The beta for the latest entry in the Football Manager series has been released, and the game has continued to add further features to the franchise while also expanding on its pre-existing ones. This continuous expansion has taken the series to a point where players are inundated with spreadsheets and details, which can be very intimidating for new players.
Furthermore, the game is set to release on Game Pass for both PC and Xbox this year, so many new players will soon be trying to wrap their heads around how to play. Negotiating a contract in Football Manager 22 is one of the game's many features that is more complex than one may expect, so we've produced this guide to help beginners out.
It's worth pointing out that the below information is for negotiating a contract with a pre-existing player, though rest assured that negotiating a contract for a new player follows virtually the same process.
First Steps
To get things started, managers need to select the player that they want to negotiate a contract with, then hover other the handy Contract menu. The menu will provide the following options:
- Contract Info will give details of the player's current contract. It's always worth having a good read of this to gain a good idea of how much to offer.
- Offer New Contract, as the name suggests, will take the manager to the contract negotiation screen. This will be explained in further detail later.
- DoF Negotiate Contract Renewal is for those who would rather put their feet up and let their club's Director of Football negotiate the contract for them.
- Release On A Free will release the player from their contract. This will usually cost the club a significant sum of money, and if the board approves the release, the player will immediately leave the club. Consequently, managers should think very carefully before selecting this option.
- Mutual Termination will terminate the player's contract, but the club won't have to pay a release fee, making it a superior option to Release On A Free. However, unlike releasing a player, mutual termination means that the player also has to agree to the termination of their contract.
Promises
After selecting Offer New Contract, the negotiation can begin.
Before delving into the financial elements of the contract, the manager and player first need to agree on formal promises. These promises include important details like the player's playing time, along with a range of possible perks such as promising to make them the captain or promising to improve the club's coaching staff.
Be sure to keep these promises after making them, as a broken promise can cause severe unrest in the dressing room, especially if the player is a team leader.
Negotiating The Contract
Once the promises have been agreed, the contract will move on to the financial details. The player's agent will either begin the negotiation by setting out their initial demands, or they will ask the manager to make the first offer. If the agent asks for the manager to make the first offer, it's possible to ask a colleague for their suggestion, which is a handy feature for those who are new to the series.
With how much money there is now in the sport, simply offering a weekly wage is no longer going to cut it. The manager will need to include bonuses, clauses, and eye-watering agent fees in order to seal the deal.
Like with any negotiation, the manager should plan how much they aim to spend and then make their initial offer significantly lower. Be careful not to go too low, however, as it could immediately end the deal if the agent is insulted by it. Moreover, try not to draw the negotiation out for too long, or the agent will get frustrated, and the deal will slip away.
Football Manager 22's beta is out now. The game's full release is set for November 9th on PC, Xbox, and Mobile; a Nintendo Switch version is also in the works.