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10 bargain wingers for FIFA 18 Career Mode
A tricky winger doesn’t have to eat up all your transfer budget for the season. Here are 10 dangerous widemen who won’t cost the earth.
A pacey winger is a good weapon to have in any FIFA 18 team, but you only need to look at Ousmane Dembélé’s transfer fee to realise the very best can cost just as much as strikers.
But the wings are where you’ll often find most space on the pitch, so having a quick, technically gifted player to exploit it is vital, which is why we’ve scouted a few that'll cost €20m or less. That might still sound like a lot of money, but there are also players on this list that’ll cost little more than a quarter of that, so there’s someone for almost every budget.
The prices quoted are those we’ve managed to negotiate, but as always, you might be able to drive a harder bargain, particularly if you include sell-on clauses to sweeten the deal.
Our pick of FIFA 18’s bargain wingers
© EA Sports
Marko Pjaca (Juventus)
€17m might seem like a lot to pay for a player with an overall rating of 76, but the Juventus man is just getting started. Pjaca’s ball control and dribbling stats are already nudging 90, with acceleration, sprint speed and agility not far behind, and at 22 years old there’s scope for him to improve by 10 points overall. With short passing already at 77, once he’s dribbled his way into the box he should be able to pick out a man while you work on improving his finishing. Just make sure you hold enough cash back for his relatively high wages.
Edin Višća (Başakşehir)
Without spending big money, it’s unusual to find a fast winger who can also cross and shoot – but Edin Višća is the complete package. The Bosnian has 90 for acceleration and 89 for sprint speed, with 92 for agility, 88 for balance and 81 for dribbling, meaning he’s a menace on the ball and will have full-backs waking up in a cold sweat. 76 for crossing and 80 for finishing give you options when bearing down on goal, while 80 for both positioning and reactions should give him a decent chance with rebounds. All things considered, the 27-year-old is well worth the €17m he’ll cost you.
Diego Laxalt (Genoa)
If you can excuse the terrible haircut, Genoa’s young Uruguayan has a lot to offer out wide. The former Inter man isn’t just quick, with 90 for sprint speed and 86 for acceleration, he’s got 92 for stamina as well, so will keep going even when opposition full-backs are tiring. With only a year left on his contract, you can pick the 24-year-old up for around €15m. Considering he has the potential to reach 82 overall, that’s even better value for money than it seems.
Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Look up ‘versatility’ in the dictionary and you might just find a picture of Fabian Johnson. The American can play pretty much every position on the pitch apart from in goal, but he’s best suited to being out wide. 84 for acceleration and 89 for sprint speed should keep him ahead of all but the fastest full-backs, with 79 for both crossing and short passing making him a danger on the ball in the final third. Looking for someone who’ll help out defensively too? Johnson’s mid-seventies tackling stats actually rival some centre-backs. Cough up €13m and he’s yours.
Érik Lamela (Tottenham)
Érik Lamela has had an on/off time at Tottenham, often struggling with injuries, but then subtly shining when he’s fit to play. That’s probably why Spurs have let him get to within 12 months of his contract expiring, meaning the 25-year-old can be picked up up for less than €13m. For that you’re getting a player who still has room to improve, but with high seventies almost across the board, there’s very little the Argentinian can’t do. He’s not the quickest wide man, but 82 for short passing, 84 for dribbling and 80 for control mean he doesn’t have to rely on pace to beat his man.
Our pick of FIFA 18’s bargain wingers
© EA Sports
Markel Susaeta (Athletic Club)
Athletic’s Susaeta might not be the quickest winger on our list, but he more than makes up for it with his distribution. A crossing stat of 88 means he should find a team-mate more often than not, while 81 for long passing allows the 29-year-old to switch play to the opposite wing if things start getting congested. 81 for dribbling means he can still do something with the ball at his feet and he’s got a decent long shot on him too. The Basque wide man will set you back around €12.5m, but at 29 years old, don’t expect any growth from him at this stage of his career.
José Luis Morales (Levante)
Another strong all-rounder, Levante’s José Luis Morales can do it all – and for just €10m, too. With 89 for acceleration, 88 for sprint speed and 85 for dribbling you should be able to get him close enough to the goal to make the most of his 75 for finishing or 76 for crossing, but if you’re outside the box and fancy a pop, 80 for long shots gives them a good chance of going in. He’s already 29, so you should be able to get a few more seasons out of him yet, just don’t expect any improvement on those stats.
Nicolai Müller (Hamburg)
Hamburg’s Nicolai Müller became a social media sensation on the first day of the Bundesliga season after he tore his cruciate ligament while celebrating a goal, but luckily no such fate has befallen him on FIFA 18. That means you can still make the most of his 87 rating for both acceleration and sprint speed, plus the 86, 85 and 84 he has for agility, dribbling and balance respectively. He knows what to do when he gets into the final third, too, with 75 for both crossing and finishing, while 80 for volleys should provide a spectacular goal or two. Offer Hamburg just under €10m and he’s yours.
Takashi Inui (Eibar)
Inui’s crossing might leave a little to be desired, but when he’s on the ball the 29-year-old’s got more than enough in his locker to cause panic in the opposition’s defensive ranks. 94 for agility and 93 for balance, coupled with 89 for acceleration and 88 for dribbling mean he should be able to wriggle his way through tight spaces, while 82 for ball control should help him emerge on the other side still in possession. He’s another player who’s in the last year of his contract, so wave €6.6m in front of Eibar and they’ll be happy to let him go.
Pablo De Blasis (Mainz)
A real hidden gem of the Bundesliga, Mainz’s Argentinian winger has more stats in the nineties than you’d ever expect from a player rated 77 overall. One of those is 92 for jumping, which he must’ve developed to compensate for the fact that he’s only 1.65m tall, but with 95 for balance and 93 for agility, he compares favourably with a chap called Lionel Messi when it comes to dancing past defenders. 87 for acceleration and 83 for dribbling are his other standout stats, while his finishing isn’t too shabby either. For €5.5m, you’d be a fool not to be interested.
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