Transfers and finances: signing without going broke
Updated on November 4, 2026
Every club has two limits: the transfer budget, which pays fees, and the wage cap, which limits wages per month. Both appear at the top of the Market.
The windows
Players at other clubs can only be signed in the windows: January 1 to March 31 and July 1 to August 31. Free agents can be signed at any time. The squad limit is 36 players.
How negotiation works
Buying has two stages: first the fee with the club, then the wage with the player. The club responds based on its asking price:
- An offer at or above the price: accepted.
- An offer of at least 75% of the price: it makes a counter-offer.
- An offer below that: refused outright.
- An offer at or above the release clause: the club can't refuse.
What changes the asking price
| Situation | Effect on the price |
|---|---|
| Among the club's 11 strongest players | +50% on the value (others, +15%) |
| The selling club has a higher reputation than yours | +20% |
| The seller has only up to 2 players in that position | +30% |
| The contract ends this season | −40% |
| The player is listed for sale | −20% |
Wages
Players ask for an amount based on rating and ambition, and always more than they earn today. If your club's reputation is below what they expect, the demand rises 30%. If the gap is large, they won't even talk. The wage cap also blocks deals: a signing can't take you more than 15% over it.
Scouts and estimates
For players at other clubs you see rating ranges, like 58–72, and not the exact number. The scout takes a week to bring back exact attributes and potential, and the club works on 3 reports at a time (4 with a well-developed training ground). Players abroad are the hardest to assess, so it pays to send the scout before investing. Players who face your team also become better known.
Loans
Borrow reserves and youngsters until the end of the season, paying only their wages. Starters aren't released, except youngsters below the club's level. In the same way, loan out players who aren't playing, to ease the wage bill and give minutes to those who need to develop.
Selling
List a player for sale on their page and clubs will find out. Offers land in your inbox and are valid for 7 days, and you can accept, refuse or ask for more.
Where the money comes from and goes
- Every month, TV money and sponsorship come in. Wages and maintenance go out.
- Every home match brings ticket sales: the ticket price times attendance. Expensive tickets keep people away.
- At the end of the season, league and cup prize money comes in.
If debt goes past half of the club's expected revenue, an embargo follows: no signings until you get out of that situation. The way out is usually selling one or two expensive players. The In the red challenge starts exactly like this.