It can be tempting to sell your young stars in order to make quick buck... but is it really worth it?
I started my FM 2016 Everton Career Mode adamant about one thing; I would not sell John Stones, Ross Barkley or Romelu Lukaku.In practice this was easier said than done. Just 20 minutes after starting, Chelsea had already come in with a tempting offer for Stones and, somewhat akin to Gollum from Lord of the Rings, I began entertaining some dark thoughts... 'SELL HIM, think of all the money you'll have. Think of all the semi-useless squad players £30 million could get you.'
But no, I held firm and, after rejecting the chance to take part in all that deadline day mumbo jumbo, I went into the start of the 15/16 season with a squad which - despite only one loan addition - looked very solid indeed.
Now half-way through my 3rd season, I feel it is a good time to reflect upon how this nurturing approach has turned out... and, to be honest, it couldn't be better. Just take a look at how the aforementioned 'un-sellable trio' have developed:
John Stones
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| Stones' Original Stats. |
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| As you can see, several of Stones' key attributes - including Heading, Marking and Positioning - have improved, allowing him to take over from Phil Jagielka at the heart of my defence. |
Ross Barkley
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| Barkley's Original Stats. |
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| Barkley's valuation has shot up from £26M to £32.5M in just 2 seasons. His 4-and-a-half star ranking puts him in the same ability bracket as the likes of David Silva. |
Romelu Lukaku
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| Romelu Lukaku's Original Stats. |
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| Out of the trio, it's Lukaku who's made the most impressive rise. Already in double figures for the third straight season, he's attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona. |
Of course the proven potential of these players means it costs an awful lot of money to keep them at the club. Lukaku's weekly wages are now over £100K more than he originally earnt. Nevertheless, the sudden influx of TV money at the start of the 16/17 season means that I can comfortably afford to pay my best players that kind of sum.
Wheter it's to balance the books or fund some much needed team re-building, it's sometimes inevitable that you'll have to sell a key player. However, bare in mind that, if you can struggle your way through a rocky 15/16 season, keeping your top stars can come with great reward.
That's all from me for now! Don't forget to leave a comment below and, until next time, enjoy playing FM 2016.
