PC - Mastering The Transfer Market

The best way to find players for your squad is to master the 'player search' facility. This has two basic controls. First 'view', which you can set to display various different stats on each player from his defensive or attacking attributes, right the way through to his international stat. The view you select or require will be dependant on exactly who you a looking for.

The filter option is a way of narrowing down your search and can prove vital in getting the right man. To set-up a filter just click the customise option and add and remove stats, values and minimum level attributes you would like players to have (e.g. if you're looking for a striker, you may want to include in your search only players with a finishing of 15 or over.)

The more you filter, the more specialist your search can become, and you can also save a filter which makes it easy to go back to in the future should you wish. Finally there are standard filters (goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and attackers), which will only show players in those positions, or a transfer list that will display only players listed for a move by their clubs.

Once you've found the right man, you'll need to make certain that he's not got any hidden problems and the best way to do this is through your scouts. Scouting on Football Manager 2007 has never been easier and your scouts will file more and more detailed reports the more you send them to view a player. Scouts can identify previously hidden stats on a player such as a potential attitude problem.

To get a scout report simply click onto the profile of the player you'd like watched and click on 'Get Scout Report' and then simply select the staff member you'd like to compile it. You can then select the extent to which you want the player to be scouted, ranging from a simple report card through to a three match scouting mission (see report below).


Once you've mastered getting the right man, it's a case of getting the right price, and there will be several factors involved in working this out. If they're already at a club then you'll probably have to negotiate a transfer fee for the player - you do this by selecting 'Make Transfer Bid' from either the bottom left of the menu bar on the player profile or by right clicking on the players name and selecting that option from the pop-up menu that appears.

When placing a bid for a player bear in mind that you will often have to pay above the displayed valuation of the player because their club isn't really that interested in selling the player in question and may have to be 'persuaded' to do so.

If money is tight then consider the position that the players club is in as there are circumstances in which a player might be allowed to go on the 'cheap' from a club (even sometimes much less than their displayed asking price). Things to consider are:

  • Whether a player is transfer listed
  • Whether a player is unhappy
  • Whether a player's contract is about to expire
  • Whether a player isn't wanted at his current club
  • Whether a player has fallen out with his current manager

In contrast there are many similar warning signs available when a club may want more money than his displayed value, and these include:

  • Whether a player is a member in his side
  • Whether a player has a long term contract
  • Whether a player is happy to stay at his current club
  • Whether a player is a youth player with potential (commonly these are players who are in U21 International sides or similar)

Once you've placed some bids for a few players continue your game using the 'Continue Game' button (top left of the main bar across the game screen). The game will run through a few days and stop either when its got some match results to display or when someone responds to one of the offers that you've placed for a player.