Football Manager 2024 News

In recent years, Brighton & Hove Albion have been widely heralded for their style on the pitch and strategy off it. Many other clubs in Europe have taken note of their innovations and sought to replicate them.

What makes the Seagulls’ approach so special is their knack for matching the right players with the right roles to accelerate their development and help the club achieve an exciting playing style.

Here, MaddFM dives deep on the Wing-Back role in Football Manager 2024, using Brighton’s stars to showcase how best to deploy the role in your tactics.

[h2]BRIGHTON’S EVOLVING USE OF THE WING-BACK[/h2]
Since being promoted from the Sky Bet Championship in 2017, Brighton have gone from strength to strength; 17th in their second top-flight season (2018) to a sixth-place finish in 2023 that secured them UEFA Europa League football for the first time.

One of the most impressive aspects of Brighton’s rise has been how they have, through successive managers, evolved their tactical philosophy. A key theme of their approach has been their developing use of full-backs and later wing-backs as the building blocks for their possession and attacking play.

Let's look back over the last five seasons. We can see clear progressive development in terms of the type of roles and players used in wide defensive positions - moving from a more traditional full-back pairing in 2018 through to a slightly more advanced full-back system in 2020 and then shifting towards a much more attacking pair of Wing-Backs in 2022 via the likes of Tariq Lamptey.



[h2]WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WING-BACK[/h2]
Since pivoting their approach from traditional Full-Backs to more mobile, technical and attack-minded Wing-Backs, Brighton have had to identify other key characteristics in the players they sign. The three most immediately important criteria are Pace, Crossing and Passing.

Pervis Estupiñán ticked all of those boxes and more when he signed in 2022. Not only is the Ecuador international lightning quick, but his combination of great Work Rate and Stamina Attributes, as well as the “Gets Forward Whenever Possible” Trait, make him incredibly well-rounded. The 25-year-old also ranks well for many other important metrics, including his Anticipation, Dribbling, Decisions, Off the Ball and First Touch.

As well as being impressive on paper, Estupiñán has delivered in practice. In his first season on England’s south coast, he notched eight assists and ranked among the league’s best for crossing, passing and progressive ball carries.



Still only 25, Estupiñán has continued to impress this season, recording three goals and three assists by February. However, that hasn’t stopped Brighton from futureproofing themselves in this vital position. In January 2024, the club followed in the steps of so many FM fans by signing FM24 Wonderkid Valentín Barco – described by manager Roberto De Zerbi as “an important player” for the club’s future.



Looking at Barco’s profile, Brighton’s preference for an attack-minded Wing-Back is again clear. Barco has the “Gets Forward Whenever Possible” trait, as well as strong Attribute scores for Stamina, Work Rate, Passing, Vision and Dribbling. At just 19, there’s even more time for him to develop and potentially represent the club’s next evolution in the role.

[h2]DEPLOYMENT & PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF WING-BACKS IN FM24[/h2]
Now we’ve addressed the key elements of what Brighton look for in their Wing-Backs, it’s now time to turn to the other big question – how best to use them in FM24? If we look at the in-game definition, the Wing-Back is described as follows:

“Usually playing out wide with no wing support, the Wing-Back must fulfil all the attacking and defensive duties of wingers and full-backs. In attack, he must be prepared to run at his man and put in aggressive crosses, in midfield to help win the possession battle and in defence to close down opponents, block crosses and win back the ball when possible.”

That’s quite a lot for one player to do. So, that means that if you’re going to use Wing-Backs, they’ve got to be vital members of your team but they’ll also need some protection from their teammates against the risk of opposition counter-attacks.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has interchanged frequently between a 4-2-3-1 shape and a 5-4-1 this season. The corresponding duties you’d use your Wing-Backs on in FM24 very much depends on which formation you go for.



In the 4-2-3-1, Estupiñán is employed as a Wing-Back on Support. In this role, he will get forward a lot but will hold a slightly deeper position, closer to your central midfielders. Within this tactical approach, you’d be expecting Estupiñán to fashion goal-scoring opportunities from the half-spaces, whether that’s via through balls or deeper crosses.



With the benefit and cover of an additional Central Defender in the 5-4-1 shape, there’s more scope to use your Wing-Back on an Attack duty.



