Elite Judging Potential, massive nation knowledge, and where to send
them
Most managers blame the match engine.
You know the routine - “my xG is cursed”, “my striker is broken”, “FM hates me”.
But the brutal truth is this: if your scouting setup is average, your squad will stay average. You can press like a maniac and still get bodied by a club that simply recruits better.
This post is a straight hit list - the Top 10 scouts in Football Manager 2026 you should try to sign as early as possible, plus the exact regions they should cover based on their knowledge. No fluff.
What makes a scout “must sign” in FM26?
Before the list, here is the filter that actually matters:
- Judging Player Potential (JPP) - this is the crown jewel. You want Elite or at least Outstanding.
- Judging Player Ability (JPA) - helps you stop wasting reports on hype merchants.
- Scouting Knowledge (Nations) - “Complete” and “Exceptional” knowledge equals faster, better reports.
- Adaptability - if it is poor, keep them in their comfort region.
- Personality - Professional, Model Citizen, Resolute, Determined - these guys grind.
Also: stop pretending you can run recruitment alone. Scouting works best when your entire backroom is sharp. If you are building properly, pair these scouts with:
- an elite assistant manager - FM26 Best Assistant Managers Shortlist
- a proper DoF who can help structure the operation - Best Directors of Football in FM26
- and coaches who can actually develop the kids you find - FM26 Best Coaches Guide
Top 10 FM26 scouts to sign immediately
1) Markus Pilawa
Why he is here: Elite JPA and Elite JPP as a free agent. That is the dream - top judgement, no compensation games, just sign him.
- JPA: Elite
- JPP: Elite
- Personality: Professional
- Best knowledge pool: England (Complete), Germany (Complete), Austria (Exceptional), Switzerland (Exceptional), Poland (Very Good)
- Use him for: DACH region bargains, Poland wonderkids, and sensible Premier League depth scouting
Assignment tip: Make him your “Central Europe machine” - Germany + Austria + Switzerland. If you are a Bundesliga club, he is a no brainer.
2) Vito Leccese
Why he is here: Elite JPP with Outstanding JPA and a fat spread of European knowledge. He feels like the scout who finds you two starters and a resale monster every season.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Elite
- Personality: Fairly Determined
- Best knowledge pool: England (Complete), Germany (Complete), Italy (Exceptional), Austria (Exceptional), Switzerland (Exceptional), Poland (Very Good)
- Use him for: Italy and the DACH region - especially when you want value and not just “big name” scouting
Assignment tip: Italy + Austria + Switzerland is the sweet spot. That triangle produces ridiculous talent if you actually look.
3) Simon Wells
Why he is here: Outstanding JPA and JPP, and he is a Scandinavia specialist with complete knowledge across the region. Also - free agent. Ridiculous value.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Outstanding
- Personality: Fairly Determined
- Best knowledge pool: Denmark (Complete), England (Complete), Finland (Complete), Iceland (Complete), Norway (Complete), Sweden (Complete)
- Use him for: Scandinavian wonderkids, hidden bargains, and “why is this 18 year old so good for £750k?” moments
Assignment tip: Give him Denmark + Sweden + Norway on repeat. You will build a pipeline while everyone else is still scouting the same ten clubs.
4) Ruedi Zbinden
Why he is here: Elite JPP, Outstanding JPA, and complete knowledge of Switzerland plus a full South American belt. That is not normal.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Elite
- Personality: Resolute
- Best knowledge pool: Switzerland (Complete), Argentina (Complete), Brazil (Complete), Chile (Complete), Ecuador (Complete), Paraguay (Complete), Uruguay (Complete)
- Use him for: South American wonderkid hunting without wasting 18 months on garbage reports
Assignment tip: If your budget allows travel, send him to Argentina + Uruguay first. If you want constant volume, Brazil + Argentina is the farm.
5) Hans-Martin Kleitsch
Why he is here: Elite JPP and Outstanding JPA, cheap wage, and he is basically a DACH region specialist you can plug in immediately.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Elite
- Personality: Professional
- Best knowledge pool: Germany (Complete), Austria (Exceptional), Switzerland (Exceptional), Poland (Very Good)
- Use him for: German speaking Europe - fast reports, strong judgement, good value
Important: His adaptability looks poor. Do not pretend he is your globe trotter. Keep him where he knows the streets.
