FIFA 22: Best Target Men to Sign on Career Mode

Ronan Tee

3 years ago

FIFA 22’s match engine has rewarded speed more than any other attribute over the last decade or so – it’s arguably the most important attribute in the game. However, height and strength is often the best counter to pace, especially in the opposition box, which makes target men a serious goal threat if you know how to embed them into your tactics.

Big men up top certainly have their worth in the right system, and as a result, we have listed the best target men that could take your Career Mode save to the next level.

Finding the best FIFA 22 target men in FIFA 22

This article focuses on the best target men (STs and CFs) in the game with Zlatan Ibrahimović, Robert Lewandowski, and Wout Weghorst being among the best in FIFA 22.

We have ranked these big frontmen based on their overall rating, their strength rating, and the fact that they possess the Aerial Threat as a striker or centre forward.

At the bottom of the article, you’ll find a full list of all of the best target men in FIFA 22.

Robert Lewandowski (92 OVR – 92 POT)

Team: Bayern Munich
Age: 32
Wage: £232,000 p/w
Value: £102.8 million
Height: 6’1”
Best Attributes: 95 Finishing, 95 Attacking Positioning, 93 Reactions

As one of the best finishers in recent history, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski will go down as one of the greatest strikers of his generation. Whilst he’s not primarily known as a target man, his build in FIFA 22 and considerable talent do qualify him for this list.

After emerging as a sharpshooter in his native Poland, Lewandowski took the Bundesliga by storm – initially with Borussia Dortmund before his controversial move to Bayern Munich in 2014. His overall record in the Bundesliga ranks him second on the all-time goalscorers list with a staggering 284 goals in 357 games, with 72 assists to boot.

You’d be doing exceptionally well to sign Lewandowski in Career Mode with his eye-watering value and wages being an almost insurmountable obstacle in the chase for his signature. His limited mobility, 95 attacking positioning, and 95 finishing make the legendary striker the ideal target man and poacher to lead your club to glory.

Zlatan Ibrahimović (84 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: AC Milan
Age: 39
Wage: £44,000 p/w
Value: £12.5 million
Height: 6’5”
Best Attributes: 90 Composure, 89 Attacking Positioning, 88 Shot Power

The iconic Zlatan Ibrahimović has been a major success wherever he’s played, and he’s played for a lot of clubs during his journeyman career as one of the game’s biggest talents and most notorious personalities.

With over 400 career goals spanning 20 seasons for some of the world’s top clubs, there isn’t any questioning Ibrahimović’s unerring ability to stick chances away whilst maintaining his showman persona. Now, during his second stint with AC Milan, the Swede has continued to add to his legacy with 29 goals in only 48 outings.

In-game, the 6’5”, 87 strength, and 86 finishing, and 86 ball control make Ibrahimović the archetypal target man. If you can deliver the ball into dangerous areas, Ibrahimović will do the rest, but at 39-years-old he’s on the cusp of retirement.

Wout Weghorst (83 OVR – 83 POT)

Team: VfL Wolfsburg
Age: 28
Wage: £82,000 p/w
Value: £31.8 million
Height: 6’6”
Best Attributes: 92 Heading Accuracy, 89 Strength, 88 Attacking Positioning

Wolfsburg’s Wout Weghorst has emerged in recent years as a top target man talent, with opposition defenders often failing to deal with his imperious aerial threat as he stands at a towering 6’6” – the second-tallest target man on this list.

The former AZ Alkmaar striker was a menace in the Eredivisie, but he elevated his game after arriving in the Bundesliga, netting 67 times in 130 games in all competitions for Wolfsburg to cement his place as one of the league’s most feared forwards.

With 92 heading accuracy, 89 strength, and 88 attacking positioning stats, the Dutchman is the ultimate target man. It’s a role that he will thrive in if you can prise him away from Wolfsburg, which might be tough given his £54.1 million release clause.

Raúl García (80 OVR – 80 POT)

Team: Athletic Bilbao
Age: 34
Wage: £31,000 p/w
Value: £9 million
Height: 6’0”
Best Attributes: 92 Jumping, 90 Heading Accuracy, 86 Long Shots

García built a reputation in Spain as more of a playmaker. He made the attacking midfield spot his own for several years with Atlético Madrid and Osasuna before he signed for current club Athletic Bilbao in 2015.

Since arriving at the Basque club, the twice-capped Spanish international transitioned into more of a forward with the ability to score in the box due to his incredible leap, pinpoint heading, and accurate long-range shooting. These traits are reflected in his 92 jumping, 90 heading accuracy, and 86 long shots – allowing García to play the target man role expertly.

The ageing forward is sadly unapproachable regarding a transfer in Career Mode due to his impending in-game retirement, but if you do happen to manage Bilbao, don’t miss out on García’s target man abilities.

