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

It is your turn to take charge of Everton in FIFA 22, and the club is in need of a steady hand in Career Mode as they look to cement themselves among the European places in the Premier League.

With no silverware since 1995’s FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs, a club of Everton’s size is overdue some success.

With a sizeable transfer budget, strong squad, and the help of our guide, you can get Everton competing with the Premier League’s big boys once again.

Winter Transfers

Everton brought in five more players to the squad during the winter transfer window, strengthening their midfield and also investing in the future.

They also lost one of the best left-backs on the game with the departure of Lucas Digne to Aston Villa, which will be felt massively.

Check out our assessment of Everton's January transfer window, as we take an in-depth look at each of the new signings and how that will affect the side.

Team Rating

Everton has a 4.5-star rating in FIFA 22.

The breakdown of the ratings is as follows: ATT 79, MID 79, DEF 79.

Starting Lineup and Formation

Everton’s default formation is a 4-4-2, which we will adjust to a 4-1-2-1-2 Narrow, as the side doesn't have many pacey wingers.

Love him or hate him, England number one Jordan Pickford (OVR 82) should be your man between the posts.

Centre-backs Michael Keane (OVR 80) and Ben Godfrey (OVR 77) provide a strong base at the heart of the defence, with Mason Holgate another young alternative.

Captain Seamus Coleman (OVR 78) starts at right-back, with new signing Vitaliy Mykolenko (OVR 76) on the other side.

The engine room of your midfield is run by Brazilian midfielder Allan (OVR 81) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (OVR 79) who are both excellent physically.

Accompanying them are two new signings and ball-playing midfielders Donny van de Beek (OVR 80) and Dele Alli (OVR 79), who have more license to get forward and support the attacks.

Then Richarlison (OVR 81) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (OVR 81) form a lethal partnership through the middle.

You’re attacking options from the bench are fairly limited, so this is an area you should look at strengthening.

Tactics and Instructions

Both Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin are mobile and hard-working forwards, so leaving them on balanced should allow them to cause problems for the defenders.

You will want Mykolenko pushing forward to give some width to the team, so you may want Coleman to ‘Stay Back While Attacking’ to provide a bit more stability in the backline.

It is crucial to set Allan and Doucoure to ‘Cover Centre’, and it is worth asking both of them to ‘Stay Back While Attacking’ to help prevent any counterattacks.

Development Plans

Everton has three young(ish) centre-backs that can become very good Premier League players in Mason Holgate (POT 80), Ben Godfrey (POT 85), and Jarrad Branthwaite (POT 83).

Make sure you are getting what you want from them, as with a four at the back you may struggle to fit them all in!

Anthony Gordon (POT 83) is another promising young star that you should invest your time in, and make sure he is training for a position you use in your starting XI.

Transfer Market

Starting budget: £47 million

Who should go?

Like most Premier League clubs, there are plenty of players surplus to requirements who are also taking home hefty wages too.

Midfielders Fabian Delph (OVR 75) and Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (OVR 76) are both firmly in the reserves and earning £50k a week, so get rid!

Jonjoe Kenny (OVR 74) has reached his potential, while Cenk Tosun (OVR 73) and Andy Lonergan (OVR 62) can also be sold to bring in around £7 million and free up an extra £100k in wages.

Lewis Dobbin (OVR 58) is a youngster that can also be let go as his potential in FIFA 22 Career Mode is not high enough for a club with Everton’s aspirations.

Loans

Let’s start with the players that could benefit from a loan spell away from the club.

Jarrad Branthwaite (POT 83) and Anthony Gordon (POT 83) should be loaned out if you don’t see an immediate future as part of the first team.

Ryan Astley (POT 78), Nathan Patterson (POT 80), and Tyler Onyango (POT 81) should all be loaned out in the first season too as they can reach first-team level but are not ready to be called upon yet.

The Toffees have seven players already out on loan, and you may want to consider recalling Italian forward Moise Kean (OVR 79) straight away!

Goalkeeper Joao Virginia (POT 79) can be a useful back up in the future, and the same goes for left-back Niels Nkounkou (POT 77).

Who to sign?

Unfortunately, club legend Seamus Coleman is not getting any younger, so signing a more mobile replacement for the Irish international should be a priority.

Pace and stamina are a prerequisite of any good full-back in the modern game, so we are looking for someone to get up and down the pitch.

Ajax star Noussair Mazraoui (OVR 81) is an excellent player, but we aren’t sure if splashing out over £30 million on a right-back is wise.

Instead, Giovanni Di Lorenzo (OVR 80) and Ander Capa (OVR 80) offer cheaper alternatives and are defensively solid.

Transfer Options (RB)

Another key area we would look to strengthen is on the wing, with only Demarai Gray offering any sort of pace.

We are looking for a versatile forward player with plenty of speed, and the potential to become a superstar alongside the likes of Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, and Kean.

Brazilian duo Antony (OVR 80) and Raphinha (OVR 82) are both exciting options that offer everything we are looking for, but they won’t come cheap.

Wolves’ Pedro Neto (OVR 78) is a cheaper alternative if you have other areas you want to strengthen too.

Transfer Options (RW/LW)

Board Expectations

First up, let's look at your on-field performance. With medium priority placed on Domestic Success and Continental Success (you aren't in Europe in the first season), it looks as though the board will give you time to build your team.

Brand Exposure is of the highest importance to the board, so make sure to make a marquee signing or two to help those shirt sales!

Everton are in a strong place financially, so the Financial targets are placed in the low priority category.

It could be worth putting some funds to one side and investing in your Youth Academy, as the board would like to see some targets hit for Youth Development.