Top winter upgrades in FIFA 15 Ultimate Team

The winter transfer window may have slammed shut quite a while ago, but that doesn’t mean the excitement has lessened in the football world as things are sure to heat up as all of Europe’s elite leagues approach the final stages of their 2014-2015 season.The beginning of the New Year saw a lot of standout performances by some of the world’s top players, whose heroics did not escape the attention of the folks of EA Sports, who instantly upped their ratings of FIFA 15 Ultimate Team. So who are the superstars who saw their stock rise on UT? This slideshow will surely solve that mystery. Happy browsing!

#1 Neymar

The Brazilian’s place at the top of this list comes as no surprise as he’s been nothing short of phenomenal this season.

Most people thought that Neymar’s performances for Barcelona would take a hit due to psychological shock courtesy of the horrifying injury he suffered in the World Cup, but his doubters couldn’t have been more wrong as his time on the sidelines only made him a better player.

The 23-year-old has netted 26 times in all competitions this season, cementing his status as one of the best players in the world, and has seen his rating go up to 87, which is one up over his previous rating.

#2 Sergio Aguero

The Kun who scores for fun began the 2014-2015 in explosive form and terrorized defences on a continuous basis before picking up an injury against Everton on 6th December which kept him out for the remainder of the year.

However, Aguero was back with a bang in 2015 with a brace against Stoke City along with goals against various other teams, which once again pits him against Diego Costa and Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot. The 26-year-old’s brilliant form earned him an 87 rating on FIFA 15 UT, which is one up from his original.

#3 Mario Gotze

The man who scored the goal that eventually made Germany world champions has had an extremely bright 2014-2015 season, and even found himself nominated for the Ballon D’Or.

The versatile youngster has so far netted 14 goals in 31 appearances, which is a fine display of his emergence as a player, and is on course to becoming a German great. The 22-year-old’s great form has seen his rating increase from 85 to 86 on FIFA 15 UT.

#4 Jerome Boateng

The centre back, who was an integral part of Germany’s World Cup winning squad, is currently having one of his best seasons at Bayern and is easily one of the most reliable defenders in Europe.

Boateng has really picked himself up after his disappointing spell at Manchester City and has gone places since moving back to his homeland. The 26-year-old’s form saw him earn a rating of 86 on FIFA 15 UT, which is one up from his previous rating.

#5 Diego Costa

It would be a heinous crime not to include this phenomenal striker on this list. Costa is easily one of this season’s best ever signings and has really exploded at Chelsea with 17 Premier League goals in 19 games.

The 26-year-old, who is lethal in front of goal, has all the attributes of a top striker and is a firm favourite among gamers on FIFA 15. Costa’s stock has unsurprisingly risen on FIFA 15 UT and now boasts of an 86 rating compared to the 85 he achieved during the game’s initial launch.

#6 Alexis Sanchez

Does he really need an introduction? I don’t think so. After helping Chile reach the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, during which he was one of the tournament’s most consistent players, Sanchez made his £35 million move to Arsenal where he took little time to establish himself.

The Chilean, who’s blessed with blistering pace and superb technical abilities, has netted 13 goals for the Gunners so far along with assisting several more, and is widely considered as one of the best signings of the season. The 26-year-old’s brilliant form has seen his rating on FIFA 15 UT increase from 84 to 85.

#7 Xabi Alonso

Undoubtedly one of the greatest holding midfielders of his generation, Alonso took no time to make his mark at Bayern Munich after six phenomenal seasons at Real Madrid.

The Spaniard set the Bundesliga on fire with his classy passing and outrageous technical abilities, even shattering the record for most passes completed in a Bundesliga game with 196 against FC Koln within weeks of his signing.

The three time Champions League winner has clearly still got it even at the age of 33 and has seen his stock rise on FIFA 15 UT from 84 to 85.

#8 David De Gea

After a nightmarish debut season at Manchester United, David De Gea has really picked himself up and is now one of their most consistent players, often single-handedly keeping them in games.

