Best Free Players in FM 2012

I've applied some filters on the player search screen to help me pick the best of all players, mainly suited for 2nd division clubs (could be suited for 1st division clubs depending on country).
Released: 9 October 2011
Updated: 9 March 2012 - Updated for Patch 12.2
This is a follow up of our popular FM11 free players article.
Let's get to the list, sorted by position and recommendation (meaning that the players at the top of each list are recommended more than the ones at the bottom).
Goalkeepers:
Rost, Frank (38)Elduayen, Federico (34)
Vinicius (27)
Costanzo, Franco (30)
Bosco (36)
Ivankov, Dimitar (35)
Marcos (35)
Lejsal, Martin (28)
Guevara, Enrique (29)
Marcos Leandro (29)
Pouplin, Simon (26)
Hernandez, Joaquin (28)
Michel Alves (30)
Nordfeldt, Kristoffer (22)
Joao Carlos (22)
Bohm, Robert (23)
Zuba, Andre (25)
Fontes, Yai (23)
Vera, German (21)
Briant, Vincent (25)
Defenders Center:
Friedrich, Arne (32)Asatiani, Malkhaz (29)
Maertens, Birger (31)
Fuentes, Luis (39)
El Karkouri, Talal (34)
Meira, Fernando (33)
Campbell, Sol (36)
Fabricio (30)
Ferrari, Matteo (31)
Fuentes, Fabricio (34)
Ronaldo Angelim (35)
Gnanou, Ibrahim (24)
Djorjevic, Nenad (31)
Espinola, Carlos (35)
Rafael Santos (26)
Loran, Tyrone (30)
Baez, Carlos (29)
Traore, Lamine (28)
Cabrera, Nelson (28)
Luizao (24)
Kalabane, Oumar (30)
Douglas (26)
Alison (27)
Evaldo (28)
Vitor (26)
Enakarhire, Joseph (28)
Liptak, Zoltan (26)
Kavdanski, Martin (24)
Dervite, Dorian (22)
Langkamp, Matthias (27)
Moneke, Obi (27)
Fernando (25)
Bayema, Clement (22)
Wagner (21)
Ze Adriano (25)
Rakhmanov, Artem (20)
Ramon (20)
Defenders / Full-Backs Left:
Cortes, Roberto Carlos (34)Jorge Ribeiro (29)
Fernandinho (30)
Leandro (32)
Vignal, Gregory (29)
Perez, Rodrigo (37)
Ramos, Marco (28)
Fedoriv, Vitaliy (23)
Sbai, Salaheddine (25)
Fartushnyak, Andriy (22)
Villalobos, Jairo (23)
Tidao (24)
Jorbison (19)
Defenders / Full-Backs Right:
Rodriguez, Martin (26)Patrick (27)
Parnaby, Stuart (28)
Carlos Diogo (27)
Odiah, Chidi (27)
Pena, Agustin (22)
Rodrigo (25)
Gonzalez, Marcelo (22)
Defensive Midfielders:
Carboni, Ezequiel (32)Mahamadou Diarra (30)
Gabri (32)
Ndjitap, Geremi (32)
Ricardo Conceicao (26)
Fernando (25)
Elton (27)
Saidou, Alioum (33)
Sergio (34)
Keita, Sidi (26)
Banguero, Jorge (36)
Leandro (26)
Ostolaza, Santiago (23)
Rafael (27)
Paniagua, Miguel (24)
Cesar Santiago (26)
Frezzotti, Alejandro (27)
Baning, Albert (26)
Alceu (27)
Kabous, Abderrahman (28)
Dyulgerov, Nikolay (23)
Ramirez (23)
Douglas Peruibe (25)
Djiba, Dino (25)
Stelvio (22)
Caue (25)
Attacking Midfielders:
Ze Roberto (36)Guti (34)
Jonatas (28)
Gilberto (35)
Ergic, Ivan (30)
Pires, Robert (37)
Renato (26)
Rafael Ledesma (28)
Cristian (27)
Deyvid Sacconi (24)
Bruno Paulo (21)
Rodrigo Paulista (26)
Giovani Fortunatti (27)
William Amendoim (24)
Junior Timbo (24)
Gonzalez, Renato (24)
Julio Cesar (22)
Medina, Nicolas (29)
Wingers Left:
Pinga (30)Zezinho (19)
Lopez, Claudio (36)
Maykon (27)
Rivic, Stiven (25)
Vaagan Moen, Petter (27)
Rekish, Dzmitry (22)
Gangioveanu, Constantin (21)
Tulasne, Geoffrey (23)
