If you’re a career mode aficionado, you know that the first season is where the magic happens as far as building a footballing empire. The wonderkids are stillreasonably cheapbut are good enough to get minutes, but you need to act fast before they start actually getting good.
The problem, like most things in life, is money. Unless you’re playing in the Premier League or in Saudi Arabia,you don’t have infinite money to gamble on whether that 63-rated young striker will turn into a world-class player or retire at 27 with a 68 rating.
EAFC 2025: 11 Best Free Agents In Career Mode
This list puts together a starting 11 made up entirely of free agents to show you the best of the rest in each position.
To help you put together a dream team some seasons down, I assembled a list ofcareer mode wonderkidsyou’ll want to sign as soon as you may.
Player potential inFC25is dynamic, so other players can reach higher highs, while the ones here can flop. It’s up to you.
To feature on this list, the player needs to have a default potential that exceeds their starting one by 12 or more points. That means no Barça rising stars like Yamal or Cubarsí, because everyone already knows about them.
11Geovany Quenda
Sporting CP
RM, LM, LW
Market Value
When the 2024-2025 season kicked off, few people expected Sporting to sweep both domestic trophies, and even fewer thought that Geovany Quenda would be one of the driving forces of this.
Quenda played a whopping 54 official games for Sporting CP, netting 3 goals and 8 assists.This sent his baseline rating in FC 25 from 70 to 75, and made him a lot less affordable right off the bat.
This tricky winger is extremely technical, but leaves a lot to be desired in physicality. Quenda is a great pick ifyour playstylerelies a lot on dribbling, but a burly fullback can almost always knock him off the ball.
10Ethan Nwaneri
Arsenal fans have had to endure plenty of heartbreak recently, with last season’s late collapse making way for another year of silver medals in the Premier League. In the midst of all of this, Ethan Nwaneri has been a silver lining.
The London-native bagged six goals this season for the Gunners, and although he is yet to win a starting spot, it’s just a matter of time.Nwaneri is the quintessential Prem winger: fast, great cross, good dribbling, and mediocre finishing.
His base overall of 75 makes him a nice option if you need a player that can slot in immediately, but be ready to overpay in the first salary negotiations. Premier League tax and all that.
9Assane Diao Diaoune
This winter, Real Betis revitalized Manchester United flop Antony, but that came at the expense of Assane Diao. Rather than sit on the bench, the youngster moved to Como for €12 million, and quickly became a hero for Cesc Fàbregas' side.
Despite not being a striker, Assane Diao’s numbers could easily fool you.He scored 8 times in 15 matches for Como, which earned his base 76 finishing rating in FC 25.Combine that with 90 in pace and towering at 6'1, and you have a player that can scare any defender.
Before you drop upwards of €10 million on Assane Diao though, make sure you have a strong midfield to move the ball around, because his 66 passing rating won’t do.
8Julien Duranville
Borussia Dortmund
LM, LW, RM
I can’t see Duranville making a career at Dortmund, but he can easily slot in anywhere that’s not as competitive. The Belgian winger is short, fast, and tricky, but he still has a ways to go before becoming a big-time starter.
The main advantage of signing Duranville early on is that,at only €4.8 million, he’s a safe investment for most teams in top Euro leagues.
Ideally it works out, his passing and shooting skills catch up, and you have a star. If he flops, just loan him out until he develops a bit, then sell him for four times the fee. It’s just business, mate.
7Luka Vušković
KVC Westerlo
This year’s edition is a little short on hidden gem defenders, with Vušković being one of the few who bring that mix of youth, potential, and workable initial stats.
Despite only being 17,Vušković starts with 75 in standing tackle, 76 heading accuracy, and 73 short passing.All of this is married to good shot power, and a mighty 85 in both jumping and strength.
He’s the model modern defender, able to distribute play while also being a veritable wall in front of the goal. The only downside here is that you have to wait a while: Vušković is in Belgium on loan from Hajduk Split, so you can only sign him once that’s over.
6Chris Rigg
Sunderland
It feels surreal to say it after Moyes dragged the team down in 2017, but Sunderland will be back in the Premier League next season. Despite only being 17, Chris Rigg played a major role in making this happen, which has made him one of the most exciting prospects in the Championship.
Albeit nominally billed as an attacking midfielder,Rigg’s profile is that of an all-rounder central mid.His core stats mostly hover around the high 60s and low 70s, with standout performance in agility and balance.
FC 25: 6 Most Effective Custom Tactics
Efficient setups for every type of manager, from Guardiola to Conte.
Rigg may not be a sprinter or a brute, but he can resist pressing like it’s nobody’s business, while also putting in the work while defending. While Sunderland have set a €10.1 million release clause, you may easily get him for around €5 million. For that price, it would be rude not to.
5Charalampos Kostoulas
Olympiacos
ST, CAM, RM
‘Generic attacking player’ is not just a descriptive, it’s a state of mind, and Kostoulas fits it perfectly. The young Greek forward is a jack of all trades, and slots in perfectly into any team willing to part with a couple million.
Kostoulas stands at 6'1, has 77 strenght, and 85 jumping.Target man, right? Except the guy also scores 84 in pace, making him an all-around menace.
Ironically, for someone who’s primarily a striker, Kostoulas is let down by his goal-scoring stats. Finishing, heading and volleys are all below 70, so you’ll need to be patient for the first couple of seasons.
4Francesco Camarda
Most players here are not old enough to drink, but Camarda will have to wait a little longer than others. On that note, this is one of those long-term future investments wherehe’ll most likely spend the first two or three years between loans and the bench before becoming useful.
Camarda is 6'0 tall, and has passable stats for finishing, pace, and dribbling. His only rating over 70 is penalties, but I doubt (or at least hope) you’ll be putting a 16-year-old to take spot kicks unless you’re desperate.
Thanks to his value of €2.3 million, it’s one of the safest bets you may place in Career Mode, with returns potentially exceeding €100 million at his peak.
3Assan Ouédraogo
RB Leipzig
The stereotypical playmaker is short and technical, but Assan Ouédraogo marries all the talent to a brutish build. If you need someone to hold up play in front of the box, this is your man.
Ouédraogo is quick, strong, and able to dribble his way around.The issue in the first season or two is that you don’t get much beyond that: his finishing, heading and passing stats are mediocre at best, and he’s a liability defensively.
With a little patience and love though, you may shape him into the ultimate #10, pinging balls around for forwards and taking on defenders himself if that doesn’t work. Not bad for €3.5 million and change.
2Antonio Nusa
LM, CAM, LW
If you aren’t patient enough for Ouédrago to grow, RB Leipzig is also home to Antonio Nusa. An extremely quick and technical forward,he starts with an overall rating of 76, growing up to 88.
That ready-to-play start comes at a hefty price: the game values Nusa at €18 million, and if Red Bull don’t want to play ball, you’ll have to shell out €34.2 million to trigger his release clause.
The result is worth it though: on top of quick feet, Nusa is a good finisher with decent attacking position and vision stats as well, while being decent physically. You’ll need some time for his passing to catch up, but it’s well worth it.
