It’s always the same. You go into a new save looking forward to building the squad how you want it, and the transfer and wage budget you’ve been given is a pittance, not nearly enough to buy a player from another team. With the purse strings being tightened during COVID-19 times, there’s a desire more than ever to stick to a smaller budget.

If that has happened to the team that you picked, you may have to rely on free agents to fill in gaps in your squad. 

Free agents are players whose contract has expired from their previous team and have not signed for another club, meaning that they are free to be approached by any club to be offered a trial or contract. They will not require a fee to any club to join you but will command a signing on fee, which will be taken from your transfer budget. 

Their wage demands will depend on a number of factors, including their reputation, the amount of money the player’s agent pushes for, and how long they have been a free agent. The longer they are a free agent, the lower their demands are likely to be.

The good news for those needing free agents is that with the budget tightening this year, the number of quality players let go from their teams was slightly higher than usual, so there are plenty of worthwhile freebies that you can pick up.

Here are 10 of the best free agents in Football Manager 2021:

Fabio Borini

Position: Striker/Winger

Top stats:

  • 17 Work Rate16 Teamwork15 Off The Ball14 Pace and Stamina

John Bostock

Position: Central Midfielder

  • 14 Passing, Vision and Technique15 Flair13 Pace and Stamina

Daryl Janmaat

Position: Right-back

  • 15 Tackling15 Stamina14 Work Rate14 Crossing and Dribbling

Renato Santos

Position: Winger

  • 14 First Touch and Technique14 Off The Ball and Anticipation14 Pace and Acceleration13 Dribbling and Finishing

Víctor Álverez

Position: Left-back

  • 13 Crossing and Dribbling13 Off The Ball and Anticipation14 Acceleration and 13 Pace

Mehmet Ekici

Position: Attacking Midfielder

  • 16 Passing and Vision17 Free Kick Taking and 16 Corners15 Technique17 Composure

Ezequiel Garay

Position: Center-back

  • 17 Positioning and 16 Marking15 Tackling and Anticipation15 Composure and Concentration14 Decisions (Decision Making)

Jack Wilshere

  • 15 Passing and Vision15 Decisions and Anticipation16 First Touch and 15 Technique15 Flair

Daniel Sturridge

Position: Striker

  • 15 Finishing and 16 Composure15 Off The Ball and Flair16 Technique and 15 First Touch

Mario Mandzukic

  • 16 Composure, Concentration and Decisions18 Work Rate19 Teamwork18 Balance and Strength