Best Bosman Transfers in Football Manager 26

These days, players hold more power than ever. We’ve seen big-name stars run down their contracts to force better deals, and plenty are now happy to walk away for free once that final year’s up. In Football Manager 2026, that trend is alive and well. If you’re in charge of a club with a healthy wage budget, you’ll have some serious names to go after without spending a penny on transfer fees.

Thanks to the clever folks at efem.club, we’ve got an early look at some of the best players currently on course to be free agents next summer. If you’re already plotting a big rebuild for your next save, these are the dream budget steals you’ll want to line up.

What’s a Bosman Transfer?

The term comes from Belgian midfielder Jean-Marc Bosman, whose famous 1995 court case changed football forever. The ruling meant that once a player’s contract is up, they can move to a new club without a transfer fee – something we now take for granted every summer.
On FM, it works the same way: from 1 January (in most European leagues) you can approach players in the final six months of their deals and offer them a pre-contract. You’ll still have to stump up for wages and a signing-on bonus, but you won’t pay the selling club a penny. For anyone managing on a tight budget, or just trying to be clever in the market, Bosman deals are a godsend.

The FM26 Bosmans (as of 29 Sept 2025)

Here are the names that really jump off the list right now. Contract situations can change in real life between now and the game’s release, but if they don’t, these are the ones you’ll want to keep tabs on.

Ibrahima Konaté – Liverpool

Konaté at 26 is everything you want in a modern centre-back: strong in the air, lightning across the ground, and calm enough on the ball to build from the back. Liverpool are reportedly keen to keep him, but negotiations haven’t moved quickly. If he’s free next summer in your save, you’re looking at a Champions-League-level defender for nothing. That’s ridiculous value.

Dayot Upamecano – Bayern Munich

Upamecano’s future in Munich looks a bit wobbly with Bayern tweaking their defence. On FM26 he’s still a monster: aggressive, rapid, loves to step out and win the ball. Imagine starting a save and bagging both him and Konaté for free. That’s the stuff of Football Manager fever dreams.

Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona

Barça’s finances have been an ongoing circus and Frenkie’s name has been linked with an exit before. In FM26 he’s still one of the most press-resistant, elegant deep midfielders around, the sort who can sit in front of your back four and make the game look effortless. If he’s available on a free, you drop everything and get him.

Marc Guéhi – Crystal Palace

Guéhi’s been one of the more reliable centre-backs outside the traditional ‘big six’ and is now right in his prime years at 25. Being home-grown makes him even more valuable for Premier League saves. Slot-in starter, no transfer fee, English international. No-brainer.

Dušan Vlahović – Juventus

Vlahović still feels like he’s got another level in him. At Juve he’s been hot and cold, but in FM he’s a dream No 9 – big, strong, good in the air and a finisher you can trust. If you’re hunting for a proper focal-point striker without spending £60-70m, this is your guy.

Mike Maignan – AC Milan

It’s rare that a genuinely world-class keeper gets near the end of a contract, but Milan haven’t nailed down new terms yet. Maignan’s reflexes and distribution are outstanding in FM26, and having a top goalkeeper you didn’t pay a fee for lets you splash cash elsewhere. Huge upgrade for anyone who can meet his wages.

Rúben Neves – Al-Hilal

Neves swapped Wolves for Saudi Arabia back in 2023, but at 28 he’s still at his peak. On FM26 he remains that deep-lying playmaker who can ping a pass from anywhere and chip in with the odd long-range screamer. If he fancies a European return, he’s an easy pickup for a mid-to-top-tier club that needs someone to dictate tempo.

Bernardo Silva – Manchester City

Bernardo’s future has been a talking point for years, and he’s edging towards the point where City might finally let him go. Even at 31 in FM26, he’s a brilliant technician who can slot in anywhere across midfield or out wide. Great stamina, press-resistant, still a nuisance between the lines. A free Bernardo feels almost unfair.

Rodrigo Bentancur – Tottenham Hotspur

Bentancur’s had some rough luck with injuries but he’s still a handy all-rounder: good engine, tidy passer, smart defensively. Not quite the headline-grabbing name of this list, yet he’s exactly the kind of free signing that shores up a squad and saves you a chunk of budget.

Thanks once again to @EFEM.Club

 

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