You want to manage a Premier League club in FM 2013 but you are not sure which one to choose? I want to help you with that so I compiled a quick guide showing you the most important aspects about each Premier League club in Football Manager 2013: media prediction, minimum expectations, transfer budget, available wage budget, best player and best young prospect (under 21).
With that information at your disposal I hope it will be easier to choose which club to manage in FM 2013. If you like a tough challenge you might want to pick Aston Villa or West Ham as you will have little or no money to spend there. Or, if you want to be under pressure right away you could choose one of the three clubs that have «title challenge» as their minimum expectation for the first season.
Check out the list and make your pick!
Arsenal
Media prediction: 4th
Minimum expectations: Europa League qualification
Board requirements: possession football, attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 30 million pounds
Available wage budget: 131,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Santi Cazorla (AMC)
Best young prospect: Jack Wilshere (AMC)
Aston Villa
Media prediction: 9th
Minimum expectations: Top half finish
Board requirements: —
Transfer budget: 0 (zero!)
Available wage budget: 72,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Gabby Agbonlahor (ST)
Best young prospect: Jack Grealish (AMC)
Chelsea
Media prediction: 3rd
Minimum expectations: Title challenge
Board requirements: attacking football
Transfer budget: 30 million pounds
Available wage budget: 301,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Juan Mata (AMC)
Best young prospect: Eden Hazard (AML)
Everton
Media prediction: 8th
Minimum expectations: Top half finish
Board requirements: give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 1.5 million pounds
Available wage budget: 35,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Marouane Fellaini (MC)
Best young prospect: Ross Barkley (AMC)
Fulham
Media prediction: 10th
Minimum expectations: Mid-table finish
Board requirements: —
Transfer budget: 9.25 million pounds
Available wage budget: 90,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Dimitar Berbatov (ST)
Best young prospect: Kerim Frei (AMC)
Liverpool
Media prediction: 5th
Minimum expectations: Europa League qualification
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 3 million pounds
Available wage budget: 80,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Steven Gerrard (AMC)
Best young prospect: Raheem Sterling (AMR)
Manchester City
Media prediction: 1st
Minimum expectations: Title challenge
Board requirements: attacking football, high profile signings
Transfer budget: 35 million pounds
Available wage budget: 595,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Sergio Aguero (ST)
Best young prospect: Mario Balotelli (ST)
Manchester United
Media prediction: 2nd
Minimum expectations: Title challenge
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 30 million pounds
Available wage budget: 100,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Wayne Rooney (ST)
Best young prospect: Phil Jones (DC)
Newcastle United
Media prediction: 7th
Minimum expectations: Top half finish
Board requirements: attacking football, first team youngster signings
Transfer budget: 7 million pounds
Available wage budget: 147,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Hatem Ben Arfa (AMR)
Best young prospect: Davide Santon (DL)
Norwich City
Media prediction: 17th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: —
Transfer budget: 3 million pounds
Available wage budget: 11,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Sébastien Bassong (DC)
Best young prospect: Jed Steer (GK)
Queens Park Rangers
Media prediction: 15th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football
Transfer budget: 4 million pounds
Available wage budget: 45,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Stéphane Mbia (DC)
Best young prospect: Junior Hoilett (AMR)
Reading
Media prediction: 20th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 10 million pounds
Available wage budget: 51,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Pavel Pogrebnyak (ST)
Best young prospect: Jordan Obita (AML)
Southampton
Media prediction: 18th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 4 million pounds
Available wage budget: 26,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Gaston Ramirez (AMC)
Best young prospect: James Ward-Prowse (MC)
Stoke City
Media prediction: 13th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: —
Transfer budget: 1 million pounds
Available wage budget: -119,000 pounds p/w (you will have to cut that budget!)
Best player: Ryan Shawcross (DC)
Best young prospect: Jamie Ness (MC)
Sunderland
Media prediction: 11th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football
Transfer budget: 1.5 million pounds
Available wage budget: 61,000 pounds p/w
Best player: John O’Shea
Best young prospect: Connor Wickham (ST)
Swansea City
Media prediction: 19th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: possession football
Transfer budget: 10 million pounds
Available wage budget: 51,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Nathan Dyer (AMR)
Best young prospect: Kyle Bartley (DC)
Tottenham Hotspur
Media prediction: 6th
Minimum expectations: Europa League qualification
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 30 million pounds
Available wage budget: 100,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Gareth Bale (ML)
Best young prospect: Steven Caulker (DC)
West Bromwich Albion
Media prediction: 14th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: —
Transfer budget: 6.05 million pounds
Available wage budget: 51,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Chris Brunt (ML)
Best young prospect: George Thorne (DM)
West Ham United
Media prediction: 12th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football, give youth a chance
Transfer budget: 0 (zero!)
