22, and the same could be said for FM23. The Deportivo Táchira youngster, a senior Venezuelan international already, is one of the best-value talents in the game once again.
Predominanlly a right-footed inside forward, Chacón has a skillset that features creative technical and mental attributes, as well as an agile athleticism. He’s a talented dribbler with a bit of flair, plus a promising passer with accomplished vision. Together, they mean he can be a capable shot-creator in a stronger American league or a smaller European leagues.
You simply cannot go wrong for €1 million. Chacón would be an excellent signing for those managing in Brazil, Argentina or MLS, for instance. He would be a clever signings if you’re managing in Portugal, Spain or Italy too.
Jovan Milošević
- Positions: ST
- Club: FK Vojvodina (SRB)
- Country: Serbia
Serbia have great pedigree for producing high-level strikers. Jovan Milošević is the next off the production line of goalscorers. He was a standout at the 2022 UEFA U-17 European Championship, finishing the tournament as the top scorer.
His all-round maturity was perhaps the most notable thing about Milošević during that tournament and it’s one of the the things that stands out about his FM23 profile. The Serbian striker has a very solid floor, already quite advanced as a finisher and athlete. If you can make him a step or two quicker and continue to develop the technical aspects of his game, Milošević will be a menace up front.
You can sign Milošević for about €700,000 in the first summer. That price will likely rise if you let him break into the first-team at Vojvodina and plump up his reputation as a scorer, but still, the Serb represents a bargain buy in FM23. Be careful not to let other clubs get to him first.
Maurice Krattenmacher
- Positions: ST, AM
- Club: SpVgg Unterhaching (GER)
- Country: Germany
If you follow German football, you may well have heard of Maurice Krattenmacher. He was thrust into the spotlight last season by scoring 23 goals in 20 games at U-17 level for SpVgg Unterhaching. He’s since stepped up to the senior team, playing regularly as a 17-year-old in the Germany fourth tier.
Maurice Krattenmacher's FM23 attributes
His FM23 profile is an interesting one. Krattenmacher is probably best-suited to a second striker or false nine role in a 4-2-3-1 shape. He has a good ‘holy trinity’ set of dribbling, finishing and first touch attributes, as well as promising flair and vision. Furthermore, he has the makings of a sharp and agile athlete. At 16 years old, Krattenmacher is very much one for the future.
Be quick, though, because the Bundesliga clubs are already circling. He’s linked with multiple at the start of your save, meaning there’s little time to waste when it comes to securing a transfer. You can get him for a low six-figure fee which is great value.
Note: You may have to have an extended databse loaded to have Krattenmacher in your game, given he’s in Germany’s Regionalliga.
Filip Bundgaard
- Positions: ST, RW, AM
- Club: Randers (DEN)
- Country: Denmark
Having made his senior debut at 16 years old, Filip Bundgaard has been gradually integrated into the Randers first team over the past couple of seasons, all while scaling the youth international system with Denmark.
Filip Bundgaard's FM23 attributes
His FM23 profile is remarkably rounded for an attacker of his age – he has a very solid basis across every aspect. Bundgaard profiles best as an advanced forward, we think: his mix of technical skill, two-footed striking ability, aggressive edge and dynamic mobility would make him a menace at the tip of the attack. Get him stretching into space, driving and darting into the box.
€3 million is the figure needed to sign him from Randers at the start of your save. Given his lengthy contact and up-and-coming reputation, that number is likely to grow. Bundgaard would be a great option for stronger clubs in Denmark, or if you want a young attacker to develop elsewhere in Europe.
In our opinions, Bilal Hussein is one of the best bargains to buy in FM23 – you can get him for about €2.5 million. Another is Oscar Gloukh, who you can get for about €3 million.
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