It’s always wise to pad your first-team squad with at least two players per position to allow you to rotate and rest your stars in less challenging matches. However, goalscorers can be expensive, and if you have a top-class striker already, you don’t want to waste too much on a backup.
So here, we’re running through all of the best cheap strikers that we’ve found in FM22, with each of them proving to be good enough to fill in whenever required.
Choosing the best bargain strikers (ST) on FM22
This list of the best cheap strikers in FM 22 explores all corners of the footballing world to uncover cost-effective gems like Boli, Alexis Vega, and Artem Dovbyk.
Each player on this list has a positional rating of at least 19 for striker, with wages not greater than £16,500, a value that’s less than £5.1 million, and a minimum current ability (CA) rating of 120.
At the base of the article, you can find the complete list of all of the best bargain strikers (ST) in FM22.
1. Alexis Vega (133 CA / 145 PA)
Team: CD Guadalajara
Age: 23
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 133 CA / 145 PA
Wage: £5,250 p/w
Value: £350,000 – £5 million
Best Positions: ST, AMC, AMR, AML
Best Attributes: 14 Acceleration, 14 Determination, 14 Technique
With a peak valuation of £5 million, Alexis Vega only just makes it onto this list of bargain strikers, with his 133 CA being a good few points higher than the next player.
Vega has decent enough ratings as a backup striker, with his 13 finishing, 13 heading, 14 determination, and 14 acceleration being reliable in the box. The 23-year-old also offers a decent 145 PA and incredible versatility across the front line.
Playing for Chivas – otherwise known as CD Guadalajara – Vega has strung together 15 goals and 13 assists up to his 85th appearance for the club. The Mexican has also already broken into the national team, scoring twice in his first 12 caps.
2. Peter Shalulile (128 CA / 142 PA)
Team: Mamelodi Sundowns
Age: 28
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 128 CA / 142 PA
Wage: £3,900 p/w
Value: £100,000 – £1 million
Best Positions: ST, AMC, AMR, AML
Best Attributes: 18 Work Rate, 18 Natural Fitness, 17 Stamina
Perhaps better deployed as a super-sub to terrorise tired defences, Peter Shalulile is only valued between £100,000 and £1 million despite his favourable attribute ratings and 128 CA.
The Namibian has plenty in his locker to make defences worry. His 16 acceleration, 15 pace, 18 natural fitness, 17 stamina, 13 finishing, and 12 heading all make Shalulile a valuable bargain striker to have at your disposal.
In 2019/20, Shalulile topped the scoring charts of the South African Premiership and then won the league with the Mamelodi Sundowns. To commence this season, the striker from Eengolo scored 11 goals in the first 13 games.
3. Miguel de la Fuente (125 CA / 135 PA)
Team: Alavés
Age: 21
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 125 CA / 135 PA
Wage: £2,623 p/w
Value: £1.1 million
Best Positions: ST
Best Attributes: 15 Natural Fitness, 15 Work Rate, 15 Flair
Miguel de la Fuente stands as one of the youngest of the best cheap strikers in FM22 at 21-years-old, but it’s his decent 125 CA that makes him a worthy purchase.
Valued at a mere £1.1 million by Deportivo Alavés, and with wages of just £2,623, De la Fuente already has some decent attribute ratings for his price. The Spaniard’s best assets are his 15 flair, 15 work rate, 13 finishing, 14 pace, and 12 dribbling.
Having made his way through the Real Valladolid ranks, he was loaned out to CD Leganés for the 2020/21 season, where he scored six goals in 29 games. Now with Alavés, he’s been deployed somewhat sparingly through the early campaign.
4. Artem Dovbyk (125 CA / 130 PA)
Team: SC Dnipro
Age: 24
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 125 CA / 130 PA
Wage: £3,000 p/w
Value: £250,000 – £2.6 million
Best Positions: ST
Best Attributes: 18 Natural Fitness, 16 Jumping Reach, 16 Strength
His 125 CA may place him fourth among the top bargain strikers of FM22 here, but Artem Dovbyk does have the edge with his prowess as a target man.
