13 Best Cheap CBs in FM23

Best Cheap Centre Backs FM23 has to offer

Having a strong defence is really important in FM23. The famous saying goes “attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles.”

These are 13 of the best cheap CBs in FM23, ranging from free agents, to players that cost no more than £10 million. Every centre back on this list is amazing value for money. There’s cheap CBs you can sign for the lower leagues, and cheap centre backs on this list that are ready to compete in European competitions, so someone for every type of save.

Each of these cheap centre backs can be signed in the first FM23 transfer window, and we’ll tell you how much we were able to sign them for.

For the best coaches to appoint to your backroom staff in FM23, read this article.

13. Nikola Maksimovic – Best Cheap CB Free Agent in FM23

There’s a few top free agent centre backs you can sign in FM23, but we’ve added Maksimovic to this list of the best cheap CBs FM23 has to offer because he wants just £10k per week in wages. This is great value for money considering his quality.

Nikola Maksimovic is a solid centre back that still has a few years left at the top level. He would add quality to your backline, with his best quality being his dominance in the air.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Sky Bet Championship
• Serie A (lower end)

12. Daniel O’Shaughnessy

Next on the list of the best cheap centre backs in FM23 is Daniel O’Shaughnessy. The Finnish international has spent time in England previously, but now finds himself playing in the Bundesliga 2.

With only one year left on his current contract, O’Shaughnessy can be signed for just £475k, and is also on cheap wages. At 27 years old he’s entering his prime as a centre back, so now is the best time to sign him.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Sky Bet Championship
• League One (If he’s interested in joining you)
• Bundesliga (lower end)

11. Jamie Hamilton – Best Wonderkid CB for £500k!

Hamilton is arguably the best cheap CB in FM23 for £500k. This is a brilliant price to pay for a player that’s ready for first team football at just 20 years old. He has the potential to become a top centre back.

Jamie Hamilton is a fantastic modern day CB, with great passing, vision, technique, and dribbling. This means Hamilton would suit your tactic if you like to play out from the back, and start the build up play with your centre backs. Definitely one of the best budget centre backs in FM23.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Scottish Premier League
• Sky Bet League One

10. Giorgio Altare

10th on the list of the best CBs FM23 has to offer is Giorgio Altare. After being relegated from Serie A, Altare now finds himself playing in Serie B with Cagliari. However, he’s too good to be playing in the second tier of Italian football, and could definitely still do a good job in Serie A.

Similar to Maksimovic, Altare is dominant in the air. He has 15 heading and jumping reach, and is 188cm tall! However, Giorgio Altare isn’t too good technically, as he’s more of a no nonsence centre back.

If you want to sign Giorgio Altare in the first FM23 season he will cost you just £1.6 million. He’s also only 23 years old, so you will get a lot of years out of him, and would definitely recoup your investment if you were to sell him on after a few seasons. A very solid budget CB in FM23.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Sky Bet Championship (play-off challengers and above)
• Serie A (mid to lower table)

9. Kevin Bonifazi

Kevin Bonifazi is another Italian centre back, but is a little bit better technically than Giorgio Altare. Bonifazi also has good strength, tackling, and determination attributes. He also has the player trait to bring the ball out of defence, so he would definitely suit a team that likes to pass out from the back.

At 26 years of age, Bonifazi is coming into his prime as a CB, and is looking for more first team football as he’s currently just a squad player for Bologna. He can be picked up for a very reasonable £2.2 million.

Would be an ideal signing for

• English Premier League (relegation battlers)
• Serie A (mid to lower table)

8. Enzo Boyomo

Enzo Boyomo is one of the best cheap wonderkid centre backs in FM23. He’s wanted by Lyon, AC Milan, and Benfica, so you need to move fast if you want to sign him. In real life, Barcelona and Real Madrid were rumoured to be interested in Boyomo last summer.

The Cameroonian currently plays in the Spanish Second division for newly promoted side Albacete, which is probably why he can be signed for just £2.5 million! Boyomo’s best attributes are 14 tackling, determination, and work rate.

