Best Cheap Strikers in FM23
As you’ve probably realised, transfer budgets in the first season of Football Manager are mostly really low. This is because most clubs spend their full transfer budgets in real life, so Football Manager give them small budgets to spend in the first transfer window.
This makes it hard to sign expensive players without selling some of your own first, which is why we’ve complied a list of the 10 best cheap strikers FM23 has to offer. These strikers are great value for money, and there’s players on this list that can even be signed in the lower leagues. We will tell you exactly how much these players will cost without instalments and add-ons, and which teams they would suit.
The most expensive player on this list is £10 million, with the cheapest being a free transfer. All players are able to be signed in the very first transfer window.
For the best cheap centre backs in FM23, read this post.
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10. Max Kruse – Best Free Agent Striker in FM23
Max Kruse is number 10 on the list of the best cheap strikers FM23 has to offer! Although he’s 34 years of age, he still has a lot to offer. Kruse’s best attributes are 16 composure, 19 penalty taking, and 16 technique.
Max Kruse also has 16 natural fitness, so he will still be able to hold his quality for the first couple of seasons in your FM23 save. The budget striker will ask for about £30k per week in wages.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Lower end Premier League clubs
- Most Bundesliga teams
- Ligue 1
9. Tyler Walker – Best FM23 Striker under £100k
Tyler Walker is currently a squad player for Championship play-off runners up Coventry City. He has solid attributes for lower league English football, including good finishing, anticipation, and off the ball movement.
At the start of your FM23 save, Coventry have Tyler Walker transfer listed for just £60k! He can also fill in on either wing, which makes him one of the best budget strikers in FM23.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Lower end Championship clubs (squad option)
- Sky Bet League One
8. Beni Makouana – Best Cheap Wonderkid Striker in FM23
The best cheap wonderkid striker in FM23 has to be Beni Makouana. The pacey striker still has a lot of raw attributes, but at just 19 years of age there’s plenty of time for him to develop.
Makouana has already received 10 caps for his national team, showing they have a lot of faith in the youngster. The striker will cost you just £2 million, which is amazing value for money considering he’s just 19 and capable of playing first team football. He would definitely be a great signing for Championship teams.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Sky Bet Championship
- Ligue 1
7. Phillip Tietz
The next player on the list of the best cheap strikers in FM23 is Pillip Tietz. The German striker plays for Darmstadt in Bundesliga 2, but he’s far too good to be playing in the division.
Tietz is a brilliant target man but would also be an effective pressing forward. He’s only 24, so he’s still not even in his prime yet.
Phillip Tietz can be signed for just £1.8 million! But sadly he won’t get a work permit in England. He’d be a brilliant signing for teams in most leagues outside of England though.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Bundesliga
- Ligue 1
- Serie A
- La Liga
6. Stephy Mavididi
Mavididi came through the Arsenal youth academy before moving to Juventus, and now finds himself in France at Montpellier. He’s a quick striker with great finishing, heading, and dribbling.
The striker would also be a competent left winger as an inside forward, showing his versatility.
Stephy Mavididi is one of the best cheap strikers in FM23 because he can be signed for just under £4 million. He’s also on really cheap wages.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Sky Bet Championship (promotion contenders)
- Ligue 1
- Premier League (back up for relegation battle teams)
5. Mamadou Sylla – Best Cheap Striker under £1 million
In 5th place on the list of the best budget strikers in FM23 is Mamadou Sylla. He’s another pacey striker with an eye for goal. There aren’t many strikers of good quality available for under £1 million on FM23, but Sylla has a lot to offer most teams in lower leagues.
Mamadou Sylla will cost you just over £800k, and at 28 he’s in his prime.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Any second division team in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
4. Fer Nino
Nino is a Spanish under 21 international with a lot of quality for his age. His best attributes are 16 finishing, aggression, and jumping reach. Nino is really tall, and would make a great target man for your team in FM23.
Nino would cost over £10 million if you wanted to sign him permanently, but he can be loaned for just £115k per month, and the loan deal also includes an option to buy him for £14.5 million.. This is great value for a player of his quality.
If you want to see more of the best loan signings in FM23, check out this post.
Would be an ideal signing for
- English Premier League (lower end)
- Ligue 1
- Bundesliga
- Serie A
- La Liga
3. Christian Kouame
Kouame definitely has enough quality to be on the list of the best cheap strikers in FM23. He’s currently a squad player for Serie A side Fiorentina, but he has the quality to start for a lot of first division sides.
Christian Kouame is quick and has brilliant dribbling. Similar to Mavididi, he can also play as an inside forward on both wings.
Kouame will cost you a reasonable £6 million.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Mid to lower table teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
2. Jonathan Burkardt
Jonathan Burkardt has scored a goal every 2 games for the German under 21s, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he makes his first team debut in the next few years. He’s got some fantastic mental attributes for his age, such as 16 determination, teamwork, and work rate. Scoring high in all of these attributes is extremely important for a lot of Football Manager players.
Burkardt is the most expensive player on this list of the best cheap strikers in FM23, costing £9 million. However, this is still great value for money considering his quality and potential.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Mid to top half of the table teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
1. M’bala Nzola – Best Cheap Striker in FM23
The best budget striker FM23 has to offer is definitely M’bala Nzola. He’s got great all round attributes, but stands out physically. Nzola can be a striker that holds up the ball, or get in behind the opposition defence.
£6 million is all it will cost you to sign M’bala Nzola. This is why he’s number one on this list of the best cheap strikers in FM23. There aren’t many better value for money strikers on the market. He’s a bargain striker considering how good he is.
Nzola is on our list of the best Premier League signings in FM23.
Would be an ideal signing for
- Mid table teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
Final Thoughts
Depending on the type of save you’re doing, there’s hopefully a striker here that would be a great fit for your team. You shouldn’t have any more issues with goals after signing strikers such as Tietz, Burkardt, and Nzola.
If you’re doing a non league save and are looking for some strikers, read this article.