The 24-year-old boasts 14 finishing, 15 heading, 16 jumping reach, and 16 strength – quite possibly making him the best cheap ST to sign on the merit of his attribute ratings. This Ukrainian power forward is valued at between £250,000 and £2.6 million, so could easily prove to be one of your most savvy purchases.
A two-time Danish league and cup champion with FC Midtjylland and SönderjyskE, Dovbyk returned to Ukraine in 2020, following a two-year spell in Denmark. Since coming to SK Dnipro, he’s scored 18 goals in 41 games.
5. Boli (125 CA / 130 PA)
Team: Ferencvárosi TC
Age: 27
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 125 CA / 130 PA
Wage: £3,300 p/w
Value: £600,000 – £1.3 million
Best Positions: ST
Best Attributes: 16 Strength, 16 Acceleration, 15 Natural Fitness
A two-footed striker valued at between £600,000 and £1.3 million, Boli can be a worthy addition to your squad thanks to his 125 CA.
Boli’s greatest strengths are in his athleticism, with his 16 acceleration, 14 pace, and 16 strength making him quite the handful. Furthermore, his 14 off the ball, 15 flair, 15 work rate, and 13 finishing allow him to be a potent ST in FM22.
Born in Yamoussoukro, Franck Boli made his way to Europe in 2012 from Cameroonian club Grassland FC to Norwegian outfit Stabæk Fotball. Since then, the Ivorian has enjoyed spells in China and now finds himself in Hungary with Ferencvárosi, where he scored 30 goals by his 86th appearance.
6. Féiver Mercado (125 CA / 130 PA)
Team: Cortuluá
Age: 31
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 125 CA / 130 PA
Wage: £3,400 p/w
Value: £0 – £75,000
Best Positions: ST, AML
Best Attributes: 15 Penalty Taking, 15 Leadership, 14 Finishing
Joining the stack of bargain strikers with 125 CA and 130 PA is Féiver Mercado, who is extraordinarily cheap for his ability – valued at up to £75,000.
The 31-year-old hasn’t got many years left in his career, but would make for a worthy stopgap behind your lead striker if you’re waiting on a wonderkid to breakthrough. In the meantime, his 14 finishing, 13 heading, 15 penalty taking, 14 acceleration, and 14 off the ball will serve you very well.
Mercado has spent his career in his native Colombia, playing for Quindío, Deportivo Pasto, and Deportivo Cali before his permanent move – following a loan spell – to Cortuluá. Here, he has arguably put up his best scoring record, netting seven goals in the first 16 games of this season alone.
7. Germán Berterame (125 CA / 130 PA)
Team: Club Atlético San Luis
Age: 22
Current Ability / Potential Ability: 124 CA / 140 PA
Wage: £2,900 p/w
Value: £60,000 – £3 million
Best Positions: ST
Best Attributes: 17 Decisions, 15 Strength, 14 Heading
Still only 22-years-old, Germán Berterame can enhance your investment by growing from a 124 CA into his 140 PA, with this top bargain striker being a mere £3 million valuation at the most.
The Argentine weighs in at 178cm and 75kg but can certainly handle himself in the box. With 13 acceleration, 14 agility, 14 balance, 12 pace, 15 strength, and 14 bravery, Berterame can be a useful backup striker.
A product of the San Lorenzo youth system, Berterame was given sparingly few chances to impress for his parent club, but did impress with four goals in 12 games on-loan to Club Atlético Patronato. In 2019, he went to Club Atlético San Luis and has since scored 23 goals in 70 appearances.
