Rebuilding The Squad: Part 1

2023/24 Recap

Last season brought moments of genuine triumph for St. Gallen. We battled our way to a 2nd-place finish in the Super League—an impressive achievement, albeit one tinged with frustration after a late-season collapse cost us a real shot at the title. The high point, however, was undoubtedly our Swiss Cup victory. We defeated both Young Boys and Basel en route to lifting silverware, proving that when we click, we’re capable of taking on—and beating—Switzerland’s elite.

The challenge, though, was consistency. While we showed flashes of brilliance and competed toe-to-toe with the best in the country, we simply lacked the squad depth to maintain our intensity over the full course of a league campaign. Injuries, fatigue, and a reliance on a core group of players caught up with us, and it became clear that if we want to take the next step, we need to build a squad not just for moments—but for months.

And so begins our first major rebuild. The core is there, the ambition is clear, and the identity is starting to take hold. Now, it’s about assembling a group capable of sustaining our pressing, attacking philosophy week in, week out. The project enters a new phase—one that will define whether we’re just exciting underdogs, or genuine contenders.

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📋 Rebuilding Smart: Tips From My First Transfer Window

If you want to go the distance in a league like the Swiss Super League, you need more than a strong first eleven—you need depth, adaptability, and players who fit your system. Heading into this summer, my core goal was to evolve the squad into one that could dominate possession, press with intensity, and consistently create chances. But with limited resources, the rebuild had to be targeted, realistic, and smart.

🎯 Tip 1: Focus Your Scouting Network

One of the first decisions I made was to keep my recruitment local. Scouting in Switzerland is not only affordable but highly efficient. By staying within a familiar market, I can scout and sign players quickly, reduce the risk of settling issues, and use my existing knowledge of domestic talent to my advantage. If you’re managing in a smaller league, mastering your domestic market gives you a clear edge—especially early in a save when resources are tight.

💰 Tip 2: Make the Budget Work for You

With just €3.1 million in transfer funds and €191k/week in wages, I knew I couldn’t afford any vanity signings. Every euro needed to be maximised. My strategy? Identify sellable assets early and be ruthless. Every player has a price, of course, but I drew up a list of players I felt I could move on without breaking the spine of the team:

• Lawrence Ati-Zigi – a very solid goalkeeper, but potentially replaceable with a cheaper, younger option.

• Albert Vallci & Chima Okoroji – fringe defenders on decent wages who I believe could attract offers from elsewhere.

• Jordi Quintillà – a veteran leader, but possibly the right time to cash in before his value drops further. He is out of contract in 12 months, so now is the time to sell.

• Willem Geubbels – despite hitting 27 goals I feel he is replaceable in a sense. A good player, but a decent fee will see him sold.

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By selling wisely, I hope to free up budget room to bring in high-potential domestic players and deepen the squad without compromising our identity. A key tip is to ensure you have 100% of sales added to your budget.

🧠 Tip 3: Build Depth With Discipline – Fit the System, Not Just the Budget

When you're managing on a tight budget, it's tempting to just grab whoever is available, affordable, and decent on paper. But when you're trying to implement a specific style—like I am, with a possession-based, high-pressing approach—you can't afford to bring in passengers. Every player needs to fit the system, not just the spreadsheet.

For me, the priority this summer has been to add depth without compromising tactical identity. That means targeting players who are mobile, tactically intelligent, and comfortable on the ball. Press-resistant midfielders, wide players who can run beyond the line, and defenders who can play a high line without panic—these are the archetypes I’m chasing.

That said, not every bargain is a good fit. There are plenty of players in the Swiss market with decent technical stats, but if they lack the work rate, stamina, or anticipation required for our pressing system, I have to walk away. It's taken a degree of restraint—not every signing is exciting, and not every hole can be filled this window—but that discipline is what stops a squad from becoming bloated and tactically incoherent.

One useful tip: I use custom scouting filters that highlight key attributes for my style (e.g. Off the Ball, Work Rate, First Touch, Teamwork), so I can instantly rule out players who won't contribute to our tactical goals. Even for backups, there’s no point signing someone who can’t step in without disrupting the system.

