FM26 free agents: The 10 best free players to sign including ex-Arsenal and Bournemouth stars

Another edition of Football Manager is on the horizon – in fact, if you happen to have access to the beta version, it’s here right now. And while FM26 has had a pretty tough path to its full release on 4 November, millions of armchair managers will soon be logging in and starting their first saves.

Having had access to the game to play around and do some scouting, we’ve already drawn up a list of 10 of the best wonderkids to sign in the new game but now, for the more budget-conscious managers among you, we’re going to look at ten free signings who could help out a club that needs some bodies to fill in the blanks.

None of these guys should be on your shortlist if you’re manager Arsenal – although two of them did actually play for the Gunners – but they’re all useful back-ups for teams in the bottom half of bigger leagues or players who could be starters in the second or third tier. Let’s go bargain-hunting…

Former Bournemouth & West Ham star among Football Manager 2026’s best free agents

Paco Alcácer (ST): Starting us off in our alphabetically-ordered list is former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund star Alcácer, who has racked up over £50m of transfer fees, scored 12 international goals in 19 caps for Spain, and is now unattached at 31. His physical stats aren’t great (a common theme with the older players here) but they’re not that terrible, and he has his finishing, composure and off the ball all set to 15. Still a handy striker, even if his salad days are behind him.

José Campaña (M C): The 32-year-old Spaniard is slowing down a bit and doesn’t have the gas to be a ball-winning midfielder but he has excellent mental stats and 16 scores for each of technique, passing and first touch. In other words, he’s still a very handy playmaker if you don’t need him to press much. The same could be said of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, by the way, also a free agent but whose physicals are just awful after an injury-ravaged career.

Benoît Costil (GK): The 38-year-old was a very decent goalkeeper in his prime and has one cap for France, but hasn’t played since leaving Salernitana in 2024. Still, basically every relevant stat is above 12 so if you’re a lower-league side that needs a stopper or a decent team desperate for a back-up, he’s not the worst option for a year.

Koffi Djidji (D C): A 32-year-old centre-half who most recently played for Torino, Djidji is a Frenchman with impressive defensive stats (16 tackling and 14 each for heading and marking) and enough ticks in the mental and physical boxes to do a job at a relatively high level. Gambian defender Bubacarr Sanneh is another option along the same lines.

Ryan Fredericks (D/WB/AM R): Now 32, Fredericks hasn’t found a club after respectable stints at West Ham United and Bournemouth – in the game, his technical stats are uninspiring by Premier League standards but he’s still got 17 each on acceleration and pace. If physical stats are as important at lower levels as they were in FM24, then Fredericks could be a great get for EFL teams.

Ex-Arsenal star one of FM26’s best bargain buys

Samuel Grandsir (AM RLC): A 28-year-old last at Caen in France, Grandsir isn’t anything special but he’s quick, can dribble and has solid technique – in short, he’s a serviceable winger. Don’t get excited, but if you need someone to rotate in and out over a long season, you could surely do worse.

Rafinha (M/AM RC): Yep, the former Barcelona guy is still in the game, over a year since he last kicked a ball – not that you’d know it from his highly impressive technical stats. His mediocre physical attributes will limit him but he’s still got 16 passing and 17 technique. Not bad.

Alan Ruíz (M/AM C): A 31-year-old playmaker who’s the best set piece taker you’ll find in free agency. He’s a good passer and has mostly acceptable physical and mental stats, with 10 apiece for acceleration and pace the only real red flags. But if you’re reading this article, let’s be honest, you’re begging and not choosing.

Alexis Tibidi (AM RLC/ST): Most of the players on this list are, for obvious reasons, on the older side, but here’s a guy who’s just 21 and may actually improve over time given the right coaching. A former LASK winger, he’s nowhere near Premier League level but he has just enough of a bedrock of technical talent to be worth giving a go if you have good backroom staff. There might just be a minor bargain here.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (D RLC/WB RL): In real life, a serious knee injury means that it’s impossible to know where and when Tomiyasu might be able to continue his career. In the game, he’s out for four to five months, and then he can crack on. We imagine he’ll continue to be injury prone but he’s still got fine stats across the board, as you might well expect. A lot of savvy players will give Tomiyasu a crack.