FIFA 22 Celtic Career Mode Guide: Starting lineup and who to sign

After years of dominance Celtic’s crown slipped last season as Rangers claimed the Scottish title, but it is time to take it back in FIFA 22 Career Mode.

A run of four consecutive trebles was ended last season as Celtic ended the campaign trophyless for the first time since 2010.

It is time for a rebuild, and with the help of our guide, you can take Celtic back to the top of Scottish football.

Team Rating

Celtic has a 3.5-star rating in FIFA 22.

The breakdown of the ratings is as follows: ATT 73, MID 74, DEF 71.

Starting Lineup and Formation

Celtic’s default formation is a solid 4-3-3 with captain Callum McGregor (OVR 76) at the base of the midfield three.

We are big fans of this formation in FIFA 22 as it provides defensive stability, options in possession, and also the opportunity to counterattack quickly when the time is right.

A familiar face is in goal with former England number one Joe Hart (OVR 74) between the sticks.

25-year-old Croatian right-back Josip Juranovic (OVR 72) should start on the right, with Scottish left-back Greg Taylor (OVR 70) on the other side.

Your starting centre-backs should be Christopher Jullien (OVR 75) and Carl Starfelt (OVR 71) despite the Frenchman’s absence from the default XI.

As mentioned already, McGregor plays at the base of the midfield, allowing Tom Rogic (OVR 73) and David Turnbull (OVR 75) to get forward and join the attack.

You do have pace out wide with James Forrest (OVR 75) on the right and on-loan Benfica youngster Jota (OVR 73) on the left.

The wingers will provide plenty of ammunition for your central striker, and we would go for Greek forward Georgios Giakoumakis (OVR 74) due to his excellent finishing and heading ability.

Japanese speedster Kyogo Furuhashi (OVR 74) can be great off the bench, but we prefer a slightly bigger physical presence in our starting XI.

Tactics and Instructions

In Jota and Forrest, you have one inverted winger and one traditional winger, so make sure you get the best out of both players.

Forrest is best when driving down the wing and crossing, so set him to ‘Stay Wide’ and ‘Get in Behind’.

Jota will be most effective when getting the ball at his feet, so asking him to ‘Cut Inside’ can help him link up with the midfield.

Always get the midfield to ‘Cover Centre’, otherwise you will be left open and easy to pick apart.

Development Plans

There aren’t any players that need a positional change, so it is all about finding the right development plans for your style of play.

Most of us like to have pace, especially on the wings and in the full-back areas, so make sure those players are working on their speed.

Karamoko Dembele is an exciting prospect in your club, so make sure you have him training for the position you want. We would recommend RW.

Transfer Market

Starting budget: £13 million

Who should go?

When looking at players we want to keep, we are looking at squad players who have something to offer on the pitch or players with a potential of 75 OVR or higher.

Boli Bolingoli (OVR 69), Scott Bain (OVR 68), and Nir Button (OVR 69) can all be let go as they are surplus to requirements and should add an extra £3 million to your transfer budget.

Youngster Liam Scales (OVR 63) can also be added to the transfer list, but don’t expect much of a transfer fee.

We would also let Albian Ajeti (OVR 70) and James McCarthy (OVR 73) go as they are on decent wages and will bring in around £4 million, but it could leave your squad looking a bit thin.

Loans

Celtic has four players out on loan, but Scott Robertson (POT 77) is the only youngster with the potential to be first-team quality.

Right-back Lee O’Connor (POT 72) could also be a useful squad player in the future, but the other two players we would let go.

Who to sign?

You potentially have £20 million to work with so it is important to strengthen the starting XI while also looking for good value players.

First on our wishlist is a pacey left-back who can also reach a decent overall as we look to progress in European competitions.

Slavia Prague’s Oscar Dorley (OVR 75) would be an excellent addition to the squad as he ticks all the boxes at left-back and can also cover in midfield too.

Transfer Options (LB)

We also want another forward to bolster the ranks. Someone who is strong through the middle but can also do a job out on the wing if required.

Almeria’s Nigerian forward Umar Sadiq (OVR 75) fits the bill nicely, although he may be a bit cumbersome on the wing as he is 6’4”.

Cagliari’s Keita Balde (OVR 76) is also a great option and will be more adept to wing play given his 81 Dribbling.

Transfer Options (ST)

Board Expectations

Wrestling back the title from Rangers should be your main focus. In fact, it should be your only focus as Domestic Success is the only expectation with critical priority.

Next on your list will be Brand Exposure which is a high priority for the Celtic board. A couple of good signings ought to do the trick for this one.

Youth Development is next with medium priority, so it is worth setting aside £5 million and investing in a top scouting network. It can certainly prove value for money in the long run.

A European adventure will be a bonus for Celtic as the board has low priority for Continental Success, and don't worry about your bills either as Financial objectives are very low priority.