In this example, Barco comes into the side. His role will be to push further up the pitch and stay wide, overlapping the wide player on his side to help overload the opposition defence and create more direct crossing opportunities closer to the byline.



Using the individual player analysis tool, we can take a look at player heatmaps to analyse player movement, space occupied and interceptions made to give ourselves a true insight as to how each wing-back role works.

In the first graphic, we can see that Estupiñán playing as a Wing-Back on Support duty occupied slightly deeper and more central areas, cutting inside to join the midfield (blue heatmap) and making most of his interceptions (numbered circles) in his half or the centre of midfield.



Conversely, Barco as a Wing-Back on Attack spent far more time in the opposition half, still making interceptions in similar areas but hugging the touchline more often and getting further forward to offer a greater crossing threat. This shows us where we can expect each role to be more effective and also where we might expect to see gaps and spaces as a result of the defensive positioning and attacking movement of the Wing-Backs.



These are just a couple of examples of how you can use Wing-Backs in FM24 but they should be effective in helping you to decide how you use them and how to sign them.

The important thing to ask yourself when trying to decide which role to play is “What do you want from a wing-back”? This will allow you to make the best decisions and tactical tweaks to get the most from the role.


Happy Managing,

MaddFM

The 2023/24 season has been a breakthrough one for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

The impressive 23-year-old has become a regular starter for Roberto De Zerbi and his performances were recognised with a big Current Ability upgrade in the FM24 Main Data Update.

The Dutchman is also a big fan of Football Manager. We recently caught up with Jan Paul at Brighton’s training ground to discuss his love of the game, his best save, and his FM24 star signing.

[h2]WHEN DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING FM AND WHY?[/h2]
Probably about seven years ago. I think it started because my brother already played the game and I kept looking at him play. He told me that we could also play with two teams at the same time, so we gave it a go and after that, I was completely into it.

[h2]WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A TEAM?[/h2]
Opportunities. I always go for lower teams and look to take them up to the higher leagues. Take England, for example, I’ll start in Sky Bet League One, Sky Bet League Two, or even the Vanarama National League and try to take them up to the top-flight.

Whatever country I start in, my main goal is always to get to the highest league. To me, that’s the best story you can tell in FM.

[h2]SO, YOU’VE PICKED YOUR LOWER-DIVISION TEAM. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU START A SAVE?[/h2]
I love the transfer market, so I’m normally trying to look for new players! When you’re a lower division team, you don’t have any money so I tend to go to the Scouting system to see where I can find some players that I can scout for less money. Then, I look at the free agents and make a bunch of free transfers as that’s where you get your bargains.

Even later in a save, I just love scouting and signing players that I can then sell for loads of money.

[h2]WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU PLAY FM? IS IT SOMETHING YOU PLAY AT HOME OR DO YOU TRY AND GET SOME GAME TIME IN WHEN YOU AND THE BRIGHTON PLAYERS ARE TRAVELLING TO AWAY GAMES?[/h2]
I only ever play at home. To be honest, there are always spells when I play FM. When a new version comes out, I’ll play for a few months. I then usually have a break for a bit and then I come back to it again until the next one comes out. Right now, I’m still playing FM24.

Quite a few of the staff around the club play FM, so I chat to them about it, and they play when we go on trips. For me though, it’s only something I play at home.

[h2]WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO TACTIC? WHAT DOES VAN HECKE-BALL LOOK LIKE?[/h2]
Always a 4-2-3-1 where we play out from the back with short passes. Sometimes, if I have players with good Long Shots, we’ll shoot from range, but usually, I ask my team to be patient for opportunities in and around the box. We always have to use a high line as well, that’s very important.

[h2]WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST MANAGERIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FM?[/h2]
A few years ago, I had a save with Bradford City. I took them up from Sky Bet League Two to the Premier Division. We finished third in the top division, which got us into Europe and then that season we won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. That’s probably my best-ever save.

[h2]HAVE YOU EVER SIGNED ANY OF YOUR BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION TEAMMATES IN FM? OR DID YOU SIGN ANY BEFORE YOU MOVED TO ENGLAND?[/h2]
Before, I used to always sign myself! I’ve stopped doing that now though because I’m too expensive, so I either use all of my transfer budget on myself or get outbid by another top club.