Ultimately, this is a long-term project. If we want to compete consistently at the top, we need more than just "decent players"—we need players who embody how we play. So while the rebuild might take longer, the squad I’m building now will be structurally and stylistically sound for seasons to come.

🏁 Step 1: Sell Early, Sell Smart

The first step in any rebuild—especially with a limited budget—is freeing up both cash and squad space. For me, that meant making some tough calls on players like Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Albert Vallci, Chima Okoroji, Jordi Quintillà, and Willem Geubbels. While all five have had valuable moments in a St. Gallen shirt, I identified them as assets I could afford to lose in exchange for budget flexibility and a clearer pathway for new signings.

One tip I’ve found effective in FM24: transfer list early. Even though this might mean sacrificing peak value, getting your players on the market at the start of the window gives clubs time to plan—and gives you time to react. By putting these players on the transfer list immediately, I didn’t have to waste time shopping them around through agents or intermediaries, which can sometimes lower the quality of offers or reduce your control over negotiations.

The results:

• 🧤 Lawrence Ati-Zigi joined Toulouse for €6.5M, with add-ons taking the deal to €8.25M.

• 🔁 Willem Geubbels moved to Braga for €3.7M, rising to €4.5M.

• 🎯 Jordi Quintillà signed for Osasuna in a €3.7M deal, rising to €4.4M.

• 🛡️ Chima Okoroji joined Rapid Vienna for €1.7M, with potential add-ons bringing the fee to €3.1M.

• 🧱 Albert Vallci completed a move to FC Twente for €1.6M, rising to €1.9M.

Yes, I might have missed out on squeezing every last euro out of each sale, but what I gained was time—and that’s just as valuable in a rebuild. The earlier the funds come in, the earlier you can strike for replacements, and the more likely you are to grab undervalued targets before other clubs join the race.

It’s not glamorous, but being proactive in the transfer window puts you in control of the rebuild from the very beginning. For a save like mine, where structure, cohesion, and style matter as much as raw ability, that control is everything.

The above deals took my budget up to €16.4m - so let's have a look at how I set about spending it!

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🔍 Step 2: Identifying the Right Profiles — Build for the System, Not Just the Stats

Once the outgoing business was handled, it was time to reshape the squad—and this is where your recruitment philosophy really gets tested. With fresh funds in hand and a clearer squad picture, I moved into profile-based scouting. My goal wasn’t just to find “good” players—it was to find the right players for how I want to play.

In Football Manager, it’s easy to get tempted by raw attributes or eye-catching scout ratings, or even just by the big name. But I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that a player’s effectiveness often comes down to how well they fit your tactical system. For my St. Gallen side, that means:

• Players who are comfortable on the ball and calm under pressure.

• Midfielders and attackers with high work rate, off-the-ball movement, and stamina to sustain a pressing game.

• Defenders who are positionally aware, quick enough to recover in transition, and confident in building from the back.

  
  

A big part of this process is filtering. In my scouting views, I use custom attribute filters tailored to each role in my tactic—whether it’s a roaming playmaker, an inverted winger, or a ball-playing centre-back. This helps me quickly eliminate players who don’t tick the minimum requirements, even if they’re available or affordable. If a player doesn’t fit the system, they’re maybe not worth the investment.

Budget discipline was still key here. While I now had more money to work with, I wasn’t about to waste it. Every signing had to raise the floor or raise the ceiling. I need first-team quality and decent strength in depth. A key tip here is to be prepared to haggle over prices - and spread payments over multiple years to stretch your budget as far as it can go!

And that’s the big tip for anyone tackling a rebuild: recruit for your style. Don’t just buy players—buy profiles. Know what each position demands in your system, and make sure your signings match that blueprint. It might mean saying no to popular or familiar names, but it leads to a more coherent, successful squad over time.

🧩 Step 3: Making the Key Signings — Fitting the Pieces to the Puzzle

With my targets identified and the squad trimmed, it was time to get to work in the market. This was always going to be a foundational transfer window, not just a flurry of activity. I didn’t want to just plug gaps—I wanted to lay the groundwork for a team that could dominate the ball, press effectively, and carry attacking threat in every phase of play.

Here’s a look at the key signings I made—and why each one fits the vision.

