To skip to the full list of players, click here
In these articles I look at the best cheap, high potential players in FIFA 16, with tonight’s post focusing on left midfielders and left wingers. I’ll go through a few recommendations, then show you the full list of top quality players afterwards. For a full run down of how I choose the players and what the different columns in the table mean, click on “What are these articles all about?” below.
[expand title=”What are these articles all about?” tag=”center” trigclass=”noarrow”]
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 75, 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.
The figure in the player cost column refers to the price you are given if you scout the player. There’s also another column – ‘Enquiry’. 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 ‘Enquiry’ 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 ‘Enquiry’ 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 16 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]
So without further ado, let’s see the cheap young left midfielders and left wingers that I recommend.
Ricardo Kishna: potential 84
Ricardo Kishna is fast and brilliant at dribbling
Ricardo Kishna has so many things going for him, it’s hard to know where to start. He’s very pacey and has decent stamina, but also has 72 strength, giving him a bit of extra space when trying to beat defenders. He’s got 85 dribbling, 82 ball control and four star skill moves, perfect if you love using tricks but still great if you don’t thanks to that fantastic dribbling stat. Not only that, but his crossing is excellent, as are his free kicks – put those skills to good use and he’ll become a superb assist-provider for his teammates.
You can’t get him straight away, but enquire at the end of the January transfer window and Lazio will quote you a price of £8m, so you can get that down to around £7m; his wages are £30,000.
Fabián Castillo: potential 81
Fabián Castillo has everything you want in a left midfielder
Fabián Castillo is a slightly different player to Kishna, but no less brilliant. He’s even faster, with 94 acceleration and 93 sprint speed, and his stamina is better too. His 77 positioning is exceptional and, combined with his 72 finishing and powerful shot, will see him scoring plenty of goals. Like Kishna, he’s also got bags of tricks and a very high dribbling stat, so will beat defenders with consummate ease. He’s got exactly what you need in a winger – and then some.
FC Dallas want £8m for him, so like Kishna’s price tag, that can be brought down to around £7m. His wages are £25,000.
Kekuta Manneh: potential 80
Kekuta Manneh is cheap and will devastate lower divisions
Who says you can’t get quality for a reasonable price? Kekuta Manneh may be cheap but he is a fantastic player for lower division sides. Starting with the obvious, he has 96 acceleration and 92 sprint speed – making him the fastest player in this article – which will tear apart second tier sides (or lower). He also comes with 75 dribbling and four star skills, so in the very unlikely event that a defender can catch up with him, he can just beat him with tricks instead.
But despite all that talent, Whitecaps FC only ask for £2.2m for him. That can be knocked down even further to around £1.7m; his wages are also very cheap at £5,000. That makes him a bargain few teams would want to turn down.