Available wage budget: 1,000 pounds/week
Best player: Andy Carroll (ST — on loan from Liverpool)
Best young prospect: Ravel Morrison (AMC — on loan at Birmingham, can be recalled)
Wigan Athletic
Media prediction: 16th
Minimum expectations: Avoid relegation
Board requirements: attacking football
Transfer budget: 5 million pounds
Available wage budget: 46,000 pounds p/w
Best player: Arouna Koné (ST)
Best young prospect: James McCarthy (MC)
If you found this little FM 2013 guide useful, please share it with your friends on the social networks, that would be much appreciated ;) Secondly, if you want me to compile such a guide for other leagues, just make a request in the comments and I will do my best to have it done.
vaibhavc
24 октября, 2012 at 17:00
I probably will be Everton, it will be a good challenge.
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 18:08
I agree, not a rich club but plenty of quality players to use or sell ;)
Jack Smith
24 августа, 2013 at 13:06
I started with Everton, got them into the champions league in first season, good team to start with if you dont sell their best players
Johnny Karp
24 августа, 2013 at 13:29
Agreed, Everton have good quality at the start of the game.
Gaurav Chaddah
24 октября, 2012 at 17:25
Nice guide again Johnny, sure will be handy to a lot people including myself.
Suprsied with some of the budgets but I guess SI do their research and try and get it as close to what they think in real life on the game.
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 18:10
Good to hear you find it useful. I think the transfer budgets are OK, considering what the clubs have already spent (like Man Utd on van Persie for instance).
Mn
25 октября, 2012 at 17:52
Good budgets but not sure about Reading transfer budget.
TheZiggy
24 октября, 2012 at 17:59
I’d say Aston Villa looks to be toughest choice, based on having no transfer budget, and minimum expectation of finishing in the top half.
I’ve just started a test with them, and I’m not impressed at all so far, even in pre-season. Probably get the sack if the players don’t start to play properly when the season begins. Starting with Sunday League experience was also probably an unwise decision. lol.
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 18:12
Quite a few people have said that they got sacked at Aston Villa, it does seem the toughest of them all. I hope you will do well though :)
TheZiggy
25 октября, 2012 at 11:47
Not so sure. Dismal defeat first match away to , and a spirited draw against Stoke at home.
As for the League Cup match against Chesterfield, complete domination, apart from unable to score. We conceded a poor goal in injury time, the full backs standing about admiring the view.
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 13:57
The full backs issue seems to be a glitch in the beta version, I’m sure it will be fixed.
TheZiggy
25 октября, 2012 at 14:36
I really hope so. Thought I was going to get a victory at QPR, but a cross late on saw us done for. Again the fullbacks at fault. I guess 3 points after 4 matches isn’t so bad with Villa.
Aaron
24 октября, 2012 at 18:08
I started with Chelsea, for some reason the players struggled to play with a short passing style, despite having the likes of Mata, Hazard and Oscar. Any chance of a Championship/League One list Johnny? Wouldn’t mind a club at that level but I’m really struggling to find the right one. Could you also include any demands the board place?
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 18:13
That is a good idea, I’ll add the Championship on my list and see if the board demands can be included in this post or from the next one on.
tristybabes
24 октября, 2012 at 18:22
I also would like to see a Championship one, also I’m guessing these are the actual wage budgets and not what the team are currently spending, would be nice to see that also as then you know what room you have with wages
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 18:25
The «available wage budget» section shows exactly what you said: the difference between the offered wage budget and what the team is currently spending on wages.
t
24 октября, 2012 at 19:13
Haha my bad
Darren Smith
24 октября, 2012 at 18:49
Nice guide Johnny, I’m sure this will be the one stop shop before gamers maker their picks in the EPL. Noticed you had Ben Arfa as Newcastle’s best player, you are right in doing so, he is immense this year, literally draw dropping skills in the match engine :)
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 19:16
I had to choose between Ben Arfa, Ba and Cisse and I decided to list Ben Arfa because of his great displays in FM 13, he has scored or set uo quite a few goals against my teams :)
Sam
24 октября, 2012 at 19:15
How do Spurs get 30mil????
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 19:17
They sold Modric for 26 mil, remember?
Ben Snook
24 октября, 2012 at 20:09
So West Ham who are reknowned for spending in the transfer windows and backing their managers in that regard have nothing to spend and no wages available? Bit odd that.
Johnny Karp
24 октября, 2012 at 20:17
How much have they spent in real life this summer?
