FIFA 23 Ultimate Team: The best Serie A starter squad
By Tom Gott
Some of the best bargains in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team play their football in Serie A.
The Italian league is a great place to start if you're looking to build a starter squad this year, with plenty of options across the board for affordable prices.
Here's the best starter team you can put together full of players worth under 5,000 coins each.
1. GK: Juan Musso
6'3 is about as good as you're going to get from a budget Serie A goalkeeper.
Juan Musso stands out from the other options because of his 86 reflexes, but it's definitely worth seeing if you can pick up Wojciech Szczesny or Mike Maignan for cheap.
Alternatives to consider: Rui Patricio, Lukasz Skorupski
2. RB: Denzel Dumfries
Denzul Dumfries is a fast, strong defender with good dribbling, and he's about as good as they come at this price range.
How you play will dictate who you want at this spot, so take a good look at the alternatives before buying.
Alternatives to consider: Manuel Lazzari, Pierre Kalulu, Hans Hateboer
3. CB: Kim Min-jae
Perhaps the best budget centre-back you'll find on the game, Kim Min-jae looks like an absolute machine.
Standing at 6'3 with 80 pace and medium/high work rates, Kim's only downside is an unpopular nationality which will force you to stick with Serie A cards around him.
Alternatives to consider: Alessandro Bastoni
4. CB: Pierre Kalulu
He might 'only' be 6'0, but Pierre Kalulu's 80 pace and medium/high work rates are a problem for any attacker.
Whack a Sentinel chemistry style on him, and you've got a real monster on your hands.
Alternatives to consider: Igor, Merih Demiral
5. LB: Robin Gosens
Robin Gosens is about as well-rounded as they come. He's a solid defender with a real love of getting forwards, but thankfully his medium defensive work rate keeps him involved at the back.
He won't let you down in any department.
Alternatives to consider: Sergino Dest, Adam Marusic
6. CDM: Marten de Roon
For a player whose primary focus is on defending, take a look at Marten de Roon.
A non-rare, De Roon excels in everything you could want from a CDM, and that's before you hit him with a chemistry style.
Alternatives to consider: Stanislav Lobotka, Manuel Locatelli
7. CM: Ismael Bennacer
One of many AC Milan cards that looks incredibly fun to play with, Ismael Bennacer is a ridiculous bargain on FIFA 23.
His stats are pretty much the same as 85-rated Pedri and he even has significantly more in-game stats. Not bad for a player who you can afford after playing just one game.
Alternatives to consider: Piotr Zielinski, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Zambo Anguissa, Szymon Zurkowski
8. CAM: Piotr Zielinski
There aren't many players around as underrated as Piotr Zielinski, who looks like an excellent CAM this year.
An elite dribbler, Zielinksi's 4* skills and 5* weak foot make him an exceptional threat when you get around the box.
Alternatives to consider: Lorenzo Pellegrini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ruslan Malinovskyi
9. RW: Nicolo Zaniolo
Nicolo Zaniolo looks like a great option to start the game out at right wing.
His pace, dribbling and physicality will be a real problem for most defenders, and he's also got a decent eye for goal.
Alternatives to consider: Domenico Berardi, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Gonzalez
10. ST: Luis Muriel
He's right at the top of the budget, but if you can find the coins, it is absolutely worth going out to pick up Luis Muriel.
Well-known among the FIFA community, Muriel brings terrifying pace and dribbling and an elite eye for goal that will help him stay in your squad for a while.
Alternatives to consider: Victor Osimhen, Gerard Deulofeu, Tammy Abraham
11. LW: Ante Rebic
86 pace, 81 dribbling and 80 shooting are what help Ante Rebic stand out from the crowd.
He also comes with 4* skills and a 4* weak foot, which ensure Rebic will be one of the more entertaining cards to use in this squad.
Alternatives to consider: Filip Kostic, Ademola Lookman