In Career Mode, one of the best and most cost-effective ways of bringing in a new superstar has long been to make a contract expiry signing.
It’s a very different story in FIFA 21, with the usual method of capitalising on a contract expiry having been changed a great deal in Career Mode, as explained on our 2021 Contract Expiry Signings post.
Having covered the first and second season of potential contract expiry signings, we now turn to the players with expiring contracts in 2023, for the third season of Career Mode.
Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid (91 OVR)
Best Position: GK
First Season Age: 27
Wage: £110,000
Overall Rating: 91
Best Attributes: 92 Goalkeeper Handling, 90 Goalkeeper Reflexes, 90 Goalkeeper Positioning
Embodying Atlético Madrid’s tough-to-beat persona, Jan Oblak has put up a stellar stat line for the Metropolitano Stadium residents, keeping 141 clean sheets while only allowing 177 against by this 260th game.
Last season, Oblak allowed a mere 27 goals in 38 La Liga games while keeping 17 clean sheets. Through his first three games of this season, the Slovenian shot-stopper only conceded one goal, being pivotal to the team coming away with something from their 0-0 draws against SD Huesca and Villarreal.
Oblak comes into FIFA 21 as the best goalkeeper in the game thanks to his 91 OVR, and yet, there’s much more to come: the 27-year-old has a potential rating of 93.
As he approaches the prime physical age for a goalkeeper, you can only imagine that Oblak’s overall rating will increase, making him an even better potential third season contract expiry signing.
Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City (91 OVR)
Best Position: CAM, CM
First Season Age: 29
Wage: £330,000
Overall Rating: 91
Best Attributes: 94 Short Passing, 94 Vision, 94 Crossing
Perhaps the finest playmaker in the Premier League, and one of the best passers of the ball in the world, Kevin De Bruyne continues to pull the strings for Manchester City in the middle of the park.
The Etihad Stadium residents didn’t enjoy the best of starts to the 2020/21 campaign, with De Bruyne only managing one goal and an assist through his first five games.
The Belgian plays as well in FIFA 21 as he does in real life, with his 94 short passing, 93 long passing, 92 ball control, 94 crossing, and 91 long shots making him very user-friendly.
He’ll be in his early-30s, but De Bruyne will still be among the highest-rated players in Career Mode by the time he can become a signing after his potential contract expiry in 2023.
Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich (91 OVR)
Best Position: ST
First Season Age: 31
Wage: £220,000
Overall Rating: 91
Best Attributes: 94 Attacking Positioning, 94 Finishing, 93 Reactions
After scoring 55 goals and ten assists in 47 games last season, en route to winning the Bundesliga and Champions League, Robert Lewandowski is once again establishing himself as one of the most potent strikers in the world.
The Polish sharpshooter scored five goals and two assists in his first few games of the Bundesliga campaign, only being kept off of the score sheet in the 4-1 loss to TSG Hoffenheim because he started on the bench.
If you’ve got the ball at Lewandowski’s feet in the box on FIFA 21, it’s more difficult to miss than to score, with his 94 finishing, 85 dribbling, 88 ball control, 94 positioning, 89 shot power, and 93 reactions making him one of the best STs in the game.
He’ll be in his mid-30s by the time his contract is set to expire, but Lewandowski is certainly a player you should look for as a potential contract expiry signing in the third season of Career Mode.
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (90 OVR)
Best Position: RW
First Season Age: 28
Wage: £220,000
Overall Rating: 90
Best Attributes: 94 Acceleration, 92 Sprint Speed, 92 Reactions
Having helped pull Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title with 19 goals and ten assists, Mohamed Salah didn’t waste any time at the start of this campaign.
Through the first five games of the season, the Egyptian speedster put up six goals – three of which came in the form of an opening game hattrick.
With pace still being one of the deciding factors of FIFA 21 prowess, Salah presents himself as one of the best players in the game, offering 94 acceleration, 92 sprint speed, and 91 agility.
Salah, along with Sadio Mané, is a potential contract expiry signing in the third season of Career Mode, with his deal coming to a close in 2023 to potentially make him easier and cheaper to acquire.
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool (90 OVR)
Best Position: CB
First Season Age: 28
Wage: £185,000
Overall Rating: 90
Best Attributes: 93 Standing Tackle, 93 Defensive Awareness, 92 Strength
Having finished second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or vote by a mere seven points, there’s been very little doubt that Virgil van Dijk is the best centre back in the world right now.
The towering Dutchman is known for his dominance along the backline, in the air, and in opposition boxes. At the start of this season, though, it’d be fair that we saw several uncharacteristic stutters from Van Dijk.
Liverpool’s rock in defence is due to become a potential 2023 contract expiry signing in FIFA 21, at which point, Van Dijk may even carry a 91 overall rating, should he grow into his 91 POT.
He’s one of the best CB players to get in Career Mode, thanks to his 93 defensive awareness, 93 standing tackle, 86 sliding tackle, 90 interceptions, 92 strength, 87 heading accuracy, and 90 jumping.