Bochet, Lilian (20)
Wingers Right:
Malbranque, Steed (31)Nadal, Xisco (25)
Feidouno, Pascal (30)
Hersi, Youssouf (28)
Kante, Seydou (29)
Strikers:
Pacey
Diane, Amara (28)
Gil (30)
Leandro (26)
Soukouna, Ahmed (21)
Bosnjak, Ivan (31)
Medina, Wilder (30)
Diego Clementino (27)
De Paula (27)
Iddrisu, Abdul Nafiu (25)
Robson (28)
Lucas Gaucho (20)
Allende, Orlando (23)
Leo Papel (24)
Ricardinho (27)
Fagundes dos Santos, Elison (23)
Wellington (19)
Mangolo, Aime (26)
Anjembe, Timothy (23)
Asamoah, Alex (24)
Mauricio Alves (21)
Toshev, Martin (21)
Target
Crespo, Hernan (35)
Corradi, Bernando (35)
Agali, Victor (32)
Olguin, Luciano (29)
Opara, Emeka (26)
Goore, Zeka (27)
Luis (24)
Arthuro (28)
Sigurdsson, Hannes (28)
Kim Seong-Min (24)
Coulibaly, Abou (23)
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Feel free to comment with your findings and I'll make sure to evaluate your suggestions and update this list accordingly.

30 Comments
Discussion on "Best Free Players in FM 2012"
Arne Friedrich. Awesome buy for my wigan team. 4 goals in 16 games. 7 star man ratings. worth the 20 k wages
Robertino Rafaela is a good low league defender that's free. Asks for around 2k/w. David Medina's also ok for lowest league teams. I'm in the lowest league of spain, and Rafaela is 3 and a half stars, and Medina 2 and a half. Rafaela scores some header goals too.
Rudy Carlier's the best striker you can get for lowest league on a free (I've seen so far), though. Better than couñago and all those. He was 4 and a half stars for me in the same save as Medina and Rafaela.
Marco Materazzi still good option
Riccardo Innocenti Jan 2014 is a free agent, 39 years old and an amazing target man.
15 goals in 10 apps.
Michael Woods, 20 year old central midfielder released by Chelsea is a good purchase for Championship clubs and below, doesn't really cut it with any team in the Premier League other than in the reserves.
I signed a striker called Dickson Nwakaeme from Nigeria in my HJK Helsinki save. I think he would be a good player for a Championship side and he only wants like 1.5K a week.
I signed Marcus Bent for Burnley on a save and he had a return of 11 goals in 19 games, however I don't think his stats are any good, so does that make him an OK free agent?
List has been updated for patch 12.2, the downloadable shortlist as well. Enjoy!
Giorgos Galitsios (Greece, Right Defender), Paulo Garcés (Chile, GK), Biel Ribas (Spain, GK), Daúd Gazale (Chile, Striker), Frédson (Brasil/Spain, Defensive Midfielder). I got all of them as free agents with Sabadell (Spain's 2nd division), with very good results, check them out.
The download link is not working anymore...
magner odegaard and tobias henanger, still contracted but will sign straight away
Thanks for the list. Helps a lot.
-CantGetEnoughOfJelavic
whatever you do don't get matterazi he wants 10k-20k a week but is only worth £3000!
i cant open this file..any ideas? tnx in advance
Hi! This is just an archive, which I opened with the help of 7-Z. That's all))
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