FM27 free agents

Free agents are the only transfer market where the fee is zero and the competition is wage-driven. In FM27 the list is deeper than usual: a generation of high-earning players reached the end of their contracts at the same time, and the database starts with several of them unattached.

The list below is sorted by rating, with a note on what each player still does at this stage of his career. Ratings are the published database scores, not current ability in your save.

The list

The five worth signing first

Karim Benzema is the best player on the list and the most expensive in wage terms. At 38 he cannot press, but as a deep-lying forward in a possession side he is still a 20-goal striker. Sign him for a season, not three.

Jadon Sancho is the anomaly: 26 years old, 84 rating, and available for nothing. He is the only player on this list who could be a long-term starter, and the only one who will attract competition from AI clubs. Move early.

Francesco Acerbi is the cheapest way to fix a defence for one season. A 38-year-old centre-back with 86 rating will not play every week, but he will organise a back line and win headers.

Dani Parejo is the set-piece and tempo option. At 37 he cannot run, but in a mid block he can still dictate possession.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is the best value left-back on the list at 29. He is not a long-term solution, but he is a starter for most mid-table sides.

Who to avoid

The 40-year-olds. Sergio Ramos and Raúl Albiol can still defend for 60 minutes, but they will miss games and block a younger player's development. Sign one, not both.

The strikers who cannot run. Cavani, Joselu and Luuk de Jong are penalty-box players. If your tactic asks the striker to press, they are the wrong signing.

The free agent with a history. Some of these players are available because of injury or disciplinary records. Check the medical and the personality before the contract.

How free agents fit a squad

The best use of the free agent market is not to build a team from it. It is to fill the three or four holes that a transfer budget cannot cover:

• A veteran centre-back while a wonderkid develops.
• A goalkeeper for one season while the long-term option is on loan.
• A set-piece specialist for a lower-league side.
• A striker who can hold the ball for the last twenty minutes.

That is four squad slots, not eleven. A team of free agents has no resale value and no long-term plan.

Lower-league value

For a League One or Championship side, the free agent list is the transfer market. The lower league guide explains how to build a squad on free transfers and loans, and which of these players will actually accept a lower wage.

The rule of thumb: a player over 33 will accept a short contract at a lower-league club if you offer a coaching role or a bonus. A player under 30 will usually wait for a better offer.

Contracts and registration

Two practical points.

Registration. In England, free agents can be signed outside the transfer window, but they must be registered before the deadline for the next match. Check the squad registration screen.

Wage budget. A free transfer still counts against the wage budget. A £40k-a-week veteran can eat a Championship club's entire margin, so compare the wage to the transfer fee you would have paid.

The best window strategy

1. Sign one elite free agent in a position where you have no starter.
2. Sign two squad players on one-year deals with options.
3. Keep the rest of the budget for a transfer fee on a player under 27.

That gives you a squad with experience, resale value and room to develop. The transfers guide covers the budget mechanics, and the wonderkid hub has the players who will replace the veterans in two seasons.

Sources

• FM27 free player list
• Football Manager official site
• FM27 on Steam