Manchester United in Football Manager 2017 is a strong club for learning the game’s management systems and a demanding project for players who want to restore the club to the top of English and European football. The squad has recognizable stars, experienced options and young attackers, but the names alone do not dictate a winning formation. Build your plan around the positions and attributes shown in your save, then balance first-team results with development minutes.
This is a historical guide to the 2016 FM17 database, not advice about today’s Manchester United squad. The roster below is a broad snapshot from a third-party FM17 database, not a complete squad list or official ratings display.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Football Manager 2017 (PC DVD) UK VERSION (EU Version) | $24.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Football Manager Classic 2014 | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Football Manager 2014 | $7.25 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Football Manager 2015 | $24.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Football Manager 2024 (PS5) | $34.34 | Buy on Amazon |
What managing Manchester United in FM17 involves
Football Manager 2017 was released on 4 November 2016 for Windows, Mac and Linux. Sports Interactive said the PC, Mac and Linux purchase included Football Manager Touch 2017. The developer also reported more than 1,500 new motion-captured animations, over 2,500 real clubs and more than 500,000 footballers and staff; these are the developer’s 2016 figures, not independent counts. Sports Interactive’s FM17 product page describes a more actionable inbox, improved match-engine decision-making, Data Analyst and Sports Scientist staff roles, a social-media feed and the return of Fantasy Draft.
For a United save, those features make the job more than selecting a formation: you will need to monitor information from staff and the inbox, assess players in the match engine, and decide how to distribute minutes across a high-profile squad. A contemporary guide published on 6 November 2016 presented the club as an option both for newcomers learning the game and experienced managers seeking to bring the Reds “back to the top table of England and European football.” Read Man Utd’s contemporary guide.
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What does the FM17 Manchester United squad look like?
The following recognizable first-team group appears on Sortitoutsi’s third-party FM17 roster listing. Use it as a map of the squad’s broad shape, not as an exhaustive roster or a ranking of in-game attributes. Check the positions, role familiarity and attributes in your own save before assigning jobs.
| Area | Players in the listed group | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | David De Gea | Assess his visible attributes and the goalkeeper role that supports your defensive approach. |
| Defence | Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian | Compare natural positions and role suitability; do not assume every defender is equally comfortable in every line or duty. |
| Midfield | Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Michael Carrick, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marouane Fellaini and Jesse Lingard | Choose a midfield balance that fits the attributes and tasks you want, rather than selecting players by reputation alone. |
| Attack | Zlatan Ibrahimović, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney | Decide who leads the line and how the supporting attackers contribute; check positional familiarity and role descriptions. |
Sortitoutsi’s FM17 Manchester United page also lists youth options including Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Axel Tuanzebe, Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes. The roster information does not establish their hidden potential or guarantee a particular development path.
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How should you choose a tactic?
There is no verified best formation or tested match outcome established for this guide. Treat a formation as a working hypothesis: select roles that make sense for the players available in your save, then use matches and the game’s visible information to refine it.
- Inspect the squad before settling on a shape. Open each likely starter’s profile and review the positions, role familiarity and attributes shown in your database. Note where you have several suitable options and where coverage is thin.
- Choose roles before chasing a fashionable formation. Use the in-game role descriptions to define what each player should do with and without the ball. Make sure the duties complement one another rather than asking several players to perform the same task.
- Make versatility useful, not compulsory. A player who can cover multiple positions gives you options for rotation and in-match adjustments, but that does not mean he is the best choice in every role. Compare his suitability in the intended position against a specialist’s.
- Review how the plan works in matches. Observe the match engine and available analysis, identify where the team is failing to connect or defend, and adjust one or two roles or duties at a time. Avoid attributing a result to a formation without checking the events and player performances behind it.
This approach keeps tactical choices tied to the actual FM17 save in front of you. The roster list identifies players and positions, but it does not provide a reliable numeric ranking of their attributes or prove that one system will outperform another.