Now here are the other cheap, high potential left midfielders and left wingers in FIFA 16:
| Pos | Name | OVR | Pot. | Age | Cost (£) | Enquiry (£) | Wages (£) | Club | Avai? | Foot | Weak foot | Skills | Traits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LM | Dani Ceballos | 74 | 87 | 18 | 4,000,000 | 6,0000,000 | 7,000 | Real Betis | Y/5 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Adnan Januzaj | 75 | 86 | 20 | 5,000,000 | * | 35,000 | Bor. Dortmund | - | Left | 4 | 4 | Flair | On loan from Manchester Utd |
| LW | Václav Černý | 66 | 85 | 17 | 850,000 | 1,300,000 | 2,000 | Ajax | Y/5 | Left | 3 | 3 | Acrobat, flair | |
| LW | Steven Bergwijn | 66 | 85 | 17 | 850,000 | 1,600,000 | 2,000 | PSV | Y/5 | Right | 4 | 4 | Flair | |
| LM | Leroy Sané | 74 | 85 | 19 | 3,700,000 | 7,000,000 | 25,000 | FC Schalke 04 | Y/4 | Left | 3 | 3 | Finesse shot | |
| LM | Theo Bongonda | 71 | 84 | 19 | 2,100,000 | 3,400,000 | 10,000 | Celta Vigo | Y/4 | Right | 3 | 4 | ||
| LW | Sandro | 72 | 84 | 19 | 2,500,000 | 3,300,000 | 20,000 | FC Barcelona | Y/2 | Right | 4 | 3 | ||
| LW | Ricardo Kishna | 75 | 84 | 20 | 4,600,000 | - | 30,000 | Lazio | N/4 | Left | 2 | 5 | Injury prone, flair | |
| LW | Daniele Verde | 68 | 83 | 19 | 1,300,000 | * | 2,000 | Frosinone | - | Left | 4 | 3 | Flair | On loan from Roma |
| LW | Benjamin Verbič | 71 | 83 | 21 | 2,100,000 | - | 15,000 | FC København | N/4 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Kerim Frei | 75 | 83 | 21 | 4,300,000 | 6,000,000 | 20,000 | Beşiktaş | Y/3 | Right | 3 | 3 | Speedster, acrobat, flair, long shot taker | |
| LW | Dennon Lewis | 63 | 82 | 18 | 475,000 | - | 2,250 | Watford | N/3 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Brandon Barker | 66 | 82 | 18 | 850,000 | * | 1,750 | Rotheram Utd | - | Right | 4 | 2 | On loan from Manchester City | |
| LM | Demarai Gray | 68 | 82 | 19 | 1,300,000 | 2,400,000 | 5,000 | Birmingham City | Y/3 | Right | 2 | 3 | Acrobat, flair | |
| LM | Jack Grealish | 72 | 82 | 19 | 2,200,000 | 2,600,000 | 10,000 | Aston Villa | Y/3 | Right | 3 | 4 | ||
| LW | Hirving Lozano | 74 | 82 | 19 | 3,200,000 | 4,800,000 | 20,000 | Pachuca | Y/1 | Right | 4 | 3 | ||
| LM | Leonardo Bittencourt | 75 | 82 | 21 | 4,100,000 | - | 20,000 | 1. FC Köln | N/4 | Right | 4 | 4 | Acrobat, flair | |
| LW | Mislav Oršić | 75 | 82 | 22 | 4,200,000 | 2,000 | Jeonnam Dragons | 1 | Right | 4 | 3 | Long shot taker | ||
| LW | Hervin Ongenda | 69 | 81 | 20 | 1,300,000 | 1,700,000 | 9,000 | PSG | Y/2 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Rolando Aarons | 71 | 81 | 19 | 1,700,000 | 2,200,000 | 15,000 | Newcastle Utd | Y/1 | Left | 3 | 3 | Injury prone, flair | |
| LW | Jordon Ibe | 71 | 81 | 19 | 1,700,000 | 3,400,000 | 20,000 | Liverpool | Y/5 | Right | 4 | 3 | Flair | |
| LM | Lenny Nangis | 71 | 81 | 21 | 1,900,000 | - | 15,000 | LOSC Lille | N/4 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Gonzalo Martínez | 72 | 81 | 22 | 2,300,000 | - | 15,000 | River Plate | N/3 | Left | 2 | 4 | Flair, long shot taker | |
| LM | Adri Embarba | 73 | 81 | 23 | 3,000,000 | 4,300,000 | 25,000 | Rayo Vallecano | Y/6 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Frank Acheampong | 73 | 81 | 21 | 3,000,000 | 4,600,000 | 20,000 | RSC Anderlecht | Y/4 | Left | 3 | 3 | Speedster, engine | |
| LW | Luan | 73 | 81 | 22 | 3,100,000 | 6,000,000 | 25,000 | Grêmio | Y/3 | Right | 3 | 4 | ||
