FIFA 16 | Best cheap high potential goalkeepers


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 goalkeepers. 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”]

***

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 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 goalkeepers that I recommend.

Bart?omiej Dr?gowski: potential 86

FIFA 16 best cheap young goalkeepers

Bart?omiej Dr?gowski has fantastic potential and a great starting OVR

Bart?omiej Dr?gowski is undoubtedly one of the best young goalkeepers this year. His potential of 86 means he’ll become one of the world’s best shot stoppers, but his OVR of 71 at age 17 is very respectable and means he’ll be able to hold his own right from the start. His attributes are fairly well balanced but his standout stat is his 77 reflexes, which will make him extremely difficult to beat from close range.

He doesn’t actually cost as much as you might think. His club Jagiellonia (of Poland) want £3.8m for him and you should be able to bring that down to around £3.5m. With wages of £1,000 he is very affordable (and cheap enough to loan for almost any club if his asking price is too high). He’s worth every penny, though, and will be a safe pair of hands for years to come.


Sergio Rico: potential 84

FIFA 16 best cheap young goalkeepers

Sergio Rico will be a strong performer for any team he plays for

While Dr?gowski is one for the future, if you’re looking to get a keeper for the here-and-now then Sergio Rico is your man. His OVR of 75 is the highest that these articles allow, and he’s also one of the most well-balanced keepers here. Whether it’s holding onto powerful long shots or reacting quickly to one-on-ones, Rico has the ability to excel at them all.

His price tag of £6.5m is still very reasonable considering his OVR and potential. And given his young age, he may very well be able to exceed his potential; remember that goalkeepers can keep growing into their 30s, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he reaches into the late 80s. So if you want a keeper who can slot into almost any team, give Rico a try.


Rubén Blanco: potential 80

FIFA 16 best cheap young goalkeepers

Rubén Blanco’s handling and low price makes him a gem for lower league teams

While Dr?gowski and Rico cost a few million pounds, Rubén Blanco will cost a fraction of that. His asking price is £1.7m, making him affordable to a whole host of clubs – but don’t think that means you’re getting a player from the bargain bin. No, one stat in particular will make him perform better than you’d expect.

That stat is his handling, rated at 79. That’s much better than most 69 OVR goalkeepers and is vital for lower league clubs – if you have a shaky defence, you want to ensure your keeper is not going to spill shots in the box for opposition strikers to mop up. With Blanco around, that’s not going to happen, making him a godsend for clubs on a budget. And with 80 potential, he’s definitely one for the future as well.


Now here are the other cheap, high potential goalkeepers in FIFA 16:

[table id=179 /]


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.