To skip to the full list of players, click here
The Lower League Gems series is back once again, bringing you super cheap high potential players. If you liked the series on the best cheap players in FIFA 15 but felt they were too expensive, these are the articles for you – every player will cost you £1m or less!
NOTE: Prices seem to fluctuate a bit on FIFA 15, so you may find the prices listed in this article are slightly different on your game. As such, this article aims to be a guide only and hopes to highlight some of the cheaper options when it comes to high potential players.
If you’re not sure what these articles are all about, click the bold link below. Otherwise, let’s get straight in to the article.
[expand title=”Click here to find out what Lower League Gems are” tag=”center” trigclass=”noarrow”]
This year I made a couple of exceptions to the price rules. I have included players whose clubs want £1.1m for them (as opposed to a maximum price of £1m) because you can negotiate this down to under £1m, and in some cases excluding these players meant to articles were lacking players you could actually buy straight away! For the same reason I have bumped the £500,000 rule up to just under £600,000 (e.g. £525,000, £575,000, etc).
The ‘Cost’ column refers to the price your scout will bring back after he’s looked at the player. The ‘They want’ column refers to the price you will be quoted by the team if you enquire about their player. These enquiry prices are negotiable, so don’t be afraid to bid below what they want.
The ‘Avai?’ column is short for ‘Available?’ and refers to whether the player is available to buy in the first transfer window. The first letter indicates this (Y for yes, they are available and N for no, they are not), whilst the number refers to the length of their contract. Y/1 means the player’s contract is about to expire, so you should be able to get them for a discount price.
Finally, because EA release update squads every week, this could mean that some of the players listed in the article below are slightly different on your game. Furthermore, players sometimes exceed their potential, while it has been noted that occasionally players don’t grow as hoped. Therefore these stats are a guide only.
Here are my choices for cheap, high potential left backs.
Matt Targett: potential 76
Matt Targett is perfect for any team with a restricted budget that still wants to bring in quality
The first player I’m picking out today is Matt Targett of Southampton. He’s an excellent left back because not only is he unbelievably cheap, he’s also nicely well-rounded and has a few perks that many other left backs lack. For instance, his interceptions and tackling are as good as his crossing and dribbling, so he can create chances for his teammates just as well as he can stamp out those of his opposition. Another one of his strengths is his free kick ability, and his free kick accuracy and curve will be troubling goalkeepers more and more as he develops.
And if your team has very little in the way of funds but you still want to bring in a promising left back, Targett could well be the perfect solution. Southampton want just £400,000 for him, and you can get that down to around £250,000 – £300,000. With wages of £2,250, he should be affordable for most lower league teams who need an injection of quality and someone who can hold down the left back spot for years to come.
Jerome Binnom-Williams: potential 76
Jerome Binnom-Williams is not your regular left back, and can hold his own against higher rated players
If you’ve got a little more money to spend, I’d recommend taking a look at Jerome Binnom-Williams of Southend United in League 2. Whereas most full backs struggle when they come up against stronger opponents, Binnom-Williams’ 75 strength should enable him to push attackers off the ball and deter challenges when he’s in possession. He’s not slow either, with 76 acceleration and 77 sprint speed combining nicely with his 71 stamina.
When it comes to technical stats, he’s very well balanced and should put in an excellent shift in both defence and attack. And thanks to his good strength and height of 6’2″, he can fill in at centre back should you be afflicted with an injury crisis (or simply if you prefer to play him there).
Southen United want £775,000 for him, but you should be able to get him for around £500,000. His wages are super affordable at just £750.
Jordan Lukaku: potential 77
Jordan Lukaku’s physical stats make him extremely useful at full back, as he has a rare combination of speed and strength
Though somewhat overshadowed by his older brother’s exploits, Jordan Lukaku is a brilliant player in his own right. What I’m sure will be immediately apparent is that he shares Romelu’s blistering combination of pace and power. 85 acceleration, 87 sprint speed and 82 strength is phenomenal – especially at lower league level – and he’s going to play much better than his OVR would suggest because he’s going to be so hard to knock off the ball.
His technical stats are impressive too. His 71 dribbling and three star skill moves (unusual for a full back) will make him a danger if he pushes up the pitch, while his decent tackling and 83 jumping mean he can play well at centre back or defensive midfield if you find yourself short of options. This versatility is another string to his bow and another reason why I’ve chosen to recommend him today.
He’s only just joined KV Oostende in Belgium, so you have to wait until January to put in a bid. However, his £375,000 valuation from your scout means you should be able to get a good deal for him in the winter transfer window. His wages are £6,000.
See below for all the best cheap, high potential left backs under £1m in FIFA 15:
| Pos | Name | OVR | Pot. | Age | Cost (£) | They want (£) | Wages (£) | Club | Avai? | Foot | Weak foot | Skills | Traits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Ben Purrington | 55 | 77 | 18 | 50,000 | 525,000 | 750 | Plymouth Argyle | Y/2 | Left | 3 | 2 | Early crosser | |
| LB | Lorenzo Filippini | 59 | 77 | 18 | 70,000 | 750,000 | 1,000 | Bari | Y/5 | Left | 2 | 2 | Long throw-in | |
| LB | Xavier Quinti | 60 | 77 | 17 | 120,000 | 650,000 | 1,000 | FC Barcelona B | Y/1 | Left | 3 | 2 | ||
| LB | Jordan Lukaku | 67 | 77 | 19 | 375,000 | - | 6,000 | KV Oostende | N/3 | Left | 4 | 3 | ||
| LB | Matt Targett | 59 | 76 | 18 | 70,000 | 400,000 | 2,250 | Southampton | Y/2 | Left | 2 | 2 | ||
| LB | Jerome Binnom-Williams | 58 | 76 | 19 | 80,000 | 775,000 | 750 | Southend United | Y/7 | Left | 3 | 2 | ||
| LB | Cristian Ramírez | 63 | 76 | 19 | 180,000 | * | 3,000 | 1. FC Nuremberg | - | Left | 4 | 2 | On loan from F. Düsseldorf | |
| LB | Pierre-Yves Polomat | 65 | 76 | 20 | 325,000 | * | 4,000 | Stade Lavallois | - | Left | 3 | 2 | On loan from Saint-Etienne | |
| LB | Wendell | 67 | 76 | 20 | 425,000 | - | 8,000 | Bayer 04 | N/5 | Left | 2 | 2 | ||
| LB | Loris Benito | 67 | 76 | 22 | 425,000 | - | 9,000 | SL Benfica | N/5 | Left | 3 | 2 | ||
| LB | Gastón Silva | 66 | 76 | 20 | 425,000 | - | 4,000 | Torino | N/4 | Left | 2 | 2 |
And don’t forget to connect with me on social media. I’ve just launched the FIFA Scouting Tips YouTube channel, and you can follow me on Facebook or Twitter for all the latest updates.