If you’ve played a lot of EA FC 25 Ultimate Team in your life, you undoubtedly know what it feels like to want players that you just can’t afford. While there isn’t much I can do to help make these cards more affordable, I can provide you with the best budget-friendly alternatives that will help improve your squad. These players aren’t the best that money can buy, but they are fantastic options if you’re strapped for cash and still want to win a lot of games.
I will try my best to keep everything as cheap as possible here, but some deals are too good to be true, so some of these cards might be a little pricier. Nothing on this list will be over 40,000, however. Without further ado, here are the best budget cards for each position.
GK: Guglielmo Vicario (88) – Grassroots Greats: 13,500
Grassroots Greats is a great set to look at for budget cards. Most of these cards have been eclipsed by Team of the Season or Team of the Year cards by now, but they are still viable as budget cards. Vicario is a solid GK from the EPL who boasts well-balanced stats across the board. The 91 reflex rating is especially useful for helping him save goals. There are cheaper base rare card options, but Vicario is pretty good for the price you pay.
RB: Conor Bradley (88) – Future Stars: 21,500
Future Stars Conor Bradley is a fantastic RB with a relatively high pace rating for the position, helping him get up and down the pitch quickly. His 87 dribbling also means he can handle the ball well when he gets it. While he leaves a little to be desired in his defense and physical stats, he’s still a good option at this price point. Being from the EPL helps him with chemistry links if you decide to use Van Dijk as one of your CBs. He is pretty expensive for a budget card, however, so going for the rare Trent Alexander-Arnold card is a viable alternative.
CBs: Virgil Van Dijk (89) – Rare: 9,200 and Rudiger (88) – Rare, 8,200
Van Dijk and Rudiger are both fantastic base cards. It’s hard to beat them at this price point, too. Putting Rudiger on the left with Mendy and Van Dijk on the right with Bradley also sets up decent chemistry links. Both cards have fantastic defense ratings and are great at keeping the ball out of the opposing team’s possession. There are definitely more expensive options you can go for here if you can afford it, including better versions of these players, but these cards should be plenty good enough until you can afford better.
LB: Ferland Mendy (84) – Rare: 2,100
Mendy is one of the lowest-rated and cheapest cards on this list, but don’t be deceived; he is a wonderful addition to a budget squad. Eighty-nien is an excellent pace rating at this price point, and he still has a decent 81 defense and 85 physical rating. Having played Mendy along with other, higher-rated LBs, Mendy is still one of my favorites, and I prefer him to slower alternatives with better all-around stats.
CDM: Joshua Kimmich (87) – TotW: 14,500
Team of the Week, Kimmich is a very solid all-around option as a defensive midfielder. His biggest weakness is that he has poor chemistry with the rest of this squad. If you can fit him in though, he’s a fantastic addition. He has very well-balanced stats, which is what you want in a defensive midfielder. His big weakness is pace, however. There are some decent premiere league alternatives if you need better chemistry or want more pace.
RM: Riyad Mahrez (89) – Grassroot Greats: 15,500
Mahrez will have just as much trouble finding chemistry links as Kimmich, but this card is fantastic for its price point. Mahrez has very good stats for an aggressive midfielder. His defense and physical skills are lacking, but he is fast and shoots, passes, and dribbles well. This card is a solid deal at this price, but if chemistry is an issue, there are decent EPL alternatives as well.
CM: Alexia Putellas (90) – Rare: 10,750
The Spanish midfielder for Barcelona’s women’s team is one of the highest-rated rare cards there is, and for 10,750, this is a great addition to any budget build. What she lacks in pace, she more than makes up for in her excellent defense and physical stats, which are quite good for a midfielder. She is good on both sides of the ball. Like others from this list, it might be hard to find chemistry with her, as she is from the women’s league and not the men’s.
LM: Alex Baena (85) – Trailblazers: 13,500
This card lacks the offensive capabilities of top LMs like Marcus Rashford, but he makes up for it a little bit by being more well-rounded. 84 isn’t the worst pace rating, and he has decent defense, so he can take the ball away from attackers more easily. His stats help him provide a strong offensive and defensive presence on the pitch.
CAM: Jude Bellingham (90) – Rare: 10,750
Honestly, I’m not overly fond of this card due to the slow pace, but he is a very reliable midfielder. His defense and physical stats are extremely high for his role, and he is an extremely balanced attacker and defender. He works very well on squads where he can play a less offensive role and focus on taking the ball away in the midfield. At this price point, he is a solid option.
RW: Mohamed Salah (89) – Rare: 9,200
Salah is reasonably fast for this price point and handles the ball well. He’s also a decent shooter. His weak foot and skill moves are fantastic. There are better versions of him in the game, but this is the cheapest you will find, and it’s still worth the money if you’re playing 4-3-3 and need an RW on the squad.
LW: Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (93) – TotS Highlights: 36,000
Okay, so this card is a little more expensive than the other budget cards I have on this list, but the 98 pace, 91 shooting, and 95 dribbling stats at 36,000 is insane. If you can afford this guy, as well as find decent chemistry for him, he will be the star of your budget squad.
ST: Ollie Watkins (90) – Grassroots Greats: 28,000
We finish off the list with the ST from the EPL, Ollie Watkins. These are the exact stats you want for your striker: he’s fast, he dribbles well, he shoots well, and he’s physical. While he’s a little pricey for a budget card as well, having a good scoring option is important, and investing in a player like Watkins is well worth the money.
Check out our guide if you’re new to FUT in EA FC 25. It covers everything you need to know.