6) Geoffrey Moncada
Why he is here: This is the “big club weapon”. Outstanding data analysis plus Outstanding potential judgement, and his nation knowledge list is a small novel.
- JPA: Very Good
- JPP: Outstanding
- Analysing Data: Outstanding
- Best knowledge pool (highlights): Bosnia and Herzegovina (Complete), Croatia (Complete), England (Complete), France (Complete), Germany (Complete), Italy (Complete), Spain (Complete), Serbia (Complete), Argentina (Complete), Brazil (Complete), Colombia (Complete), Belgium (Exceptional)
- Use him for: building a serious multi-nation scouting network quickly
Reality check: He is expensive. If you are managing a club with money, he is worth it. If you are in League Two, stop dreaming and go sign the free agents above.
7) Everton Gushiken
Why he is here: Outstanding JPA and Outstanding JPP, plus complete knowledge across Brazil, England, and Germany with Saudi Arabia coverage. That is a unique mix.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Outstanding
- Personality: Fairly Determined
- Best knowledge pool: Brazil (Complete), England (Complete), Germany (Complete), Saudi Arabia (Extensive)
- Use him for: Brazil wonderkids and smart recruitment links between Europe and the Middle East
Assignment tip: Brazil first, always. Then rotate him into Germany when you want immediate first team upgrades.
8) Roberto Marta
Why he is here: Model Citizen personality with Outstanding JPA and JPP, and complete knowledge of Italy. If you want a specialist, this is your guy.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Outstanding
- Personality: Model Citizen
- Best knowledge pool: Italy (Complete)
- Use him for: Serie A, Serie B, and Italian youth farming
Assignment tip: Italy only, no nonsense. If you are a club that raids Italy for technical talent, he pays for himself.
9) Andres Pardo
Why he is here: He is technically a Director of Football, but he can be used in scouting work and brings strong judgement plus complete Spain knowledge.
- JPA: Outstanding
- JPP: Very Good
- Judging Staff Ability: Very Good
- Best knowledge pool: Spain (Complete)
- Use him for: Spain focused recruitment, and tightening your staff structure if you can tempt him away
Reality check: Contracted and not cheap. He is a “nice if you can get him”, not a guaranteed early grab.
10) David Trezeguet
Why he is here: This is not your pure stat monster, but he is a free agent with serious multi-country knowledge and very strong negotiating. In some saves, that combo helps you move faster than the market.
- JPA: Good
- JPP: Good
- Negotiating: Very Good
- Best knowledge pool: France (Complete), Argentina (Exceptional), Belgium (Exceptional), Spain (Exceptional), Italy (Extensive), Ivory Coast (Very Good), Senegal (Very Good)
- Use him for: France plus Argentina links, and adding extra coverage in Spain and Belgium
How to use him properly: Don’t send him to judge your entire shortlist. Use him as a region coverage plug - France + Belgium, or France + Senegal/Ivory Coast if you are farming African talent.
Quick hiring checklist (so you do not mess this up)
- Prioritise free agents first - Pilawa and Wells can transform your setup instantly.
- Do not overlap knowledge for no reason - two scouts covering the same three nations is lazy recruitment.
- Give each scout a clear region - and stick to it for a full season before you judge results.
- Use recruitment focuses properly - if you do not set focuses, you are basically paying wages for vibes.
Build the full backroom (or accept mediocrity)
If you want to do this properly, scouting is only one piece of the machine.
Pair your scout hires with:
- the best assistant managers in FM26 to improve training, reports, and match preparation
- the best directors of football in FM26 if you want the club to run like a club, not like a spreadsheet hobby
- the best coaches in FM26 so your wonderkids actually become world class instead of “promising” forever
Conclusion
If you are serious about winning in FM26, scouting is not optional. It is the advantage you build before the season even starts.
Sign the free agent elite scouts first, lock down your regions, and stop acting surprised when your “average” recruitment produces an average squad.
Now be honest - which region do you always ignore, even though you know it is probably full of bargains?