In my current save, I have Brighton’s goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen on loan for me. He’s a mate of mine in real life and he’s doing well for me in the game so I’m very happy.

[h2]WHO ARE YOU CURRENTLY MANAGING IN FM24?[/h2]
I’m managing my old team where I started my career, NAC Breda. They are currently in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second division in Holland.

In real life, they’re struggling to get promoted. In FM24, I got them up and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. We lost in the quarter-finals to Tottenham Hotspur, which was tough, but I’ve just won the Dutch Cup for the second year in a row so I think I’m doing quite well!

[h2]WHO IS THE BEST SIGNING YOU’VE MADE IN FM?[/h2]
I’ve made a lot but at the moment I have a really good player in my save. It’s the son of Robin van Persie, Shaqueel van Persie.

I signed him for pretty cheap when he was 16 or 17. Now, four or five seasons in, he’s on fire and is scoring loads of goals for my team. He’s worth a lot of money now too so he’s definitely one of my favourites.

[h2]WHAT HAS FM TAUGHT YOU?[/h2]
I’ve seen stories before about how some FM players then became managers in real life and I can see how that happens. Personally, playing FM has taught me a lot about tactics and how you can and should set your team up.

[h2]HAS YOUR LOVE OF FM MADE YOU CONSIDER A CAREER IN MANAGEMENT WHEN YOU FINISH PLAYING?[/h2]
I’m a young guy, still only 23, so I’m not thinking about it a lot yet. But, I think it says a lot that I enjoy learning about that side of things and I play a game like FM where you have to manage. It’s a bit different in real life, of course, but I think I’ve got a bit of the managerial instinct in me.

[h2]WHY DO YOU LOVE FM?[/h2]
For me, it’s a way to relax. Usually, I’m sitting on the sofa and just playing while doing other things but it gets a bit more serious when I have an important game in my save.

It’s also what I said about the transfer market – I love the experience of scouting and buying players, and then selling them for a profit because you’ve trained and developed them.

It’s great too for introducing you to players that you don’t know yet. There are so many players that you end up knowing because of Football Manager. When you see them in real life, you recognise them and think ‘Oh, I know him, he’s going to be great’.

That’s why I love Football Manager.

The Final Data Update for Football Manager 2024 is now available across all platforms*.

Including recent transfer activity in the USA and China, as well as significant non-transfer events, this Update includes more than 400,000 database changes as well as minor gameplay fixes.

All gameplay adjustments will be effective immediately in existing careers, although new save games are required for you to play with the latest player and team data.

Changes to FM24 (PC/Mac) in the 24.4 update include (but are not limited to):

• Crash fixes and general optimisation
  
• Save game compatibility optimisation
  
• Points deductions updated/applied for applicable English, Scottish and Welsh clubs*
  
• Fixed issue where user managers who are over 70 years old and unemployed can’t get a managerial role
  
• Fixed homegrown status not displaying for players that play in certain non-European nations and clubs
  
• [Turkey] Removed 'the match squad cannot have any players aged over 33' rule in the Turkish Cup
  
• [Pre-Game Editor] Fixed issue regarding the importing of fixture files
  

A full PC/Mac changelist is available on our community forums. On there you will also find full changelists for FM24 Mobile, FM24 Console and FM24 Touch.

Additionally, rosters for certain licensed leagues whose seasons run to the calendar year will only be reflective up until the end of the 2023 season and so will not include incoming and outgoing transfers made for 2024.

Most updates of this nature download automatically. If yours doesn’t, please consult our dedicated FAQs page.

*The update may go live at different times on different platforms.
**"These changes are accurate as of our internal March deadline for this Update. Due to the nature of the submission processes for this Update, we are unable to include any subsequent points deductions imposed in early April."

Take charge of your club’s destiny in Football Manager 2024, now on sale across multiple platforms.

FM24 (PC/Mac), FM24 Console (Xbox), and FM24 Touch (Nintendo Switch™) are all now 33% off until Thursday, 11th April. Exact timings vary by platform and region.