All the best FIFA 21 contract expiry signings in 2023 (third season)
Here are all of the best potential 2023 contract expiry signings in FIFA 21 Career Mode, including their potential ratings and current wages.
| Name | Positions | Age (2020) | Overall | Potential | Team | Value | Wage |
| Jan Oblak | GK | 27 | 91 | 93 | Atlético Madrid | £108 million | £110,000 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | CAM, CM | 29 | 91 | 91 | Manchester City | £116 million | £330,000 |
| Robert Lewandowski | ST | 31 | 91 | 91 | Bayern Munich | £100 million | £220,000 |
| Mohamed Salah | RW | 28 | 90 | 90 | Liverpool | £108.5 million | £220,000 |
| Sadio Mané | LW | 28 | 90 | 90 | Liverpool | £108.5 million | £220,000 |
| Virgil van Dijk | CB | 28 | 90 | 91 | Liverpool | £99 million | £185,000 |
| Casemiro | CDM | 28 | 89 | 89 | Real Madrid | £81.5 million | £280,000 |
| Manuel Neuer | GK | 34 | 89 | 89 | Bayern Munich | £16 million | £115,000 |
| N’Golo Kanté | CDM, CM | 29 | 88 | 88 | Chelsea | £70 million | £175,000 |
| Joshua Kimmich | CDM, RB | 25 | 88 | 90 | Bayern Munich | £92.5 million | £130,000 |
| Raheem Sterling | LW, RW | 25 | 88 | 90 | Manchester City | £103 million | £250,000 |
| Kalidou Koulibaly | CB | 29 | 88 | 88 | SSC Napoli | £69 million | £270,000 |
| Toni Kroos | CM | 30 | 88 | 88 | Real Madrid | £78.5 million | £280,000 |
| Jadon Sancho | RM, LM, CAM | 20 | 87 | 93 | Borussia Dortmund | £111.5 million | £73,000 |
| Fabinho | CDM | 26 | 87 | 89 | Liverpool | £79.5 million | £140,000 |
| Roberto Firmino | CF | 28 | 87 | 87 | Liverpool | £73.5 million | £170,000 |
| Heung-Min Son | LM, CF | 27 | 87 | 87 | Tottenham Hotspur | £72 million | £155,000 |
| Keylor Navas | GK | 33 | 87 | 87 | Paris Saint-Germain | £23.5 million | £98,000 |
| Sergio Busquets | CDM | 31 | 87 | 87 | FC Barcelona | £47.5 million | £210,000 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | ST, LW | 31 | 87 | 87 | Arsenal | £60.5 million | £155,000 |
| Jamie Vardy | ST | 33 | 86 | 86 | Leicester City | £39 million | £140,000 |
| David de Gea | GK | 29 | 86 | 86 | Manchester United | £42 million | £135,000 |
| Thomas Müller | CAM, RM, RW | 30 | 86 | 86 | Bayern Munich | £59 million | £115,000 |
| Jordan Henderson | CDM, CM | 30 | 86 | 86 | Liverpool | £51 million | £125,000 |
| Yann Sommer | CK | 31 | 86 | 86 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | £32.5 million | £49,500 |
| Milan Škriniar | CB | 25 | 85 | 89 | Inter | £60.5 million | £115,000 |
| Marcus Rashford | LM, ST | 22 | 85 | 91 | Manchester United | £78 million | £135,000 |
| Clément Lenglet | CB | 25 | 85 | 89 | FC Barcelona | £60.5 million | £175,000 |
| Ricardo Pereira | RB | 26 | 85 | 87 | Leicester City | £55 million | £110,000 |
| Serge Gnabry | RM, LM, RW | 24 | 85 | 87 | Bayern Munich | £61 million | £100,000 |
| Riyad Mahrez | RW, RM | 29 | 85 | 85 | Manchester City | £47.5 million | £190,000 |
| Bernd Leno | GK | 28 | 85 | 87 | Arsenal | £41.5 million | £94,000 |
| Alex Sandro | LB, LM | 29 | 85 | 85 | Piemonte Calcio (Juventus) | £42.5 million | £105,000 |
| Marco Reus | CAM, CF | 31 | 85 | 85 | Borussia Dortmund | £40 million | £84,000 |
| Péter Gulácsi | GK | 30 | 85 | 85 | RB Leipzig | £32.5 million | £59,000 |
If you’re lucky, some of these highly-rated players won’t sign new deals before the end of the third season on Career Mode, making them prime players to target as contract expiry signings.
Looking for bargains?
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2021 (First Season)
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2022 (Second Season)
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Centre Backs (CB) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Strikers (ST & CF) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Right Backs (RB & RWB) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Left Backs (LB & LWB) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Centre Midfielders (CM) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Goalkeepers (GK) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Right Wingers (RW & RM) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Left Wingers (LW & LM) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Attacking Midfielders (CAM) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Cheap Defensive Midfielders (CDM) with High Potential to Sign
Looking for wonderkids?
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Centre Backs (CB) to sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Right Backs (RB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Left Backs (LB) to sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Goalkeepers (GK) to sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Attacking Midfielders (CAM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Central Midfielders (CM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkid Wingers: Best Left Wingers (LW & LM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkid Wingers: Best Right Wingers (RW & RM) to sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Strikers (ST & CF) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Young Brazilian Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Young French Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Young English Players to Sign in Career Mode
Looking for the best young players?
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Strikers & Centre Forwards (ST & CF) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young LBs to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Right Backs (RB & RWB) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Central Midfielders (CM) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Defensive Midfielders (CDM) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Attacking Midfielders (CAM) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Goalkeepers (GK) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Right Wingers (RW & RM) to Sign
FIFA 21 Career Mode: Best Young Left Wingers (LW & LM) to Sign
Looking for the fastest players?
FIFA 21 Defenders: Fastest Centre Backs (CB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 21: Fastest Strikers (ST and CF)
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