Would be an ideal signing for

• English Premier League (wonderkid backup)
• Ligue 1
• Sky Bet Championship
• La Liga

7. Kevin Akpoguma

Next on the list of the best cheap centre backs FM23 has to offer is Kevin Akpoguma. He’s spent almost 10 years at Hoffenheim in Germany, and has also been out on loan at Dusseldorf, and Hannover.

Akpoguma has some amazing physical attributes, such as 15 pace, 16 natural fitness, and 17 jumping reach. He also has solid defensive stats like 14 tackling and 15 heading.

Kevin Akpoguma is one of the best value for money players on this list of the cheapest centre backs in FM23, costing only £2.6 million. He can even fill in at right back and left back.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Mid table to lower end of table in Europe’s top 5 leagues.

For the best centre backs to sign in FM23, click here.

6. Philip Lienhart

Philip Lienhart is an Austrian international that plays in the Bundesliga for SC Freiburg, He’s very well rounded mentally, with 16 composure, concentration, and teamwork.

At 25 years old, Lienhart is coming into his prime. He’s also wanted by Ajax and Hertha Berlin. If you want to sign Lienhart in your FM23 save, you’ll need to beat these clubs to his signature, and pay Freiburg £3.7 million. That’s why he’s made it onto the list of the best cheap CBs FM23 has to offer.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Mid table sides in Europe’s top 5 leagues.

5. Maxime Esteve

Maxime Esteve is 5th on the list of the best budget centre backs FM23 has to offer. The young Frenchman is a quick centre back with good heading, tackling, and marking.

Esteve is also left footed, which is ideal for Football Manager players that like to have a right footed and left footed centre back partnership. Left footed CBs are obviously harder to find than right footed players. He will cost you just £5.75 million, which is a bargain for a wonderkid centre back.

For more wonderkid centre backs, click here.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Mid table sides in Europe’s top 5 leagues (or a squad option for a team competing in Europe).

4. Lucas Martinez Quarta

Martinez Quarta spent most of his career in Argentina, before making the switch to Serie A side Fiorentina a few seasons ago. From all of the players mentioned so far, he’s definitely the best cheap centre back with the strongest defensive attributes.

This of course does come at a price. Lucas Martinez Quarta will cost you £9 million, but is still cheap considering the quality he has. Martinez Quarta is definitely capable of playing in the European competitions.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Teams playing in European competitions.
• Premier League teams pushing for Europe

3. Kevin Danso

In 3rd place on the list of the best cheap CBs FM23 has to offer is Kevin Danso. He’s an extremely quick centre back, that’s also brilliant in the air. At 23 years old, he could also get a little bit better.

Kevin Danso is on a low wage considering his quality, and will cost you £9 million just like Martinez Quarta. Danso is a much quicker centre back, but Martinez Quarta is better technically, and is more capable of playing out from the back. At the same price point and similar quality, you can choose which one you want to sign depending on your style of play.

Danso is wanted by West Ham, which is about his level.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Teams playing in European competitions.
• Premier League teams pushing for Europe

2. Piero Hincapie

Piero Hincapie just misses out on top spot on our list of the best cheap CBs FM23 has to offer. He’s already a regular starter for Ecuador, and like Maxime Esteve he’s left footed.

With the right development, first team football, and training, Piero Hincapie can become one of the best centre backs in FM23. His best stats are tackling, positioning, and stamina.

Hincapie would cost you £9.5 million in the first Football Manager 2023 season.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Teams playing in European competitions.
• Backup option for top European teams

1. Abakar Sylla – Best Cheap CB in FM23

Abakar Sylla is one of the best African wonderkids in FM23. He’s quick, strong, aggressive, good in the air, and has solid defensive attributes. With 19 leadership, Sylla could also become a future captain of your team.

He has fantastic potential, and arguably the best on this list, which is why he’s the best cheap CB FM23 has to offer! He can be yours in the first FM23 season for £10 million. Sylla is currently on less than £4k per week, so he should be happy on lower wages at your club too.

Would be an ideal signing for

• Teams playing in European competitions.
• Backup option for top European teams
• Would be an amazing signing for mid-table Premier League teams

Final Thoughts

There’s some fantastic value in the centre back market in FM23. If you’ve found any cheap CBs that should be on this list please comment below to let us know and we will add them!

For the best cheap strikers in FM23, check out this post.