FIFA 21: Players Who Benefit from a Position Change

A new feature in FIFA 21 is the ability to change the position of players through training. In the development section of Career Mode, you are able to either choose how a player develops in their current position or change their position altogether.

When venturing through a Career Mode, utilising this new feature could lead to selling players for more money or increasing the overall rating of the team. So, who are the players who benefit most?

How does the position change feature work in FIFA 21?

This new feature may be best used when scouting youth players. A youth player could be identified as a centre back, but if you notice that their best stats lend them to elsewhere on the pitch, a position change could lead to an increase in their overall rating by ten or more.

This tactic also works with older players who may have played out of position or whose individual rating just lends them to another position. Though they may be 30-years or older, a position change may only take two weeks, indicating that they would receive an overall increase.

While not an extensive selection, all of the players in the list below increase their overall rating by four points when the position change is completed.

Weston McKennie (77 CM – CB 81)

Team: Piemonte Calcio (Juventus)
Best Position: CB
Age: 21
Overall/Potential: 77 OVR / 85 POT
Value: £21 million
Weak Foot: Three-Star
Best Attributes: 92 Jumping, 83 Stamina, 83 Strength

Weston McKennie made his loan move to Juventus from FC Schalke 04 permanent in July 2021. The American played 34 times for Juventus in Serie A last season, scoring five times and assisting twice.

However, despite being classified as a central midfielder on FIFA 21, and for club and country in real life, he is better suited as a centre back in-game. Once his position is changed, McKennie’s overall rating increases by four points.

The benefits of playing the Texas native as a centre back are his 92 jumping, 83 strength, and high defensive work rate. That said, McKennie is only 6’ tall and does have a high attacking work rate.

Pedri (CM 77 – CAM 81)

Team: FC Barcelona
Best Position: CAM
Age: 17
Overall/Potential: 77 OVR / 91 POT
Value: £21.5 million
Weak Foot: Four-Star
Best Attributes: 89 Balance, 87 Agility, 86 Acceleration

Pedri showed the calibre of the player that he’s going to become in Euro 2020 this year. Playing almost every minute of the tournament for Spain, the now-18-year-old controlled the game with quick passing and an incredible work rate.

Pedri is classed as a centre midfielder on FIFA 21 and plays in a similar position much of the time for FC Barcelona in real life. However, his ratings suggest that he’s better suited to playing as an attacking midfielder. Once his position has changed, his rating will increase by four points.

The former Las Palmas trainee’s incredible 89 balance, 87 agility, and 86 acceleration lend themselves to an attacking midfielder role that can turn a defender and be very difficult to mark.

Nahitan Nández (CM 77 – CDM 81)

Team: Cagliari
Best Position: CDM
Age: 24
Overall/Potential: 77 OVR / 82 POT
Value: £14.5 million
Weak Foot: Three-Star
Best Attributes: 93 Stamina, 87 Aggression, 81 Reactions

Nahitan Nández moved to Cagliari in 2019 from Argentinian giants Boca Juniors. In this summer’s Copa América, Nández appeared in all five of Uruguay’s games, assisting once.

Nández has actually only played as a defensive midfielder a handful of times throughout his young career, but his ratings on FIFA 21 suggest that he’s better at playing as a CDM in-game. His overall rating increases by four points once he’s retrained from a central midfielder to a defensive midfielder.

Nández’s 93 stamina, 87 aggression, and high defensive work rate certainly lend themselves to the CDM role. Depending on how you use him and what formation you deploy, his high attacking work rate could also be of use to your team.

Alexis Claude-Maurice (CM 77 – CAM 81)

Team: OGC Nice
Best Position: CAM
Age: 22
Overall/Potential: 77 OVR / 83 POT
Value: £15 million
Weak Foot: Three-Star
Best Attributes: 91 Acceleration, 90 Agility, 86 Sprint Speed

Alexis Claude-Maurice has had a significantly more impactful second season at OGC Nice, scoring five goals and assisting five times to improve his total of five goal contributions in 2019/20. The 22-year-old is yet to play for his national team, but if he keeps on improving, he may yet pull on the blue of France.

Ironically, Claude-Maurice plays as an attacking midfielder in real life, rather than as a centre midfielder – as he does in FIFA 21. Playing him in his actual position of attacking midfielder ends up increasing his overall rating by four points.

With 91 acceleration and 86 sprint speed, Claude-Maurice has the pace to match almost any attacker. His 90 agility also allows him to change direction quickly, and with an 83 potential rating, he will improve significantly over the coming seasons.

Marouane Fellaini (CM 75 – CB 79)

Team: Shandong Taishan
Best Position: CB
Age: 32
Overall/Potential: 75 OVR / 75 POT
Value: £4 million
Weak Foot: Three-Star
Best Attributes: 92 Heading Accuracy, 90 Strength, 87 Aggression

Throughout his long career, Fellaini has played for Belgium 87 times, won the English FA Cup, the English League Cup, the Chinese FA Cup, and the Europa League. Currently playing in China, Fellaini has scored three goals in the first five games of this season.

From a ratings perspective, Fellaini can play almost anywhere on FIFA 21 and not lose his overall rating. For example, Fellaini as a striker is still rated 75. However, as a centre back, Fellaini’s overall rating increases by four points to 79.

Fellaini’s 92 heading accuracy, 90 strength, and 83 balance make him a tremendous aerial threat in both boxes, but his 37 sprint speed and 34 acceleration are where the towering Belgian is lacking.

There are many players who would benefit from a position change in FIFA 21. So, when scouting a player, it is always worth checking if they’d benefit from playing in a different position.