Rank #3
- Football Manager 2014 PC & Mac. *English game play, on disc manual included English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish* Printed manual in French. Includes ONE user activation code. BRAND NEW Factory Sealed DVD Box by Sega UK for worldwide use. Ship daily via USPS 1ST CLASS(4 - 7 Business days)w/FREE delivery confirmation & Shipment Notification. Platform: Windows XP/Vista/7/8. MAC OS X 10.6.8. PEGI: 3. System Requirements: OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, Processor: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Core, AMD Athlon, Graphics: NVidia GeForce FX 5900 Ultra, ATI Radeon 9800, Intel GMA X3100, 128MB VRAM, Direct X 9.0c compliant Memory: 1GB RAM, 3GB HDD. For Mac: Mac OS X 10.6.8, 10.7, 10.8 Processor: Intel Core, 1.8GHz+. Graphics: NVidia GeForce 7300 GT, ATI Radeon X1600, Intel GMA X3100, 128MB VRAM, OpenGL 2.0 compliant. Memory: 1GB RAM, 3GB HDD Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Linux Processor: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Core, AMD Athlon, 1.8GHz+. Graphics: NVidia GeForce 7300 GT, AMD Radeon HD 2400 Pro, Intel HD 3000/4000, 128MB VRAM, OpenGL 2.0 compliant Memory: 1GB RAM, 3GB HDD. Earlier cards or laptop chipsets may only display the match in 2D and are not supported. Online play requires broadband connection. Note: Computers with high-performance hardware will provide the best game performance. Requires Internet Connection and free STEAM account to activate. NOTICE: Product offered subject to your acceptance of the Steam Subscriber Agreement ("SSA"). You must activate this product via the internet by registering for a Steam account and accepting the SSA. Please see steampowered agreement from their web site to view the SSA prior to purchase. If you do not agree with the provisions of the SSA, you should return this game unopened to your retailer in accordance with their return policy. Please check software compatibility before purchased. NO OPENED BOX RETURN(Please read Amazon Software/Video game's return policy)
- The best-selling, incredibly realistic football management drives on with over 1,000 improvements and enhancements in Football Manager 2014. The 3D match engine has seen extensive improvements, including enhanced AI, improved lighting and player animation, individual player character and kit models, more realistic player reaction to on-field incidents and a range of optimisations which combine to make this the best looking and fastest FM Match Engine yet. On the pitch, redesigned tactics management makes the player roles and team strategies even more prominent. Improvements to rival managers’ AI allow them to adapt their tactics more readily over time.
- FM 2014 features a revamped transfer module where opposing clubs and managers adopt a more realistic approach when making or responding to transfer offers. In addition, a number of new ‘real world’ transfer clauses have been added, such as the facility to loan a player back to the club he’s just been bought from and the option to offer a combination of cash and loan players, as well as new contract clauses such as a sub bench appearance fee. On top of this, the old ‘turn-based’ system of transfer negotiations can now be done two ways, the tried and tested system and a new ‘live’ system, similar to that used in FM’s contract negotiations.
- The 3D match engine has seen extensive improvements, including enhanced AI, improved lighting and player animation, individual player character and kit models, more realistic player reaction to on-field incidents and a range of optimisations which combine to make this the best looking and fastest FM Match Engine yet. Major changes have also been made to FM 2014’s user interface. Key areas have been redesigned – including the training overview page, the transfer centre and the news homepage – while widespread changes have been made across the game’s user interface. The language employed throughout the game has also enjoyed a major overhaul and now corresponds more closely to the language of real world football.
How should you balance results and youth development?
United’s listed young options give you a reason to plan development alongside first-team selection. A pathway is not automatic: minutes, positional fit and the player’s development in your own save should guide decisions, and the available roster evidence does not establish hidden potential values.
- Give each prospect a clear position and role to develop. Compare the player’s listed positions and visible attributes with the role you expect to use, rather than moving him around simply to find minutes.
- Set realistic opportunities. Use rotation or suitable appearances when they fit the match and squad plan; do not promise a fixed number of minutes based on potential figures that are not established here.
- Reassess as the save progresses. Review attributes, performances and the first-team competition at the player’s positions. Decide whether to keep the prospect in the squad or look for another route to regular football based on what the game shows.
Is Manchester United a good FM17 club for a first save?
It can be. The club’s recognizable squad and multiple options across defence, midfield and attack give a new manager plenty to compare while learning selection, roles and squad rotation. At the same time, the ambition described in contemporary coverage makes it a meaningful challenge for experienced players: organize the group and pursue a return to the top rather than assuming a trophy run is guaranteed.
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Use the first part of the save to understand the squad and its tactical fit. The source material does not establish an objectively best transfer plan, so make recruitment decisions only after identifying a genuine weakness in your own team.
Can you still install FM17 from a PC disc?
The official PC manual documents installation from physical media, but says PC, Mac and Linux versions require Steam; the disc installation also requires Steam activation and a licence key. A disc by itself is not evidence that you can install and run the game on a current computer. The manual’s system requirements describe the original 2016-era release, not current operating-system or hardware compatibility. Read the official Football Manager 2017 PC manual before relying on a physical copy. Current availability, listing condition and compatibility have not been established here.
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