The 10 Players You Must Buy On Football Manager 2011

Dan Fitch has been playing Football Manager 2011 non-stop since it's release, in an effort to bring you a list of the players you really must sign.

Football Manager 2011 has been out for a couple of weeks now and it's the most playable version of the game for many a year, which is bad luck for any FM addict who had anything else to get on with in their life.

In order to give those already hooked on FM11 a chance to spend time with their girlfriend/do some work/leave the house, we've decided to give you a break from the scouting, by selecting our choice of essential signings.

Here are the 10 players you must buy on Football Manager 2011.

10. Guillermo Ochoa - Goalkeeper - 24 Years Old - £1m

There are a lot of good young goalkeepers available in FM11, but our favourite is the Mexican Guillermo Ochoa, as he is available at the start of the game for an absolute steal.

You should be able to get him for between £2m-£3m and though he is pretty short for a keeper (5ft 10"), within a couple of seasons he will be a world-class performer. Even if you're blessed with a great keeper at your club, at the very least Ochoa provides top quality back up at a price that won't break the bank.

9. Sime Vrsaljko - Right Back/Right Wing Back - 18 Years Old - £850,000

At first glance the stats of the Croatian full back Sime Vrsaljko might seem unspectacular, but he has all the physical capabilities required to make a mark in your first team, while your coaches apply a final polish.

With high ratings for aggression, determination, fitness and stamina, Vrsaljko is like a young Gary Neville, only without the inbred hatred of Scousers. Available at under £2m, Vrsaljko has the talent to perform for you today and will flourish as the seasons pass.

8. Anthony Annan - Defensive Midfield/Midfielder - 23 Years Old - £1.1m

There are better holding midfielders in the game than Rosenburg's Ghanaian international Anthony Annan, but this player can be tempted from the Norwegian league very cheaply.

You should be able to get Annan for between £2m - £3m and he will make an able squad player for even the elite clubs, or an important part of the first team if you're managing anyone else. Very soon you'll see Annan's value rise and if you decide to cash in you'll make a pretty profit.

7. Federico Fazio - Central Defender/Defensive Midfielder - 23 Years Old - £2m

Like Annan, there are better talents than Sevilla's Federico Fazio in his position, but none that are both so affordable and who can walk straight into your side. As Fazio can also play in two positions naturally, his versatility make his signing a no-brainer.

Fazio is very frequently transfer listed early on in the game, allowing you to pick up a central defender with high marks for heading, tackling, balance, jumping and strength, for his exact value. At 6ft 5", Fazio can cope with the strongest of strikers and if you pair him with someone with pace, you will have a pretty formidable central defensive partnership.

6. Hulk - Striker - 23 Years Old - £4.7m

If you're looking for a more mature striker, rather than a young prodigy, there are several quality options on FM11. Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko continues to impress after being one of the must sign players of FM10, while Luis Suarez's ability to play on either flank in a wide attacking midfield role, as well as striker, makes him a very attractive prospect.

Both of these players will cost a lot of money though, so instead we've plumped for the less expensive Hulk of Porto. An explosive player with an eye for the spectacular, Hulk has the physical capabilities to perform in the all-important lone striker role and will hit the ground running. Great name too.

5. Marco Verratti - Central Midfield/Attacking Midfield - 17 Years Old - £700,000

Definitely one to buy for the future is the 17-year old Marco Verratti from the Serie B outfit Pescara. Described as the next Andrea Pirlo, the young midfielder is only 5ft 5", but has got the class to overcome his lack of size.

Verratti is equally at home playing in a central midfield position, or just behind a striker as an attacking midfielder. He can be prised away from his club for as little as £1m at the start of the game. At such a low price, there's no excuse not to buy such an exciting young talent.

4. Fabio Coentrao - Left Back/Attacking Midfield Left - 22 Years Old - £3.7m

Attacking full backs have become increasingly important in the ever-evolving world of football tactics and we think that Benfica's Fabio Coentrao is the player for your left flank.

Coentrao has all the attributes you want from an attacking left back. He's fast, with great statistics for crossing, dribbling, tackling, positioning and decisions. What's more, this versatile performer is equally at home as an attacking left midfielder and can take a mean set piece.

3. Aaron Ramsey - Central Midfield - 19 Years Old - £5.25m

Aaron Ramsey is potentially the best player on FM11. The reason we haven't put him higher on this list if because only a few clubs will be able to buy him from Arsenal and the fact that he starts the season with a broken leg.

For a teenager, Ramsey comes equipped with high ratings in all the areas required for an attacking central midfielder, excelling in passing, technique, determination, off the ball, work rate, creativity, flair, fitness, stamina and agility. If you can manage to get Ramsey away from the Emirates, then you have got your hands on a player to build your team around.

2. Christian Eriksen - Attacking Midfield - 18 Years Old - £2,900,000

Eriksen's real life manager Martin Jol has compared the Danish starlet to the likes of Michael Laudrup, Dennis Bergkamp, Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder. In FM11, Eriksen has the talent to support those claims.

The two-footed attacker ghosts past players as if they're not there, due to his powers of acceleration and dribbling ability. You should be able to buy the Ajax prodigy for around £6m - £7m.

1. Khouma Babacar - Striker - 17 Years Old - £3.8m

If you were after a teenage strike sensation in FM 2010, the man to go for was Anderlecht's Romelu Lukaku. In FM11, Lukaku is still a top player, but suffers for having poor ratings for Agility and Stamina.

A better bet is Fiorentina's Senegalese striker Khoumar Babacar. There is no waiting around for this 17-year old to mature, as he is big and strong enough to score goals for you immediately.

Before long you will find that Babacar's stats are through the roof. If you're looking for a Didier Drogba type to lead the line, either on his own or alongside another striker, then Babacar could be the first name on the team sheet for a decade or more.

Published: 19 Nov 2010

• Facebook
• Digg
• Stumbleupon
• Reddit