Ben Snook
24 октября, 2012 at 21:48
About 20 million not including wages (on Carroll loan, Jarvis, Maiga, Diame, McCartney, Diarra, Benayoun (loan) Collins, Jaskalien & Spiegel) . Although we have sold a few as well. And they have already said there is up to 10 million or the 17 million needed to secure Andy Carroll available in January.
Ben Reeves
24 октября, 2012 at 20:33
Great guide.
Just a little suggestion which of course your free to ignore. For the ease of display why not put it in a table so that people can sort the list by either Media Prediction, Transfer Budget, Wage Budget? I know it seems like an effort but just thought it would be a nice little touch :)
Thanks for all the great guides!
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:24
That’s not a bad idea but I’m not sure all the info would fit into a table, considering the post width. I will test that though and if it works, table it is! :)
Matt
24 октября, 2012 at 20:34
Hi guys,
I look forward to reading all your new Football Manager stories.
Can you tell me the transfer details (budgets, wages, etc.) for Birmingham City?
Cheers,
Matt
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:25
I will do a Championship post soon, probably by the end of this week.
Niels Theis Bendtsen
24 октября, 2012 at 21:14
Great guide. Maybe you could include the average wage in future guides. It will help too seer how large the available wage budget is.
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:25
Good idea ;)
Karl Deighton
24 октября, 2012 at 21:18
Nice guide Johnny, will surely help people to pick a premier league team to manage.
Maybe you could do a la liga/ serie A version of this? As I am bored of the premier league already :D
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:26
Yes, I’ll add those to my plans.
Thomas
24 октября, 2012 at 22:19
I often play in the English First Division (or vvhatever it’s called, the one under the Premier League). I think you should earn the right to be playing the Premier League or any top or even subtop league in Europe. I had a blast vvith Blackpool last year, so that’s a club I’d consider for this year as vvell.
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:27
Good, a Championship guide will be posted soon.
Bryn
24 октября, 2012 at 22:47
This is awesome!! Very helpful! Could you do a non league guide?
Johnny Karp
25 октября, 2012 at 05:27
I guess I could but we might cover the more important leagues first.
marius
25 октября, 2012 at 09:00
A very useful guide , how to pick a premier league division. In the previous FM i choose QPR and a was a very good playing for me.
But right now in FM 2013 i want to develope the youth academy. You can help us with data about the youth academy in Premier League ? I’m not interested about top 6. The others teams can catch my attention.
And a review about the best youth academy in Championship will be welcome.
Jack
26 октября, 2012 at 23:05
Do you know if QPR get a larger transfer kitty every year? I assume the budget is so low due to the fact they spent a lot this summer?
Johnny Karp
27 октября, 2012 at 09:00
I don’t know how much they will get in future season but your assumption about the current budget is correct.
Chai Chien Liang
29 октября, 2012 at 01:28
Wigan looks like a decent team to have a go with this season! Some decent money and good youngsters at the club
QPR might be an exercise in team bonding with so many new players coming in (but my oh my, Julio Cesar………..)
Johnny if you want I could do one for Ligue 1, it’s become my 2nd favorite league after the EPL :)
Johnny Karp
29 октября, 2012 at 06:21
That would be great, just let me know how you want to do it: send me the text via email or write it in here after I make you an account.
NotOneNil
30 октября, 2012 at 08:45
A Big-Club list would also be awesome. E.g, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletico, Milan, Inter, Juve, Bayern, Dortmund, PSG, Ajax, etc. Just saying….
Johnny Karp
30 октября, 2012 at 09:02
I think we’ll be adding those leagues one by one, but thanks for your suggestion, I will consider it.
rui
6 декабря, 2012 at 23:12
i choosed arsenal because they are my favorite team since i remember they existed. they have a nice team but they struggle a lot in the premier league even with that fantastic football they play, and since they lost their big star Van Persie, it will be a big challenge to put this team in the top of the mountain again.
Johnny Karp
7 декабря, 2012 at 09:22
I agree Arsenal isn’t an easy one to manage, good luck!
Matt
22 января, 2013 at 08:00
Just started a game with Tottenham, was really looking forward to it and to my disbelief and shock they had a transfer budget of ZERO.
Johnny Karp
22 января, 2013 at 08:18
That’s not nice but you still have a pretty good squad to work with.
Daniel Croft
3 марта, 2013 at 01:48
Hello i want to manage Aston Villa is it a tough task?
Johnny Karp
3 марта, 2013 at 08:57
I think it is pretty tough, haven’t tried it myself though.
Jarlath Mohan
16 июня, 2013 at 00:40
Please can you do one for championship please
Johnny Karp
16 июня, 2013 at 08:38
Already have: https://www.footballmanagerstory.com/2013/01/fm-2013-guide-to-choosing-which-npower-championship-team-to-manage/