How to scout like Brighton in EA FC 25 Career Mode

Nathan Warby
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler in EA FC 25

Brighton have become well-known for their impressive transfer strategy, and in EA FC 25 you can replicate their scouting tactics to sign talented young players.

Career Mode has plenty of moving parts to juggle, from managing the fitness of your squad to keeping morale up. But above all else, you’re in charge of improving the squad and investing in transfers to keep your club competitive.

Identifying who to sign isn’t always easy, so we’ve put together some tips to help you scout players and pick out some bargains.

Best way to scout in Career Mode

The most important part of scouting in EA FC 25 Career Mode is keeping your Tactical Vision in mind. There is a wealth of players to sign around the world, but not all of them will fit into your system, so make sure you go into it with a clear plan of how you want to play.

Screenshot of Pavlovic scouting screen in EA FC 25 Career Mode

Then, you need to identify which country you want to search for potential stars. While the top five leagues in Europe are overrun with high-potential players, you’re more likely to find a bargain if you cast your net further afield.

Lastly, you need to consider your budget. Of course, if you’re managing a Real Madrid or PSG then you have the funds on hand to invest in the most talented young players around. But if you’re at a small team, then you might need to aim lower and play the long game to develop your signings into first-team material.

How to set up a scouting network & instructions

  1. Load into your EA FC 25 Career Mode save.
  2. Scroll across to ‘Transfers.’
  3. Select ‘Scouts.’
  4. Choose an available scout to deploy. If they’re all busy, either recall or hire a new one.
  5. Select a continent to scout.
  6. Choose a specific country to set up a network in.
  7. Wait for them to arrive in your selected region.
  8. Scroll to ‘Instructions.’
  9. Use the options to narrow down the position, age, and Tactical vision you’re looking for.
  10. Check your emails or the ‘Scout Report’ section for player suggestions.
  11. Scout players that you’re interested in further to get a full breakdown of their stats.

Once your network is set up, the scout will regularly send you players they’ve come across that match your instructions. If they think they’ve seen all of the suitable players in that country, you’ll receive an email suggesting that you relocate them.

Screenshot of scouting network screen in EA FC 25

Best countries to scout in Career Mode

  • Netherlands
  • Argentina
  • England
  • Italy
  • USA
  • Belgium
  • Portugal

There will be plenty of quality young players in virtually every region in EA FC 25 Career Mode, but countries with high-profile domestic leagues tend to have more to choose from. In my experience, the nations listed above have provided the highest number of wonderkids.

The Netherlands and Portugal, in particular, have some exciting young talent, but it often takes more money to pry them away from their clubs. If you’re on a stricter budget, then the likes of Argentina and the USA should be your go-tos.

How to find bargain players

While scouting is the best way to pick out signings in EA FC 25, there are a few other ways to find bargains that improve your team.

Free agents

If you don’t want to splash the cash, then free agents are a perfect way to bolster your squad that’s also very low-risk. These are players who don’t currently have a club, so you can sign them for free right away as long as you can agree a contract.

We recommend setting the filter to under 21 when searching, as this is when their potential is at its highest. Free agents can be hit or miss, but there are some hidden gems on the list if you’re willing to put the effort in, so be sure to check them out regularly.

Contract expiry players

Another way to get young players on the cheap is by swooping in when they’re coming towards the end of their contract. This will be noted when you select a target, next to their stats and key information.

If they haven’t secured a new deal with their existing team, you can often approach them directly and sign a pre-contract agreement. Alternatively, you might also be able to agree on a fee with their club that’s much lower than usual, as they look to avoid them leaving on a free transfer.

We recommend looking out for contract expiry players at the beginning of every new season, so you can snap them up before someone else does.

If you want to get the most out of your EA FC 25 Career Mode save, then check out why you should turn on the Simulation setting and all of the best players in each Player Role.