FIFA 14 | So You Want A… Centre back UPDATE

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Let’s have a look at the cheap, high potential centre backs on offer in FIFA 14. Because there are so many, I’ve divided my recommendations into three categories: well balanced, for players who excel in a number of different areas; strong and fast centre backs; and those with a speciality or who don’t quite fit into either of the two previous groupings. Let’s have a look at who I’ve picked:

• Well balanced
• Luca Caldirola
• Karim Rekik
• Strong and fast
• Terence Kongolo
• Jores Okore
• Santiago Vergini
• Speciality/other
• Sebastián Vegas
• Leonel Galeano

Luca Caldirola is first on the list, and this guy has it all. He’s great defensively, with good tackling, interceptions and strength, but he’s also quick for a CB (75 sprint), he can pass and he’s even got good ball control. He could quite easily cover at CDM or LB if you need him to, and his good aerial presence combined with the Power header trait mean he’ll be scoring goals as well.

Karim Rekik is up next and he’s actually extremely similar to Caldirola. Excellent strength and aerial ability? Check. Fast? Check. A good eye for a pass? Check. In fact the only thing really that edged it for Caldirola was that Rekik is on loan for a season, whereas you should be able to buy Caldirola in the first January transfer window. But if both are available then the choice is yours, as both are outstanding all-rounders.

Having serious pace and strength is a rare double whammy in football, so it’s good to pick these players up where you find them. Terence Kongolo is the first of this type that I’ve picked out, and here’s why: stats like 90 jumping, 77 strength, 75 acceleration and 80 sprint speed will make him an invaluable safeguard against opposition counterattacks. He’s unlikely to get outpaced on the break, nor is he likely to be beaten in the air. His excellent heading accuracy and passing only add to his already impressive resumé, and his low asking price of £2.1m really seals the deal.

Jores Okore is my next choice in this category, and in some ways he is actually better than Kongolo. He’s not quite as fast (though he’s still rapid for a CB), but his 89 jumping and 93 strength make him a force to be reckoned with. He’s not available in the first window, but if you’re looking for a defensive rock, this could well be your man.

My final choice in this section is Santiago Vergini. He’s a little older than the other two but he makes up for it with an envious skill set. His 82 strength, 75 acceleration and 75 sprint speed put him well and truly in the “strong and fast” category, but there’s more to him than that. He’s much better defensively than Kongolo and Okore and his high heading accuracy means he’ll be knocking in the goals at the other end. He’s also much better at reading the game than the other two, with 77 reactions and 75 interceptions meaning he’ll be nipping opposition attacks in the bud.

There are a couple of other CBs that I felt I should mention, and we’ll start with Sebastián Vegas. He’s only rated 61 but he already has two standout stats in his 78 strength and 89 jumping. He’s got almost 20 points of growth until he reaches his potential; imagine what those stats will be like when he hits his potential! He’s also got decent pace for a CB, which should grow to become a very useful asset. While his passing stats also add an interesting element. For £650,000 you’ll really be getting a brilliant bargain with this player.

Speaking of passing, I’ve chosen Leonel Galeano for his superb stats in this area (among other things). Already starting with 82 long passing and 73 short passing, Galeano can spray the ball around with consummate ease, kick starting attacks from the back. His 80 stand tackle, 79 slide tackle and 81 interceptions belie his 72 OVR and he’ll feel like a much better player on the pitch. With plenty of room to develop, he’s going to become a fantastic CB who brings something different to the table.

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The articles in this series should give you some ideas if you’re looking for a new signing in a key area. There is one article for each position on the pitch to make it easy for you to quickly find players to bolster your squad.

All of the players given here have a minimum potential of 80, so you know you’re getting quality. The maximum OVR for each player is 73, both to keep transfer prices down and to avoid presenting you with too many options and thus making it too difficult to choose the player you need.

The ‘Avai?’ column is short for ‘available?’ and refers both to whether or not you can buy the specified player at the start of the first season and how long their current contract is. Let’s take Y/2 as an example – Y means that yes, you can buy him at the start of a new career, and the number means he has two years left on his contract. Similarly, N/3 would mean that no, you can’t buy the player straight away, and he has three years left on his contract. These ‘no’ players are often available for transfer if you wait until the January transfer window, however. For some players this column is blank – this means that they are out on loan at the start and are therefore unavailable for purchase until the second season.

Initial player costs may seem very low this year. The figure in the player cost column refers to the price you are given if you scout the player. But I’ve also added a new column this time round – ‘They want’. This refers to the price the other team want for the player if you enquire about him. Often there is a large difference between the player cost obtained through scouting and that obtained through an enquiry. This leaves a lot of room for negotiation, so don’t be put off if a price in the ‘They want’ column is high, as you can usually get the player for much less. Try bidding lower than what you think will be accepted – you may be surprised at their response. If the ‘They want’ column is blank it’s because the team refused to give a price, either because the player has just joined them or because they are loaning him in.

And as a final note, in FIFA 14 EA update player OVRs and potentials every week. Mose of the time these are very minor changes, and most players won’t be affected at all unless they have had a very noteworthy week. Furthermore, some players occasionally disappear if they have been put in the reserve squad that week. So just bear in mind that these figures should be read as a guide only and not a definitive account of player costs, potentials, etc, for the entire season.[/expand]

Here’s the full list: