The Football Manager community has spoken. Not through anything subjective. Through cold, hard transfer data. While we spend our time simulating the rest of the ongoing season or shuffling through lists of wonderkids to cheaply sign, the FM26 community data has revealed the most signed players in the management sim.

A post by Football Manager’s official account doing the rounds this week revealed the 10 most signed players on FM26 in January, the names that keep popping up in save after save. What’s interesting is why they made the list, rather than just who made the list. These aren’t necessarily the ten best players in the game. They’re the ten players managers can’t resist.

So here’s a proper look at each of them… why everyone’s signing them, and whether you actually should.

Why these are the ten most signed

Before we get into it, what this list really shows is how FM26 is being played. Players are currently prioritising:

• Contract clauses over uncertain negotiation battles
• Immediate defensive upgrades
• Versatility
• Attackers/midfielders with elite potential ranges
• Clean, simple deals

Saba Kharebashvili

Every year there’s one player who becomes Football Manager’s shared secret. This year it’s Kharebashvili.

He’s young, aggressive, technically solid and develops quickly if you’ve got even halfway decent coaching. Full back is one of those positions that’s weirdly hard to fill properly in FM. Because they’re either terrible at defending and good at crossing, or the opposite. Elite options cost silly money. Cheap options usually can’t defend. He sits perfectly in the middle.

Approximate cost – £2 million

Marc Guéhi

There’s nothing sexy about signing Marc Guéhi. That’s precisely the point.

He’s popular because he removes drama from your defence. Strong in the air, positionally reliable, consistent mentally. You don’t need to baby him or build your system around him. You just play him and your back line improves.

Is he worth it? If you want stability and you’re chasing results now, absolutely. If you’re rebuilding with kids, he’s less essential.

Approximate cost – £50 million

Nico Paz

This is the “if you can afford him, you buy him” signing. Nico Paz isn’t cheap, and that’s why his inclusion on this list is telling. Managers are willing to spend because he changes games.

But here’s where people go wrong: they sign him and then stick him out on the right wing in a generic role. That’s not what you’re paying for. He needs to be central. Everything should run through him.

Is he worth it? Yes, if he’s the focal point of your system.

Approximate cost – £84 million

Dennis Seimen

Goalkeepers are normally a headache in Football Manager. You either overpay for a star or gamble on a regen and pray.

Seimen feels like the rare middle ground. He’s young but doesn’t play like it. Composed, solid fundamentals, and still plenty of development left.

The reason he’s so widely signed is simple: managers don’t want to think about their goalkeeper position again for five years. He offers that comfort.

Is he worth it? For most clubs outside the absolute elite, yes. He’s the sensible option.

Approximate cost – £10m

Ayyoub Bouaddi

This is where potential does the heavy lifting. Bouaddi’s -10 PA range has managers dreaming. He’s not someone who instantly dominates midfields in season one but is he worth it? If you’ve got the facilities and patience, definitely.

Approximate cost – £100m

Luka Vušković

Tall. Aggressive. Mentally strong. Vušković is the classic build your defence around him eastern european gem.  Managers love him because he feels like a long-term cornerstone.  And if you ask any Spurs fan, you’ll know he’s destined for the stars.

Approximate cost – £30m 

Héctor Fort

Full-backs who can play both sides are gold in FM26. Héctor Fort can, and that’s a big part of why he’s so heavily signed.

The other reason is contractual. If you monitor his situation carefully, there’s often a window to land him far cheaper than his talent level suggests. 

He’s not flashy, but he’s reliable and tactically flexible. Is he worth it? Yes, especially if you like building balanced squads rather than chasing superstars.

Approximate cost – £40m

Kennet Eichhorn

He’s 15. That alone explains the hype. Eichhorn is the kind of signing that feels like you’ve outsmarted Europe’s elite before they’ve even noticed him. The kind of signing that Brentford & Brighton make. That’s the appeal. You move early, you develop him properly, and you reap the rewards.

Is he worth it? If you enjoy youth development saves, absolutely. If you’re impatient, he’s not for you.

Approximate cost – £16m 

Ousmane Diomande

This is the opposite of a project. Diomande is signed because he fixes things immediately and he’s elite. Physically dominant, composed, capable on the ball. If you’re already operating at a high level and just need one elite centre-back to push you over the edge, he’s perfect.

The release clause simplifies everything. No drawn-out negotiations. You pay it or you don’t. Is he worth it? For top clubs with big budgets, yes. For mid-table sides, he’s probably a financial stretch too far.

Approximate cost – £69m

Toni Fernández

This is the cleanest deal on the list. Clear release clause. Barcelona pedigree. A signing that doesn’t require six weeks of negotiation drama. He’s versatile across attacking roles and develops quickly with regular football.

Approximate cost – £17.25m

Conclusion

At the end of the day, as with any game, the most signed players in Football Manager 26 are largely just the players we love, not so much the best guys in the business. Nevertheless, there are some surprises here, but it’s largely expected that some of the most popular players would bypass the need to min-max with high-stat guys.