Here are three players from the English Championship to look out for in Football Manager 2024.
Signing English players on both Football Manager and in real life can be extremely expensive. Arsenal are reportedly shelling out £105 million to secure the signing of Declan Rice from West Ham United, while Manchester United paid £60 million to move for Mason Mount, despite the midfielder being in the final year of his contract with Chelsea. The signing of Rice could be instrumental in guiding Arsenal to their first Premier League crown in 20 years, and there are offers available to back the Gunners to beat out City and the rest after falling narrowly short last season.
Arsenal have not been afraid to splash the cash, but what about those teams that are looking for value in their talent rather than paying premium prices? There are only a few clubs in the world that can afford massive price tags for the rising British talent in the game. So, when you’re picking your Football Manager team, where do you turn if you want a bit of a challenge?
Teams such as Crystal Palace have done a fine job of recruiting rising stars from the Championship, notably Eberechi Eze, and Michael Olise from Queens Park Rangers and Reading, respectively. The talent is there in abundance and, more importantly for players, you can find a bargain if taking control of a mid-tier side in the Premier League or one of the leading clubs in Serie A or the Bundesliga, where a number of English players are now applying their trade. Here are some of the bright prospects to look out for without paying an exorbitant part of your transfer budget.
Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough)
Despite failing to witness their return to the Premier League, Hackney was one of the success stories from Middlesbrough’s 2022/23 season. Hackney played 36 games in the second tier, scoring three goals and providing four assists. At the age of 21, he is just scratching the surface of his potential. Michael Carrick brought out the best in Hackney and, under the guidance of his manager, he will only improve. He has even earned comparisons to Carrick, which is a high compliment indeed.
Hackney was rewarded for his performances with a bumper contract, which in the real world will certainly keep him at the Riverside Stadium for at least another season pending their potential success in the 2023/24 Championship. In Football Manager 2023, Hackney had a rating of 59 and a potential of 70, with attributes of 14 for passing and 12 for work rate. Those are two of the standout values that will certainly rise in Football Manager 2024.
The predicted cost of signing Hackey was around £500,000, but you can probably expect that to be at least £5 million in the game this time around. But, he has the credentials to offer a similar complement to Rice at a fraction of the cost. In the real world, you’d be looking at at least £15-20 million. Hackney is just one of a number of talented stars that could make an instant impact on your team in the next season, and perhaps fall under the radar too.
Dan Neil (Sunderland)
Neil is another exciting player from the North East that has just as much potential as Hackney in the middle of the park. There have been reports that Palace have been circling for his signature, but no concrete offer has been put to Sunderland yet. Neil developed last season under Tony Mowbray, playing in a number of roles in the Black Cats midfield before settling in a holding role to captain Corry Evans following an injury.
Neil had a few issues on the half-turn at times during the season, notably receiving a red card in a defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. But, at the age of 21, he slowly improved over the course of the campaign and was an instrumental part in Sunderland’s charge into the playoffs without earning the fanfare of Amad Diallo and Jack Clarke.
On Football Manager 2023, Neil had a player rating of 59 and a potential of up to 80. We expect that to increase a touch, while his stats for passing, work rate, vision, anticipation, composure, off the ball and decisions will also improve. He will cost at least £15 million, but will be a plug-and-play starter for Premier League teams in the bottom half of the season and has the potential to become a foundation piece in the midfield apex.
If you take over Burnley, Sheffield United, or Wolves, he could be one to sign straight away, especially as a replacement for Ruben Neves at Wolves.
George Hall (Birmingham)
From the academy that produced Jude Bellingham, Birmingham have another star on the rise at the age of 18. Hall made 30 appearances for the Blues last season, scoring twice in the Championship. He has all the tools to rise to the top in the real world, which should be reflected in Football Manager 2024, although he was already highly touted for success in the last iteration of the game.
Hall still has a long way to go, but his stats in FM23 were impressive, so we should see an improvement in those key attributes for passing, dribbling, vision and flair, among others. He impressed with his drive from the midfield and it is clear that John Eustace knows how to get the best out of the 18-year-old. For attacking teams in the Premier League and abroad, and maybe even Borussia Dortmund, he would certainly fit into systems.
Due to the attention on Birmingham and their success at producing young players, Hall may cost in the region of £10 million to sign on FM24. But he could certainly make an impact off the bench and become a regular within a season, with more upside in the final third than the other two names that we’ve mentioned.
Recap
Finding top English players is becoming an eye-wateringly expensive business in the Premier League, but there are gems to be found to nurture and develop in the second tier. So, if you’re picking a side with a decent budget, but not an excessive one, look to the second tier and in particular to the three players mentioned.