FM22 Bargains: Best Cheap Players In Football Manager 2022

There are plenty of FM22 bargains to find once you get stuck into a save and are trying to get the right players for your team. Football Manager transfer market mastery comes from knowing how to make the most of your money, and cheap, but quality, players are key to this. If you want a head start on some of the top FM22 bargains in the game, then we've got you covered with ten players that run the gambit of leagues and tiers.

FM22 Bargains: Andy Carroll (Free Agent)

Yep, the big Geordie kicks off this list because he starts FM22 as a free agent. Even general football fans probably know what his major downside will be - his health - but it’s not entirely unheard of to have the former most expensive British player ever stay healthy for a full season and banging in the goals.

His demands are also quite high with his agent typically saying his wage demands are between £19-25k p/w but you can bring him down from there using bonuses and clauses. He does have an interest in League One clubs too which is where he’s most likely to be at his best.

FM22 Bargains: Ryan Fredericks (West Ham United)

Fredericks is such an underrated player within FM22 that bagging him off the transfer list for less than £2.5M should be considered a crime. He’s an incredibly well balanced full/wing-back with deadly pace whose only real shortcomings is that he can get caught in attacking situations and forget his defensive duties.

It’s a small price to pay for someone with real quality and you can maybe even talk him down from his £40k wages with the right promises. It’s unbelievable that he can actually become a free agent then go on to play for a title winner the next season, if left to be signed by the AI.

Anel Ahmedhodzic - Malmo FF

If you’re looking for a young, athletic, dominant centre back who still has room to grow, then Anel Ahmedhodzic is your guy. Not only is he a fantastic pick-up based on skills and potential alone but could only set you back around £3M in the right conditions. He’s already an established international player with Bosnia & Herzegovina meaning he’s got a wise head on his young shoulders.

There aren’t any downsides to his game or his price. He’s not a greedy player so while you will have to give him a considerable pay rise, his reduced transfer cost balances that out nicely. His agent may request a release clause for European football if your club isn’t already playing it so be wary of this.

FM22 Bargains: Nigel De Jong (Free Agent)

Another free agent makes the list as Nigel De Jong is a fantastic signing if you can beat other teams to his signature. He doesn’t come with any injury concerns and actually has a fantastic natural fitness rating.

He can easily make an impact at the Championship level and his wage demands are also super reasonable. He is likely to ask for between £3-5k p/w. Depending on who you’re managing, he’s not afraid to ask for major game time too so he’s also putting his money where his mouth is in terms of fitness.

One final quirk is that he’ll likely ask for the #34 shirt, so make sure you have it free!

FM22 Bargains: Jordan Lukaku (Lazio)

You may be more familiar with his brother Romelu, but Jordan is a damn fine player in his own right and an absolute bargain in FM22. He will start the game on the transfer list meaning you can bag his services for just £170k. His wages are a little steep but certainly up for negotiation if he takes an interest in your club.

What makes him such a special purchase at this price is his versatility. He can proficiently play at left-back or left wing-back while also being more than capable further up the field as a winger. If you want someone who can cover the entire side of the pitch with starting 11 quality, he’s your guy. At just 26 years old when the game first starts, he has plenty of years left to offer too!

FM22 Bargains: Viktor Gyokeres (Coventry City)

This one is tricky because the young Swede Gyokeres is by no means cheap. He will start the game valued at around £5M having just joined the club. This also means he’s unlikely to sign elsewhere in the first transfer window BUT he’s well worth keeping an eye on.

In my main save he scored 21 goals with 9 assists in 41 starts which is unreal given the expectations of the team he plays for. Only Alexander Mitrovic scored more goals and he was 2nd for assists on the team too.

Despite this and a brand new contract, his value barely moved and even now is only worth a max of around £8M making him a prime target for top division football in Europe. His skill set makes him a top-class pressing forward who’s always good for a goal and very rarely will he hit a dry spell. He may set you back somewhere in the £5-8M range but is an absolute steal at that price.

FM22 Bargains: Facundo Colidio (Inter Milan)

Another young prospect that can be tempted away for a very reasonable cost. Colidio has fallen out of favour at Inter and finds himself on the loan list when you start a fresh save but will almost always end up on the transfer list the following year. For less than £1.5M, you’re getting a very well-rounded forward who can excel in either the pressing or attacking forward roles. His versatility also sees him play well as a left-winger too.

He’s not prolific though, meaning it’s best to play him in a partnership so that he has someone else to link up with. He’s experienced some U20 international football but is unlikely to ever reach the quality needed to play for the Argentinian senior side.

FM22 Bargains: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Dinamo Tiblisi)

Fancy one of the FM22 wonderkids for less than £3M? Well, that’s what you’re getting with young Giorgi who’s just 20 when a new save is started. Naturally, this is very young for a goalie as they tend to peak in their late 20s at the earliest. Normally they’re at their best in their mid-30s though.

For a reasonable price, you can tempt Giorgi away from the Georgian National League and make sure you do it quickly because he finds himself on loan a Valencia with a possible future fee of just £775K. He’ll develop into one of the worlds elite goalkeepers if looked after and could even justify some starting time straight away in Cup matches.

FM22 Bargains: Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona)

Thanks to Barcelona’s poor financial situation, there’s a bit of a fire sale happening and the highest-profile player that you can grab for a great price is Samuel Umtiti. He’s typically listed at around £9.4M but does come with a hefty £275k p/w wage.

It’s best to only target him in the event that you need to sure up your defence at an elite European club. His wages are up for negotiation but he doesn’t tend to budge too far from what he’s currently being paid. Barcelona may agree to pay some of his wages to get him off the books but don’t expect to work miracles!

FM22 Bargains: Aaron Ramsey (Zebre/Juventus)

On the whole, Aaron Ramsey’s move to Juventus (you can fix the Zebre name with our FM22 real name fix guide) hasn’t really worked out. While he’s seen a fair bit of game time, he’s not exactly the first name on the teamsheet. This is probably why he finds himself on the transfer list for just £1.9M.

Granted, Ramsey finds himself in a situation where he’s good enough to start in most big clubs but is being paid far too much to sit on the bench. He will happily take a pay cut to get some regular playing time so don’t worry too much about his £175k price point.

Now you know all there is to know about the best FM22 bargains, check out our best FM22 tactics guide to learn how to use utilise them.