FM24 Console on PlayStation 5 will be available at the same discounted rate until 11:59pm BST on Wednesday, 10th April.

Whether your team is chasing promotion, battling relegation, or somewhere in between, now’s the time for you to jump into the managerial hotseat and write your own football story.

Make the most of more than six million changes in our recent Main Data Update, giving you the latest squads and refreshed player data.

Unsure which edition of FM24 is right for you? Use our dedicated Compare Games page to find your perfect fit.



*This is the end time for the sale in the EMEA region. In South East Asia, the end time is 2:59pm BST on Thursday, April 11th, while in the Americas, the sale ends at 7:59am BST on Friday, 12th April.
**This is the end time for the sale in the EMEA region. In South East Asia, the end time is 3:59 BST on Wednesday, 10th April, while in the Americas it’s 7:59am BST on Thursday, 11th April.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2252570/Football_Manager_2024/

The Football Manager 2024 Main Data Update is out now. Whether you’ve been managing since launch or you’re now picking up FM24 for the first time, this is the perfect opportunity to start a new career with updated squads and player attributes at your disposal.

There’s an endless realm of stories ready for you to write but with more than 2,500 clubs to choose from, it can be tricky to decide where your managerial journey begins.

To assist you, we’ve used our expertise to pick out 10 of the most interesting teams for you to stamp your style on.

[h2]FC SEOUL[/h2]
In a largely quiet transfer window, FC Seoul made the biggest, and most surprising, splash of all when they signed former England international Jesse Lingard on a free transfer.

The capital club are six-time K League 1 winners but have struggled for consistency in recent years, finishing in the bottom half of the table on five occasions since their last title win in 2016.

The addition of Lingard shows the club’s intention to get back to winning ways, and it’s certainly attracted a lot of attention from fans and the media. Can you get the best out of their new superstar signing, building a tactic that can drive FC Seoul back to the top of Korean football?



[h2]BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH[/h2]
For most of their current Bundesliga run, Borussia Mönchengladbach have been a regular fixture in and around the European qualification places.

The last couple of seasons have been tougher though and after losing key figures Jonas Hofmann and Ramy Bensebaini last summer, they currently sit 12th in the table.

The club’s Borussia-Park ground has a capacity of more than 50,000 and is a stadium that deserves more big nights under the lights. Can you get Borussia Mönchengladbach back on an upward trajectory, creating a team to be reckoned with at home and abroad?



[h2]FIORENTINA[/h2]
From a couple of clubs that have been trending backwards in the table to one on the rise in Fiorentina.

Reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League final last year showed the potential of Fiorentina’s squad and they’ve continued to deliver this season. The Florence club are overflowing with quality in the final third, with striker Lucas Beltrán combining with Nicolás González and Jonathan Ikoné out wide.

Fiorentina are in the UEFA Europa Conference League again when you start your career in FM24, so you’ve got the chance to go one step further and deliver European silverware in your first season. Couple that with a good season domestically and you’ll have the platform for a brilliant career in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.



[h2]IPSWICH TOWN[/h2]
We know that a fair few of you have achieved back-to-back promotions in your FM24 careers – in real life, Ipswich Town are looking to do the exact same thing.

After finishing second in Sky Bet League One last season, the Tractor Boys have taken the Sky Bet Championship by storm and are firmly in the promotion picture.

There’s a lot of positivity around Portman Road on and off the pitch and their strong results this season mean that almost their entire squad have had a big Current Ability bump in the Main Data Update. That boost makes them an even more exciting team to manage in FM24, as does the signing of in-form striker Ali Al-Hamadi.

Can you replicate Kieran McKenna’s entertaining style of play and guide Ipswich Town back to the big time?

[h2]BOLOGNA[/h2]
Another club where a young coach has been making waves this season is Bologna.

Thiago Motta’s expressive style of play has put Bologna fourth in the table and it’s brought out the best in the club’s key players. Captain Lewis Ferguson is now one of the most highly-rated midfielders playing in Italy while teammates Federico Ravaglia, Kacper Urbański and Joshua Zirkzee also got Current Ability increases in FM24’s Main Data Update.

