I’ve just hit the January transfer window in FIFA 18 as “Kun RPadTV,” the newest manager of Manchester City. In addition to playing out the football games, it’s been great fun developing new talent, handling disgruntled players, one-upping other coaches, and handling the day-to-day operations. While I’m an ardent Man City supporter, there have been several times I’ve had to turn off the fanboy switch in order to do what’s best for business (Triple H ™). Here are some of the moves I’ve made in FIFA 18 halfway through the season.
Sold Sergio Aguero — Some Citizens would consider this sacrilege. Kun Aguero is a legendary Man City player, holding the club record for scoring and responsible for the most significant goal in team history. That said, he’s almost definitely leaving the club when his contract is up. Aguero wants to wind his career down in his native Argentina. As a fan, I respect that he wants to play his final games for his boyhood team Independiente. As a gamer, I ain’t got time for that. Besides, Gabriel Jesus is set to become the team’s primary striker of the future, but just in case, I…
Bought Harry Kane — The FIFA 18 transfer AI is a bit silly. I sold Aguero for a nine-figure transfer fee and bought Kane for an eight-figure fee. Harry Kane is younger and better than Aguero, and there’s no way a top team (Spurs) would get rid of such an incredibly valuable player to a rival. Having Kane on the squad is almost like playing with a cheat code. The only thing I don’t like about his glorious presence is…
I Want David Silva to Lead the League in Scoring and Assists — David Silva is my favorite City player ever. To honor him, I want his videogame version to have ridiculously gaudy numbers. While Videogame Silva is currently leading the league in assists, he’s behind Kane in goals. The “problem” is that it’s just so easy for Kane to score. If he’s the least bit open (and sometimes when he’s not), you dump it to him in the box and you have a goal. I’m going to have to start benching Kane so that Silva can overtake him.
Sold Yaya Toure — This is another move that longtime Citizens will question. Another beloved player from the team’s recent run, Yaya Toure is getting old. While he’s rated highly in FIFA 18, the reality is that Man City will likely dump him to sister club NYCFC because of his increasing age and decreasing usefulness. Being a gaffer means being unsentimental, so I cashed out on the tall and lovable Ivorian while he was still valuable.
Bought Isco — To replace Toure, I used a chunk of my transfer budget on Isco. He’s one of the best midfielders in the world and nine years younger than Toure. FIFA 18 lists him as CM/CAM, giving me flexible options in the midfield. The game also lets him serve excellently as a left-winger or right-winger (positionally, not politically). Isco’s skill and flexibility have made him an extremely valuable part of my squad. Along with David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, my midfield attack will give opponents nightmares.
Sold Fernandinho and Fabian Delph — I had to ignore reality to let go of this pair. I dig Fernandinho, but his contract is expiring and I didn’t want to re-sign at 32-year old. Fabian Delph is a quality backup CM that has been doing an admirable job at LB in place of the injured Benjamin Mendy. Since Videogame Mendy is healthy, Delph is unnecessary. Beside, I…
Bought David Alaba — This move was like taking advantage of a videogame glitch. The young Austrian is amazingly skilled and ridiculously versatile in FIFA 18. While he’s best as an LB or RB with an 86 rating at both positions, he can play well as a CDM, CB, or (oddly) a winger. Having David Alaba on your squad is like having six great players for the price of one!
Thinking About Buying Marcus Rashford — My transfer budget is big enough for another high-quality player. I’m thinking of buying Marcus Rashford before the window closes. There are several reasons for this:
- He’s 20, full of potential, and reasonably priced
- He can play well at any attacking position
- Sticking it to Manchester United is always great fun