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Your first safety net and the player more often than not responsible for putting a stop to opponents before they even get the chance to reach your backline, it is common to find at least one elite center defensive midfielder when looking at the most successful teams in the history of football. True to that, picking the right CDM (or CDMs) in EA FC 24 can be the main differential between scoring a big win or having your formation turned into pieces by an opposing CAM. Here are the best CDM picks for those looking to spend at least 100K, 500K, and 1 Million in EA FC 24, as well as who are the game’s best overall.
(The values showcased in this piece are based on those featured at FUTBIN at the time of writing. As they cannot be purchased, I won’t include SBC players in our lists).
- Table of Contents:
The Best CDM Under 100K in EA FC 24
For those looking to get a top-tier CDM in EA FC 24 for less than 100K, Fantasy FC Georgia Stanway is my main pick. Known by many as the CDM version of Rolfö, as she has identical stats to the latter’s famous SBC, Stanway excels given her well-distributed selection of PlayStyles and high overall stats. She is then followed by Centurions Icon Claude Makélélé, who has in his positioning his biggest strength, as well as by Future Stars Icon Emmanuel Petit, FUT Birthday Mapi Leon, and Future Stars Rico Lewis. You can check out a more in-depth look at all of the mentioned players below.
| Player Name | OVR | Price Range (Consoles) | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Georgia Stanway (Fantasy FC) | 93 | 70,000 to 80,000 | A complete player capable of excelling on both ends of the pitch. | Might be a bit of a waste to use her as a stand-back CDM given her offensive repertoire. |
| 2. Claude Makélélé (Centurions Icon) | 88 | 90,000 to 100,000 | Capable of withstanding tackles and excels when keeping possession. | Not great offensively. Shooting is horrendous. |
| 3. Emmanuel Petit (Future Stars Icon) | 90 | 90,000 to 100,000 | The Anticipate PlayStyle+ allows him to excel in 1v1 scenarios. Also capable of keeping the ball and easily overwhelming attackers. | Don’t expect him to be able to make big plays offensively. |
| 4. Mapi Leon (FUT Birthday) | 90 | 80,000 to 87,000 | Jockey+ and Antecipate+ turn her into a wall when in 1v1’s. Excels when passing and dribbling. | Height. |
| 5. Rico Lewis (Future Stars) | 88 | 90,000 to 100,000 | Able to pursue attackers and get into position even when caught by surprise. | Might struggle defensively when faced with aggressive attackers. |
The Best CDM Under 500K
If you managed to save a bit more and are looking for a CDM within 500K, Triple Threat Hero Yaya Touré is by far the best given his ability to cover the whole pitch almost effortlessly and always be where you need him the most. He is then followed by Golazo Icon Xabi Alonso, TOTY Icon Essien, as well as by both TOTY Lena Oberdorf and TOTS Live Loftus-Cheek. You can check out a more specific view of all of the mentioned players below, as well as their biggest pros and cons.
| Player Name | OVR | Price (Consoles) | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Yaya Touré (Triple Threat Hero) | 88 | 410,000 to 420,000 | The complete midfielder, capable of excelling in all playstyles. | None given it’s price. |
| 2. Xabi Alonso (Golazo Icon) | 93 | 400,000 to 430,000 | A solid all-rounder capable of breaking lines by performing long passes. Also capable of making a splash when in the final portion of the pitch. | None given it’s price. |
| 3. Michael Essien (Team of the Year Icon) | 90 | 330,000 to 350,000 | A solid defender who excels at aerial battles (such as crosses) and is capable of stealing the ball from the feet of any striker during runs. | Does not excel when with the ball. |
| 4. Lena Oberdorf (Team of the Year) | 95 | 360,000 to 380,000 | Can stop all players when on the ground and excels at interceptions. Also shines when igniting counterattacks. | Has difficulties when facing players in the air. |
| 5. Loftus-Cheek (Team of the Season Live) | 92 (Can be raised to 94 natively) | 280,000 | Great for those looking for an aggressive defender focused on getting interceptions and stealing the ball. Also excels offensively as an extra presence in the box. | Like Stanway, might be a waste if used as a static CDM. |
The Best CDM Under 1 Million
Although there are not many CDMs from 500K to 1 Million in EA FC 24 that can overcome our 500K top picks, Fantasy Hero Yaya Touré is the absolute best in this price range. The card shines by giving him a second PlayStyle+ and a welcome increase in stats. In the second place, we have Fantasy FC Declan Rice, who shines given his defensive prowess in both fast counterattacks and 1v1 scenarios. He also excels when in control of the ball. You can check out a more in-depth view of each of the mentioned players below.
| Player Name | OVR | Price | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Yaya Touré (Fantasy HERO) | 91 | 800,000 to 850,000 | Covers the whole field and performs well in all scenarios. Excels when holding the ball and when working as both a finisher and a relay passer. | No Antecipate Playstyle. |
| 2. Declan Rice (Fantasy FC) | 93 | 920,000 to 980,000 | Impregnatable when well placed in 1v1 scenarios. Excels when pursuing and winning the ball back. Great ball control. | None. |
The Best Overall CDM in EA FC 24
When looking for the best overall CDMs in EA FC 24 no matter the price, none can surpass TOTY Icon Patrick Vieira. The Arsenal legend clinches the spot given his ability to cover the whole pitch and put a complete stop to any player if well positioned —which he always is.
He is then followed by TOTY Jude Bellingham, who although the most complete midfielder in the game, cannot reach the heights of Vieira when defending. To close our top 4, we have Fantasy Hero Ramires and TOTY Rodri. To recap and add to that, here’s an overview of the best CDMs in EA FC 24.
| Player Name | OVR | Price | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Patrick Vieira (Team of the Year Icon) | 93 | 3,400,000 to 3,600,000 | The complete midfielder. | No Antecipate Playstyle. |
| 2. Jude Bellingham (Team of the Year) | 96 | 4,350,000 to 5,000,000 | Capable of masterfully keeping control of the ball while also performing lethal passes and shots. Excels when defending on both the air and the ground. | No Antecipate Playstyle. |
| 3. Ramires (Fantasy Hero) | 92 | 1,200,000 to 1,250,000 | Speed. Capable of both covering box to box and making big plays on both ends of the pitch. | No Antecipate Playstyle. |
| 4. Rodri (Team of the Year) | 95 | 1,300,000 to 1,4,00,000 | Capable of dominating on both the ground and the air. Also excels when passing the ball at mid-range and shooting from outside the box. | No Antecipate Playstyle. |
You can play EA FC 24 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