Although the top half of Serie A is stacked with talented teams with big reputations, Motta’s work this season has shown that it’s possible for Bologna to fight for a first European finish since 2002.

Achieve that in FM24 and you’ll have the tools to further invest in your squad and compete with the Milan clubs for a first Serie A crown in more than 60 years.



[h2]RSC ANDERLECHT[/h2]
There’s already one club in this list with wonderful purple kits, so why not another?

RSC Anderlecht are, without doubt, Belgium’s most successful team. They also boast one of Europe’s best academies, developing many of Belgium’s recent ‘golden generation’.

However, the last of RSC Anderlecht’s record 34 Belgian league titles came back in 2017 and last season’s finish of 11th left them behind fierce rivals Standard Liege and Club Brugge.

They’ve improved this season and key to that were last summer’s signings, including goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, winger Alexis Flips and attacking midfielder Thorgan Hazard.

Putting those players into a squad led by Jan Vertonghen gives you experience and quality and provides the sort of leadership figures you’ll need to develop Anderlecht’s next generation of wonderkids.



[h2]SV DARMSTADT 98[/h2]
SV Darmstadt 98 secured a return to the Bundesliga at the end of last season by winning automatic promotion from Germany’s second-tier.

Despite having a good spine to their team, Die Lilien entered the 2023/24 season as relegation favourites. Those predictions have been a reality for the Hesse-based club, who currently sit bottom of the Bundesliga.

Your immediate goal is to make SV Darmstadt 98 more sturdy defensively, turning their Stadion am Böllenfalltor home into a fortress and nicking enough points to avoid relegation. From there, recruit wisely to establish them as a permanent part of the Bundesliga and start looking up the table rather than down.



[h2]CHARLTON ATHLETIC[/h2]
Since relegation from England’s top-flight in 2007, Charlton Athletic have had a challenging run on and off the pitch.

The 2023/24 campaign started with hopes of promotion, but their attention has instead been pointed towards the other end of the table. By the start of February, The Addicks were onto their third permanent manager of the season and trying to avoid the drop to Sky Bet League Two.

What hasn’t changed over the last two decades is that the South London club consistently produce good young players. Your task is to create a stable environment at The Valley, delivering a pathway for those young talents to shine and building a team capable of moving back up the divisions.

When you takeover in the dugout, you’ll have three in-game seasons since the 20th anniversary of that 2007 relegation. It’ll be a test of your skills but wouldn’t it be nice to get them back to the top-flight by then and in a position to mix it with their London rivals?

[h2]DUNDEE FC[/h2]
Sticking on the theme of young talent, Dundee FC are an interesting proposition for you to manage following the FM24 Main Data Update.

Why? Well, every FM player loves an affiliate club and The Dee signed one of those deals in January with Burnley. They immediately made the most of it, loaning in three of their prospects to bolster a squad already overperforming expectations in their cinch Premiership return.

Using that link to build a young, hungry squad will make for a fun career, but when you add in the save narrative of beating local rivals Dundee United and breaking the Glasgow duopoly at the top of Scottish football, it’s almost irresistible.

Dundee FC’s last and only cinch Premiership title came in 1962. How long will it take you to add a second to the Dens Park trophy cabinet?

[h2]GÓRNIK ZABRZE[/h2]
We’ll end with a wildcard choice - a trip to Poland to manage Górnik Zabrze.

If we’re being honest, Lukas Podolski being one of their star players at the age of 38 is a big part of their appeal. He’s bidding to for title glory in the country of his birth and achieving that milestone will mean the world to Górnik Zabrze’s passionate fans. One of the country’s most successful clubs, they’ve not won the Ekstraklasa since claiming four titles on the bounce in the mid-1980s.

It’s worth noting that Podolski isn’t their only older star – the club’s seven highest-rated players in FM24 are all in their 30s. So, while you’ll have the experience and quality to compete in your first season, you’ll have to renew and refresh the squad pretty quickly if you want to claim a 15th Ekstraklasa crown and then turn your attention to competing in the UEFA Club Competitions.



This list should give you 10 great options to choose from, from Asian clubs with superstar signings to fallen European giants looking to get back to former glories.

Wherever you decide to create the future, let us know how you get on through our forums or on social media @FootballManager.