🧤 Justin Hammel – Sweeper Keeper with Room to Grow

Signed from Grasshopper for €2.1M (€400K up front)

With Ati-Zigi moving on, I needed a new No.1 who could handle the demands of a high defensive line and aggressive pressing system. Enter Justin Hammel—not the flashiest on the ball, but quick off his line, brave, and well-suited to a sweeper keeper role.

At just 23, he’s got time to improve, and the deal structure—just €400K paid up front—made it a low-risk, high-upside move. He gives us the mobility and mentality to back up a proactive defensive shape, even if his distribution isn’t perfect yet.

I also added Nino Ziswiler from Luzern for just €16K as a backup. He’s young, Swiss, and reliable enough to cover in cup games or early rounds—ideal for a cost-efficient, development-focused squad.

🧱 Jan Kronig & Jan Bamert – Smart Depth at Centre-Back

Kronig from Sion (€500K), Bamert from Thun (€250K release clause)

With Fazliji and Stergiou forming my first-choice centre-back pairing, I focused on adding depth that fits the tactical system without breaking the budget.

Jan Kronig joined from Sion for €500K—a smart pickup not only for his defensive consistency but also because he's left-footed, giving us better balance when building from the back. He's strong in the air, composed under pressure, and reads the game well—ideal for our high line and pressing game.

Alongside him, Jan Bamert arrived via a €250K release clause from Thun. He’s another solid, tactically flexible defender who suits our proactive style and offers dependable cover.

Neither will start every week—but both raise the floor of the squad and ensure we’re not one injury away from chaos at the back.

🏃‍♂️ Michael Heule – A Smart, Home-Grown Addition at Left-Back

Signed from Stade Lausanne-Ouchy for €250K (relegation release clause)

With Isaac Schmidt established as my first-choice left-back, I needed a reliable understudy who could offer cover without disrupting the balance of the squad. Michael Heule fit the brief perfectly.

Signed from Stade Lausanne-Ouchy for just €250K via a relegation release clause, Heule is not only a promising full-back who suits our up-tempo, overlapping style, but also a St. Gallen academy graduate—helping us tick off key home-grown quotas for European competition.

A smart depth signing who strengthens both the present and the registration sheet.

⚙️ Grgić, Dos Santos & Arnold – Rebuilding the Midfield Core

Anto Grgić from Lugano (€600K), Daniel Dos Santos from Thun (€1.6M), Remo Arnold from Winterthur (free)

With Jordi Quintillà departing, replacing his influence in the middle of the park was a top priority. I moved quickly to bring in Anto Grgić from Lugano for €600K—a composed, technically gifted midfielder with excellent passing range and set-piece quality. He’ll step into a deep-lying role and help us dictate play.

To add more energy and directness, Daniel Dos Santos arrived from Thun for €1.6M. At 21, he’s mobile, aggressive, and press-resistant—a perfect fit for our vertical, high-tempo style.

I also added Remo Arnold on a free transfer from Winterthur. He’s versatile, with good defensive instincts and positional awareness, and crucially, he can also cover at centre-back when needed. He boosts our squad depth and gives us more tactical flexibility without eating into the budget.

That said, I still feel we’re missing a true physical, ball-winning midfielder—someone to offer presence when we need to dig in. I’m happy to hold off and wait for the right profile to emerge later in the window.

⚡ Burkhart & Babić – Injecting Pace and Power Up Front

Nishan Burkhart from Winterthur (€3M, €500K up front), Boris Babić from Lugano (€150K)

One of the key objectives in the final third was to add explosiveness and direct threat—players who can stretch defences, break lines, and thrive in transition.

Nishan Burkhart was the headline addition, joining from Winterthur for €3M, though just €500K was paid up front. With 18 pace and acceleration, he brings a level of speed we didn’t have in the squad. He’s electric in wide areas and will be a major outlet on the counter or in behind compact blocks.

Alongside him, I brought in Boris Babić from Lugano for just €150K. A St. Gallen academy graduate, he helps with European squad registration and offers versatility across the front line. He’s not as quick as Burkhart, but he presses well, links play effectively, and gives us depth in multiple roles.

Both signings bring pace, movement, and flexibility—exactly what we need to round out our attack and give us more options in tight or open games alike.