FIFA 17 | Best free pre-contract goalkeepers

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Please welcome our guest contributor Olly! This is his first article for FIFA Scouting Tips. If you’d like to contribute an article, simply get in touch with your idea!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first article on amazing pre-contract players you can sign in your first season managing your desired club in FIFA 17 career mode. In this, my first article, I will be reviewing goalkeepers who can be picked up for absolutely no transfer fee whatsoever, only paying their wages.

What is a pre-contract?

A pre-contract is an agreement by a player and an agreeing to take his registration at a later date. A club may sign a pre-contract with a player while he is still with another club, by which the player agrees to move to the club at a future date, usually after his contract with his current club expires. Under the Bosman ruling, a player can sign a contract with a new club up to six months before his existing contract expires. There is no transfer fee involved ever when FIFA, and you have the January transfer window only to sign pre-contract players.

Every good side needs a safe pair of hands in between the sticks, so picking up a great keeper for a great price will dramatically increase your chances of success in career mode. Hopefully this article will help you find a shot-stopper to fulfil your team’s needs.

I’ve reviewed players of at least 78 potential and narrowed my list below down to 3 players who I feel will really benefit your side. I have taken into account age, rating, potential, and wages mainly to give my honest opinion on who will fit your side.

Benoît Costil – 82 overall, 82 potential

FIFA 17 best free pre-contract goalkeepers

Benoît Costil is great if you need a top-quality player straight away

Benoît Costil looks set to head to Fiorentina next season, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get yourself a bargain on career mode. The Stade de Rennais stopper has at least 6-7 years left in him at 28 years old, as goalkeepers generally keep their OVRs high until their mid-30’s in FIFA 17.

The Frenchman, who made his international debut only a matter of days ago in a 0-0 draw against Ivory Coast, will set you back £39,000 on the wage budget, though if you’re a smaller team he may have a tendency to ask for more in order to join your club and play between the sticks for you. In my opinion, he’s the best option on this list if you have the finances.


Nicola Leali – 73 overall, 81 potential

FIFA 17 best free pre-contract goalkeepers

Nicola Leali is the perfect choice for any mid-tier team

On his 5th loan spell on 4 years, Nicola Leali must be regretting his move to Juventus from his boyhood club Brescia, who he left for €3.8m in 2012. Now at Olympiakos, the Greek club have the option to sign the Italian for €3m. So 5 loan spells later, Juventus would be disappointed to make a loss on who seemed like a very good talent. He still holds an 81 potential stat on career mode however, and that should pique your interest.

If you’re a Championship team and you’re looking for a good stopper on a tight budget, look no further than Leali. Chances are, he’d have grown an OVR rating or two by the time he joins up with you, and with goalkeeper training being very effective, you can grow his statistics in no time. And only taking £15,000 out of your budge, what’s the worst that could happen?

Edgar Badía – 70 overall, 78 potential

FIFA 17 best free pre-contract goalkeepers

Get Edgar Badía if your budget is limited but you still want a high potential player

You’re probably thinking ‘why this guy?’, but Edgar Badía Guardiola has not only 8 growth ratings, but he is an absolute steal. A former Spain U-19 international, Badía is a new player in FIFA 17, having been promoted with his side CF Reus Deportiu (a very nice place in Spain I must say from experience).

With teams like his who generally have a low value, low domestic reputation, and basically aren’t a “big club”, you can expect their players to have very low wages. When I mean low, I mean affordable for League 1 and 2 clubs. £3,300 a week is absolute peanuts for a goalkeeper who with regular game time and occasional training could reach 80 OVR and beyond. The only downfall is him being a wee bit small at 5’11”, but even if you don’t like him in-game, you can always sell him for a massive profit.


Now here are the best free, high potential goalkeepers in FIFA 17.

NOTE: Ortolá turns 23 in August and therefore is available to sign on a pre-contract agreement in January.

Also, Morgan De Sanctis of AS Monaco was omitted from the list due to his 39 years of age, and usually retires in the second season if he doesn’t in the first.

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Thank you for reading the first FIFA 17 pre-contracts article on FIFA Scouting Tips, and the first article I’ve produced myself.

Oh, I haven’t introduced myself have I?! Well I’m Olly, I’m 17 years old from England, and I’m a passionate career mode gamer, just like yourselves. Not really a lot more to say if I’m honest.