FIFA 14 | Lower League Gems (summer) – Defensive midfielders

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Well it took a while, but I’ve finally been able to update the FIFA 14 Lower League Gems series for summer! If you want promising players for an absolute bargain, you’re in the right place.

If you’re not sure what these articles are all about, click the bold link below. Otherwise, let’s get straight in to the recommendations.

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These articles aim to highlight young, high potential players that are priced at £1m or less. If a player is not available to buy straight away, their maximum price (in the ‘Cost’ column; see below) is £500,000. Most articles will showcase players with a minimum potential of 77 (although in some cases having a minimum potential of 78 brought back more than enough players).

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.

These are the defensive midfielders I recommend:

• Levin Öztunali
• Bryan Cristante
• José Rodríguez
• Magomed Ozdoev

Levin Öztunali is my first recommendation tonight. He has one of the highest potentials of any player in this entire series, yet wait until January and you should be able to get him for a very cheap price. Although he starts off with a low OVR, there are signs that he will become a fantastic, well-rounded player. His passing already looks excellent, while his dribbling and crossing are as good as his marking and tackling, so he should develop into a player who is well-equipped for any situation. This is a player who will bring high returns for minimal outlay.

Bryan Cristante is my second pick in this article, and he’s the player you want if you’re looking for a defensive rock. He’s only 18 but already he has 78 strength, so in a couple of years it should be almost impossible to push him off the ball. He can tackle well but is also composed on the ball, with ball control 74, dribbling 70 and impressive passing. He also has a powerful long shot, so could chip in with a few goals as well. Alternatively, Soualiho Meïté is strong and fast but not quite as good defensively, whereas you can get Jorge Enríquez for free if you bid for him in January. Both make good alternatives if you need a strong, sturdy defensive midfielder.

If you want your CDM to be in the Xabi Alonso mould, however, then go for José Rodríguez. With 80 long passing, 76 short passing and 75 ball control, Rodríguez is going to be able to bring the ball quickly under control before spraying out passes to his teammates, starting attacks from the back with ease. Seeing as he’s only 18, these stats will grow and grow, making him into a world class passer in a couple of years. Put him alongside a stronger defensive midfielder such as Cristante and you’ll have a solid heart upon which to build your team. But if you want a passer straight away (Rodríguez isn’t available at the start of a career) then go for Abdoulaye Doucouré . He’s an excellently well-balanced player, and his 78 vision is the best in this article. You can pick him up for around £800,000.

Fourth, we’ve got Magomed Ozdoev. He starts off with a very high OVR for this series and initially your scout will price him at around £900,000, which usually means his team will ask for several million. However, they only want £950,000, and I managed to get him for £750,000, making him an amazing bargain. He makes a great box-to-box player, excelling defensively but also able to play with the ball at his feet. Defense is his stronghold though, with good strength and tackling ability meaning he’ll be at the centre of your midfield’s defensive efforts. At 71 OVR he should definitely exceed his potential and reach the mid 80s, which makes him even more of a bargain. If you want a similar player for even less, go for Muralha. He costs £450,000 and is another superb box-to-box defensive midfielder, but just be aware of his injury prone trait.

Now here’s the list in full:

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