Paul Onuachu (79 OVR – 80 POT)

Team: K.R.C. Genk
Age: 27
Wage: £20,000 p/w
Value: £17.6 million
Height: 6’7”
Best Attributes: 93 Strength, 85 Heading Accuracy, 84 Penalties

Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu is the tallest target man on this list at a giant 6’7”, but the man who plies his trade in Belgium for Genk is more than just a big frame.

FC Midtjylland were the first club to profit from Onuachu’s talent after he left Nigeria to play professional football in his late teens. In his seven seasons in Denmark, Onuachu dominated the country’s top tier and put in encouraging performances in the Europa League too, which eventually earned him a £5.4 million switch to Genk in 2019.

Genk value their big hitman at far more than what they shelled out for him. If you want him to overpower opposition backlines in your save, you’ll have to spend £27.8 million. Onuachu could be worth every penny if he keeps up his current goalscoring form.

Luuk de Jong (79 OVR – 79 POT)

Team: FC Barcelona
Age: 30
Wage: £29,000 p/w
Value: £14.6 million
Height: 6’2”
Best Attributes: 93 Heading Accuracy, 88 Jumping, 84 Strength

Many football fans were shocked to see Luuk de Jong join Barcelona on-loan from Sevilla this summer, although you can see why Koeman wanted his fellow Dutchman at Camp Nou, given his record as a target man.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed the majority of his success in the Eredivisie for PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente, and after recovering from a disastrous stint at Newcastle, De Jong impressed in La Liga for Sevilla.

As a striker with tremendous aerial prowess, 93 heading accuracy, and 88 jumping twinned with his 6’2” stature, in-game, few defenders can match De Jong in the air. He may be past his peak in Career Mode, but if you’re after a game-changing target man, De Jong might be the striker for you.

Olivier Giroud (79 OVR – 79 POT)

Team: AC Milan
Age: 34
Wage: £41,000 p/w
Value: £7.3 million
Height: 6’4”
Best Attributes: 90 Penalties, 90 Heading Accuracy, 88 Strength

Giroud’s extended time in the Premier League was a memorable one – he led the line for both Arsenal and Chelsea and dazzled fans with his brilliant first touch and his eye for the spectacular.

With 90 goals in the Premier League, Giroud was an underappreciated talent. The greatest moment in Giroud’s career was his World Cup victory for France back in 2018, during which, he started as a target man forward throughout the entire tournament.

He’s 6’4”, he’s got 90 heading accuracy, and 88 strength, so he’s definitely qualified to play as a target man in FIFA 22. At 34-years-old, it may be worth researching alternative target men options who could develop in Career Mode and represent your club for years to come.

All the best target men in FIFA 22 Career Mode

Check out the table below to find the very best target men in FIFA 22.

Name	Overall	Potential	Strength	Height	Age	Position	Team
Robert Lewandowski	92	92	86	6’1″	32	ST	FC Bayern München
Zlatan Ibrahimović	84	84	87	6’5″	39	ST	AC Milan
Wout Weghorst	83	83	89	6’6″	28	ST	VfL Wolfsburg
Raúl García	80	80	86	6’0″	34	ST, CAM	Athletic Club de Bilbao
Paul Onuachu	79	80	93	6’7″	27	ST	KRC Genk
Luuk de Jong	79	79	84	6’2″	30	ST	FC Barcelona
Olivier Giroud	79	79	88	6’4″	34	ST	AC Milan
Ludovic Ajorque	78	79	89	6’6″	27	ST	RC Strasbourg Alsace
Artem Dzyuba	78	78	94	6’5″	32	ST	Russia
Saša Kalajdžić	77	82	82	6’7″	23	ST	VfB Stuttgart
Bas Dost	77	77	87	6’5″	32	ST	Club Brugge KV
Alexander Sørloth	76	79	88	6’4″	25	ST	Real Sociedad
Vedat Muriqi	75	76	91	6’4″	27	ST	Lazio
Leonardo Pavoletti	75	75	81	6’2″	32	ST	Cagliari
Simy	74	74	90	6’6″	29	ST	US Salernitana 1919
Kieffer Moore	74	74	90	6’5″	28	ST	Cardiff City
Jean-David Beauguel	73	73	90	6’5″	29	ST	FC Viktoria Plzeň
Tim Kleindienst	73	76	86	6’4″	25	ST	1. FC Heidenheim 1846
Fabian Klos	73	73	91	6’4″	33	ST	DSC Arminia Bielefeld
Henk Veerman	72	72	92	6’7″	30	ST	SC Heerenveen
Philipp Hofmann	72	72	92	6’5″	28	ST	Karlsruher SC
Tomáš Pekhart	72	72	88	6’5″	32	ST	Legia Warszawa