All the best bargain strikers (ST) on FM22
See below for the full list of all of the best cheap strikers to sign in FM22, with the bargain STs listed by their current ability ratings.
| Player | CA | PA (Range) | Age | Position | Team | Wage (p/w) | Value |
| Alexis Vega | 133 | 145 | 23 | ST (C), AM (RLC) | CD Guadalajara | £5,250 | £350,000 – £5 million |
| Peter Shalulile | 128 | 142 | 28 | ST (C), AM (RLC) | Mamelodi Sundowns | £3,900 | £100,000 – £1 million |
| Miguel de la Fuente | 125 | 135 | 21 | ST (C) | Alavés | £2,623 | £1.1 million |
| Artem Dovbyk | 125 | 130 | 24 | ST (C) | SC Dnipro | £3,000 | £250,000 – £2.6 million |
| Boli | 125 | 130 | 27 | ST (C) | Ferencvárosi TC | £3,300 | £600,000 – £1.3 million |
| Féiver Mercado | 125 | 130 | 31 | ST (C), AM (L) | Cortuluá | £3,400 | £0 – £75,000 |
| Germán Berterame | 124 | 140 | 22 | ST (C) | Club Atlético San Luis | £2,900 | £60,000 – £3 million |
| Bernardo Cuesta | 123 | 125 | 32 | ST (C), AM (RL) | FC Melgar | £300 | £1,500 – £12,000 |
| Jermain Defoe | 122 | 155 | 38 | ST (C) | Rangers | £8,000 | £400,000 – £1.2 million |
| Denys Garmash | 122 | 125 | 31 | ST (C), M/AM (C) | Dynamo Kyiv | £4,500 | £550,000 |
| Ivan Sergeev | 122 | 125 | 26 | ST (C) | Krylja Sovetov Samara | £2,828 | £350,000 – £3.4 million |
| Luciano Pons | 122 | 124 | 31 | ST (C) | Club Atlético Banfield | £2,351 | £100,000 – £1 million |
| Shahab Zahedi | 122 | 122 | 25 | ST (C), AM (RL) | Zorya Luhansk | £2,158 | £425,000 – £1.3 million |
| Fernando Aristeguieta | 121 | 132 | 29 | ST (C) | CF Puebla de la Franja | £4,500 | £45,000 – £475,000 |
| Olmes García | 121 | 125 | 28 | ST (C) | Deportes Quindío SA | £3,000 | £12,000 – £130,000 |
| Gustavo Del Prete | 121 | 124 | 25 | ST (C), AM (RL) | Estudiantes de La Plata | £4,600 | £375,000 – £3.8 million |
| Pablo Palacios Alvarenga | 120 | 127 | 33 | ST (C) | Club Atlético Mitre | £3,500 | £70,000 – £700,000 |
| Peniel Mlapa | 120 | 127 | 30 | ST (C), AM (RC) | Al-Ittihad | £14,000 | £140,000 – £1.4 million |
| Anderson Plata | 120 | 130 | 30 | ST (C), AM (C) | Club Deportes Tolima | £4,200 | £55,000 – £550,000 |
| Jesús Imaz | 120 | 125 | 30 | ST (C), AM (C) | Jagiellonia Bialystok | £2,200 | £18,000 – £180,000 |
| Vladimir Iljin | 120 | 120 | 29 | ST (C) | FC Krasnodar | £13,750 | £2.4 million – £4.8 million |
| Maximiliano Silvera | 120 | 125 | 23 | ST (C), AM (R) | Club Sportivo Cerrito | £120 | £65,000 – £650,000 |
| Jhonatan Candia | 120 | 122 | 26 | ST (C) | Club Atlético Huracán | £1,369 | £75,000 – £750,000 |
| Ben Malango | 120 | 130 | 24 | ST (C) | Sharjah SC | £16,500 | £250,000 – £2.6 million |
| Bruno Pascua | 120 | 125 | 31 | ST (C), AM (RL) | CD Guabirá | £600 | £22,000 – £210,000 |
With a host of very cheap but fairly well-rated strikers above, who will your club sign to pad the forward ranks?
