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The best buys from Ligue 2 in FIFA 18 Career Mode
Ligue 1 might have Neymar, but if you’re shopping on a budget, France’s Ligue 2 has plenty of hidden talent on offer.
Neymar might’ve cost PSG €222m but look outside of Ligue 1 and France has some real hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. We’ve scoured Ligue 2 for the best players outside the French top division, one for every position in a regular 4-3-3 formation.
As always, these are players you can buy from the very first transfer window of a new Career Mode game, so it doesn’t include any players who are out on loan or won’t be sold be their club.
The transfer fees quoted are those we managed to settle on, but we never include sell-on clauses or other perks, so you may be able to get them for less if you offer such add-ons.
A defensive unit filled with France’s lower-league gems
© EA Sports
Goalkeeper
GK: Gautier Larsonneur (Stade Brestois)
Ligue 1 has a few young goalkeepers with bright futures ahead of them, none brighter than Brest’s Gautier Larsonneur. Right now he’s only rated 68 overall, but with the potential to reach 83 and with his reflexes already showing promise, he might be worth a punt for €1.8m. The only downside? He’s just 1.8m tall, which isn’t very big for a goalkeeper. If you’d prefer the opposite problem, Edouard Mendy at Stade de Reims is 2m tall, but only has the potential to hit 72 overall and will set you back almost as much.
Defenders
LB: Vital N’Simba (FBBP 01)
Like most of the best full-backs in football these days, Vital N’Simba combines incredible athleticism with seemingly never-ending energy and the ability to cause problems for his opposite number. With 88 for acceleration and sprint speed, plus 85 for stamina he’ll motor up and down the wing all day, while 88 for agility and 86 for balance mean he’s got the tenacity to go past opposition defenders as well. He can also tackle and make interceptions, and while his crossing is decent, it’s worth working on to improve it. He’s out of contract at the end of the season, so an offer of just under €3m should be enough to convince FBBP 01 to let him leave.
CB: Julian Jeanvier (Stade de Reims)
It’s quite rare to find a centre-back who manages to be both strong and quick without having to pay a whopper of a transfer fee for him, but Julian Jeanvier ticks all the boxes. Out of contract at the end of the season, Stade de Reims will let him leave for just under €5m, which is a bit of steal when you look at his stats. 81 for strength, 80 for jumping, 73 for standing tackles, and 76 for reactions make him a formidable blockade at the heart of your defence, and with 72 for both acceleration and sprint speed, he’s got the pace to make up for any mistakes.
CB: Anthony Briançon (Nîmes Olympique)
Briançon’s potential has slipped a bit recently, but that doesn’t stop him from being a powerful, no-nonsense defender who clears the ball first and asks questions later. With 81 for strength, 76 for aggression and high 60s for his tackling, the 22-year-old is an imposing shield to have protecting your goalkeeper. With 71 for interceptions he’s also adept at reading the game and cutting out passes, while 76 for stamina means he won’t get easily left behind towards the end of the game. With the potential to grow his overall rating by five points (to 75), the asking price of just over €2m looks very reasonable indeed.
RB: Moussa Diallo (AJ Auxerre)
Rated just 63 right now, Moussa Diallo isn’t a signing you’re likely to make for the first team, but if you’ve got one eye on the future, the 20-year-old Frenchman has the potential to go far. With his contract at Auxerre due to expire at the end of the season, you can pick him up for just €350k, and while his current stats look underwhelming, he’s got the potential to reach 77 overall. His tackling stats already show promise, as does his strength, stamina and short passing, but if there’s one thing that doesn’t need work it’s his ability to jump, which is already at 81. Develop his heading ability he could be a real danger at set pieces.
Midfield
CDM: Jeando Fuchs (Sochaux)
Sochaux’s Jeando Fuchs is just 19 years old, so as he gets older he may well settle into a more set position, but right now he has the versatility to play at either full-back position or in the centre of midfield. With terrific energy and good short passing he’s a great option to have buzzing around in the centre of the pitch, with 85 for agility and 81 for balance meaning he still operate effectively when things get claustrophobic. His stamina could be better and he’s not very tall, but just over €1m will be enough to convince Sochaux to let him go, and if you work on his tackling in training you could end up with a real terrier on your hands.
Our pick of France’s lower-league attacking talent
© EA Sports
CM: Téji Savanier (Nîmes Olympique)
As bargain all-rounders go, you’ll struggle to find one better than Téji Savanier. He can play almost anywhere in midfield but is particularly adept at pushing up the pitch to cause trouble in the final third. With 90 for balance, 85 for agility and 81 for reactions, he’s got the kind of poise that you might look for in a number 10, but with acceleration of 80 and 75 for sprint speed he can cover the ground quicker than most too. His vision and range of passing also make him a danger from almost anywhere over the halfway line. There’s not a huge amount of potential growth in him, but for €5m you’re getting a player who can slot straight into plenty of teams.
CM: Vincent Marchetti (AS Nancy)
At just 19 years old, Vincent Marchetti is still some way off being the finished article, but his stats already show signs of exactly what kind of player he’s going to be. 73 for long passing and ball control, plus 72 for short passing and sprint speed suggest he’ll develop into a neat and tidy midfielder who’ll keep things ticking over in the middle of the pitch, making sure the ball makes it to the more creative players closer to goal. His tackling stats are in the high 60s as well, so with a bit of work he could become a ball-winner too. Offer Nancy just over €1.5m and you’ll have a very decent prospect for the future.
Forwards
LW: Denis Bouanga (Lorient)
On paper, Diego at Stade de Reims is the best left-midfielder in Ligue 2, but he’s 29 and you’ll have to pay his €11.7m release clause in order to tempt him away. That makes Lorient’s Denis Bouanga a better long-term option, particularly at just €4m. As wingers go, the 22-year-old certainly isn’t the quickest, with acceleration and sprint speed stats in the high 70s, but with crossing and finishing rated 71 and 75 respectively, plus 75 for shot power and 76 for dribbling, he’s a real goal threat whichever side you play him on. With the potential to reach 80 overall, his value’s also only going to rise.
ST: Theoson-Jordan Siebatcheu (Stade de Reims)
In the market for a target man? Theoson-Jordan Siebatcheu isn’t going to beat many players for pace or bulldoze his way through a defensive line but if you want someone who knows how to get in the right place at the right time, he’s got what it takes. His positioning and finishing are in the low 70s, with 78 for strength and 71 for balance, but with the potential to reach 78 overall there’s still clear room for improvement. The 21-year-old has a €6.8m release clause but Stade de Reims will accept €3.5m for his services.
RW: Jimmy Cabot (Lorient)
With Bouanga on the left and Jimmy Cabot on the right, Lorient certainly aren’t short of dangerous wide players (until you buy them, that is). At just 1.65m tall, what Cabot lacks in height he makes up for with pace, with 91 for both acceleration and sprint speed. 92 for balance, 81 for dribbling and 80 for agility mean he’s dangerous with the ball at his feet too, and with 73 for shooting he should be a decent bet to score if you can use those stats to get him into decent positions. Lorient know how capable he is, and with the potential to reach 79 overall, you’re looking at around €7m to prise the 23-year-old away.