| LM | Jean-Paul Boëtius | 74 | 81 | 21 | 3,400,000 | - | 20,000 | FC Basel | N/4 | Right | 4 | 4 | Acrobat, injury prone, flair | |
| LM | Carlos Mané | 75 | 81 | 21 | 4,000,000 | 4,800,000 | 20,000 | Sporting CP | Y/5 | Right | 3 | 3 | Acrobat | |
| LM | Alper Potuk | 75 | 81 | 24 | 4,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 25,000 | Fenerbahçe | Y/3 | Right | 2 | 3 | ||
| LM | Fabián Castillo | 75 | 81 | 23 | 4,000,000 | 8,000,000 | 25,000 | FC Dallas | Y/4 | Right | 4 | 4 | Speedster, acrobat | |
| LM | Lucas Piazon | 75 | 81 | 21 | 4,000,000 | * | 20,000 | Reading | - | Right | 4 | 3 | Finesse shot, flair | On loan from Chelsea |
| LW | Nicola Sansone | 75 | 81 | 23 | 4,100,000 | 6,500,000 | 25,000 | Sassuolo | Y/2 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LW | Sam Larsson | 75 | 81 | 22 | 4,100,000 | 8,000,000 | 25,000 | SC Heerenveen | Y/3 | Right | 2 | 4 | Flair | |
| LW | Ismail Azzaoui | 58 | 80 | 17 | 210,000 | - | 2,000 | VfL Wolfsburg | N/6 | Right | 4 | 3 | ||
| LM | Sheyi Ojo | 63 | 80 | 18 | 450,000 | * | 1,750 | Wolves | - | Left | 4 | 3 | On loan from Liverpool | |
| LW | Alexandr Zuev | 65 | 80 | 19 | 775,000 | 1,600,000 | 3,000 | Spartak Moskva | Y/3 | Right | 4 | 2 | ||
| LW | Jhon Murillo | 67 | 80 | 19 | 925,000 | - | 1,500 | Tondela | N/5 | Right | 3 | 3 | Speedster, acrobat | |
| LM | Kekuta Manneh | 69 | 80 | 20 | 1,200,000 | 2,200,000 | 5,000 | Whitecaps FC | Y/5 | Right | 2 | 4 | Speedster, long shot taker | |
| LM | Aitor Seguín | 69 | 80 | 20 | 1,200,000 | - | 1,250 | Bilbao Athletic | N/6 | Left | 2 | 3 | ||
| LW | Joris Kayembe | 69 | 80 | 20 | 1,300,000 | 2,100,000 | 6,000 | Rio Ave | Y/3 | Left | 4 | 3 | ||
| LM | Georges-Kévin Nkoudou | 70 | 80 | 20 | 1,500,000 | - | 15,000 | Olym. Marseille | N/5 | Right | 3 | 3 | Speedster | |
| LM | Valon Berisha | 72 | 80 | 22 | 2,200,000 | 4,100,000 | 15,000 | RB Salzburg | Y/3 | Right | 4 | 3 | ||
| LM | Fábio Martins | 72 | 80 | 21 | 2,200,000 | * | 15,000 | Paços Ferreira | - | Right | 3 | 4 | Flair, outside foot shot | On loan from SC Braga |
| LW | Martín Rodríguez | 72 | 80 | 20 | 2,300,000 | - | 15,000 | Colo-Colo | N/5 | Right | 4 | 4 | Speedster, flair | |
| LM | Lucas Zelarayán | 73 | 80 | 23 | 2,900,000 | 5,000,000 | 10,000 | Belgrano | Y/3 | Right | 3 | 4 | Acrobat, flair | |
| LM | Thomas Touré | 73 | 80 | 21 | 2,900,000 | 5,500,000 | 20,000 | Giron. Bordeaux | Y/4 | Right | 3 | 4 | Flair | |
| LM | Adrián Centurión | 73 | 80 | 22 | 2,900,000 | - | 20,000 | São Paulo | N/4 | Right | 3 | 4 | Speedster, acrobat, flair | |
| LW | Sabin Merino | 73 | 80 | 23 | 3,000,000 | - | 35,000 | Athletic Bilbao | N/1 | Right | 3 | 3 | ||
| LM | Jairo | 74 | 80 | 21 | 3,300,000 | 6,000,000 | 20,000 | 1. FSV Mainz 05 | Y/3 | Right | 4 | 3 | ||
| LM | Johan Arango | 74 | 80 | 24 | 3,300,000 | 6,000,000 | 25,000 | Once Caldas | Y/6 | Right | 3 | 4 | Long shot taker | |
| LM | Ladislav Krejčí | 74 | 80 | 22 | 3,300,000 | 1 | Left | 2 | 2 | Early crosser | Free agent | |||
| LM | Ola John | 75 | 80 | 23 | 3,900,000 | * | 25,000 | Reading | - | Right | 4 | 4 | Early crosser, flair | On loan from SL Benfica |
Thanks for reading! If you have any player recommendations of your own and have some ideas for the website, make sure you let me know in the comments below.
Don’t forget to connect with me on social media. I’m running the FIFA Scouting Tips YouTube channel, and you can follow me on Facebook or Twitter for all the latest updates.