EA FC 26’s career mode is a great mode to test your managerial expertise, but starting with just a bag of coins to your name doesn’t sound enticing. Building a team from scratch can definitely be a challenge, especially when you’re aiming to compete with the best of the best. However, it’s doable.
With a few methodical trades and a bit of luck, you’ll be able to create your dream team without breaking the bank. Today’s article focuses on doing just that: looking at the best budget strikers in EA FC 26. We’ll talk about who should be your top picks and why. Ranking them by both potential and initial investment.
Best Budget Strikers In EA FC 26 Career Mode
Endrick Felipe Moreira De Sousa
Our first pick for a great budget striker would be Endrick, hands down. Endrick is a gold rare card in EA FC 26, rated at 77. He’s a 5’8”, left-footed Brazilian ST currently playing for Real Madrid. At just 19 years of age, Endrick is taking the football world by storm, granting him 4 stars in Skills and 3 stars in Weak Foot.
One of the main selling points of this player is that he has a whopping potential of 91 OVR, a +14 growth from his original rating. He’s also valued at just $29M, making him an amazing early game pick-up, especially if you plan to work on him. De Sousa’s Pace is at par with some top players at 87, while his other stats remain somewhat lacking. However, good training and a slight push could make this player worthwhile and an excellent asset to the team.
Benjamin Sesko
We’re usually told to avoid Premier League players, but Benjamin Sesko is an exception. This 22-year-old Slovenian ST currently plays for Manchester United and has an overall rating of 80. He is one of the taller players in football at 6’5” and is right-footed. He has 4 stars in both Skills and Weak Foot. Fortunately, Benjamin also possesses a number of different skills to showcase.
If you look for him on the market, Sesko can be purchased for $56.5M, a bit higher than De Sousa. This isn’t surprising considering he has the potential to go up to 88 with proper training. His stat spread is good, with 83 Pace. Overall, a solid pick if you can adjust him into your team and upgrade his rating.
Yoan Bonny
Yoan Bonny takes the no.3 spot on our list with a 76 OVR rating. Bonny is French by origin but currently plays for Lombardia FC in Serie A TIM. He stands at 6’2” and is right-footed. Looking at his stats, Bonny has 4 stars in Skills and 3 stars in Weak Foot. His potential growth is +10, meaning he can reach 86 once he’s fully upgraded.
Bonny’s current market price is just $20M, the lowest amongst the top 3 ST. He is a very lucrative purchase, and you will definitely profit from having him in the long run. Since his current rating is not amazing, you might need to funnel some resources into him. But even at 76, he has 87 Pace, a promising look on his stat spread.
Mathys Tel
The 20-year-old Frenchman from Tottenham Hotspur has bagged our no.4 spot. Mathys Tel is a great budget ST to look at when starting. He has an initial rating of 77, which can go up to 86, a potential growth of +9 points. He’s a rare gold card playing in the Premier League, so getting your hands on him won’t be easy.
Tel rocks the stat spread section with 4 stars in both Weak Foot and Skills. He also has 86 in Pace and is valued at $27.5M in-game. If you’re lacking players from the Premier League to achieve League or Club links, Mathys Tel is an extremely viable option.
Jhon Duran
Our criteria for today were great budget STs, and that’s exactly what we’re bringing you. John Duran, a 21-year-old Colombian national, is listed for $42.5M. He is currently at Fenerbahçe in the Trendyol Super Lig. He has a gold non-rare rarity and an overall rating of 79. Following the trend, Duran will see a major boost to 86 OVR once you train him.
The 6’2” Colombian has 3 stars in Skills and 2 stars in Weak Foot, not the most appealing pickup. He’s left-footed and has an even stat spread, with 81 Pace, 81 Shooting, and 75 Dribbling. If you’re completely strapped for cash, John Duran can be a viable option.
Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa
EA FC 26 has no shortage of great talent at affordable prices, and Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa is proof of that. Aghehowa is priced at $50-65 million in-game and has a 79 OVR. He has a potential growth of +7 points, meaning he can reach 86 with the right training. Aghehowa is 6’4”, right-footed, and boasts 3 stars in both Weak Foot and Skills.
The Spanish ST currently plays for FC Porto in Liga Portugal. His market price does fluctuate, so make sure you get him when it goes down. In his current state, his stat spread isn’t the best, with 79 in both Pace and Shooting, but you’re bound to see improvement once you work on him.
Romeo Vermant
Romeo Vermant is a hidden gem in EA FC 26, and the reason is his potential growth. Initially, Vermant sits at a meager 72 OVR, something most players would skim over. But he actually has +13 growth points, meaning a final overall rating of 85. The 20-year-old is a great asset to have on your team, especially since you’re saving quite a lot when buying him.
Vermant’s price recently came down and sits at $5.5M. However, it might shoot back up at any moment. The Belgian ST plays for Club Brugge in the 1A Pro League, so he usually flies under the radar. He’s 6’0”, right-footed, and has 3 stars in both Weak Foot and Skills. We’d definitely recommend getting this gem just to see him grow his OVR with you.
Karim Konate
You might have heard of cheap, but you probably haven’t seen someone who is Karim Konate-cheap. This right-footed ST is originally from Côte d’Ivoire and plays for RB Salzburg in the O. Bundesliga. He has 4 stars in Weak Foot and 3 stars in Skill moves. The real shocker, however, is his market value, which is just $7M. He is an ideal pickup for players who want to fill their team without spending much.
Konate is a silver rare card in EA FC 26. His initial OVR is 72, but just like Vermant, he has a +13 growth potential, placing him at 85 OVR at the end. He also has a good Pace at 84. The main reason for his low market value is probably his Club or nationality, both of which are quite hard to match for chemistry stars. Still, a solid budget pick all the same.
Igor Tyjon
Grabbing a spot on our list is 17-year-old Igor Tyjon from the Blackburn Rovers. English by nationality, Igor only has 57 OVR initially, probably the lowest on the list so far. However, a whopping +25 growth potential allows him to sit up there with other amazing STs at 82. The best part about Tyjon is not just his market value, but his nationality. If you’re looking to fill in English players, Tyjon is your ideal budget ST.
The English ST does have poor stars on both Weak Foot and Skill moves, with 3 and 2 stars respectively. However, even with quite a poor OVR initially, he has 69 Pace. Upgrade him to his max potential, and you’ll definitely see significant improvement in his stat spread overall. But that’s the catch of his low market value: you’ll need to invest other resources into him.
Jonah Kusi-Asare
Clutching the final spot on our list is none other than Jonah Kusi-Asare, the 18-year-old Swedish ST for Fulham. Kusi-Asare is valuable for many of the same reasons Igor Tyjon is: great chemistry stars for the Premier League. The player himself is rated at 60, a bronze non-rare card. But since he can go up to 82, he makes the cut for our list.
Kusi-Asare is 6’5”, right-footed, and has 2 stars in Skills and 3 stars in Weak Foot. He can be added to your roster for just $925K, and easily upgraded afterward. Of course, the stat spread isn’t something worth mentioning for now before you upgrade him, but he will be a good investment in the long run. If you’re looking to finish Premier League chemistry links and want a cheap ST, keep this guy high on your priority list.