De Gea is currently having the season of his life at Manchester United, with one brilliant performance after the other and is on course to transform from a good goalkeeper into a great one.

The folks at EA Sports have been so impressed with his continues rise that his stock has jumped not one but two places and is rated 85 on FIFA 15 UT compared to his previous rating of 83.

#9 Cesc Fabregas

The Spaniard succeeded in cheesing off the majority of North London after his shock move from Barcelona to Chelsea, one of his former club Arsenal’s top rivals.

Despite his heated reception, Fabregas took no time to start displaying his brilliance in the Premier League once again and won the Player of the Month Award in the first month itself.

The Spain international is now an integral part of Chelsea, forming an excellent understanding with Costa and assisting goals or creating chances in every second game. His consistent performances has seen a rise in his ratings on FIFA 15 UT from 84 to 85.

#10 Isco

The youngster, who picked up the prestigious Golden Boy award in 2012 which earned him a transfer to Real Madrid, endured a torrid start to life at the Bernabeu due to being played out of position, but has really adapted since then and is now thriving in a deeper role.

Isco has produced some brilliant performances this season, which has earned him comparisons to Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, highlighting the enormous progress he’s made since the start of the season.

The 22-year-old’s performance’s have done well for his ratings on FIFA 15 UT and has now achieved a rating of 84 compared to the previous 83.

#11 Christian Eriksen

After a promising debut season with Tottenham, who voted him as their Player of the Year, the Dane has got even better this season and has formed a lethal understanding with striking sensation Harry Kane.

Eriksen’s versatility, technical abilities and scoring prowess have made him Tottenham’s midfield fulcrum, and is currently one of their most consistent as well as most underrated players.

The 23-year-old will only get better with time, and will be integral for a Champions League finish chasing Tottenham. Eriksen’s heroics have made an impact on his ratings on FIFA 15 UT, where he has achieved an 84 rating compared to the previous rating of 83.

#12 Samir Handanovic

This shot stopper certainly does have the perfect surname as he’s extremely good with his hands. Handanovic has been outstanding for Inter, producing consistent performances on a regular basis and is widely recognized as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

The 30-year-old’s reliability has attracted the attention of some of Europe’s elite clubs, and it won’t be a shock if one of them acquires his services soon. Handanovic’s superb performances has caused his rating on FIFA 15 UT to increase from 83 to 84 making him one of the most potent goalkeepers in the game.

#13 Stephane Ruffier

This hugely underrated goalkeeper is always overshadowed by his peers, but offers the reliability of a top class stopper.

Ruffier has been a model of consistency ever since his transfer to Saint Etienne in 2011 and has attracted the attention of many prestigious clubs but has shown some rare loyalty to the Saint Etienne, which has made him a firm fan favourite at the club.

The 28-year-old was a key player for Saint Etienne in their successful Coupe de France campaign and is one of the major reasons why they reached the semi finals. The Frenchman’s worth has only appreciated on FIFA 15 UT and is now ranked at 84 compared to his initial rating of 83.

#14 Paul Pogba

The one that got away from Manchester United, is certainly going places at Juventus. After being named the Best Young Player of the 2014 World Cup, Pogba began the new season with a bang and has 8 goals to his name so far including a beauty against Napoli.

The 21-year-old, who was named as the youngest nominee for the 2014 Ballon D’Or, is one of the best young midfielders on the planet right now and seems to be getting better with each passing game. The Frenchman’s rating on FIFA 15 UT unsurprisingly increased after winter and now stands at 84 from the previous 83.

#15 Shinji Kagawa

After two difficult seasons at Manchester United, the Japanese playmaker made a return to former club Borussia Dortmund, where he took no time to replicate the form that once impressed Sir Alex Ferguson and although it’ll take time before he gets back to his best the signs are encouraging.

Kagawa has been absolutely brilliant at the focal point of the attack and is one of the key reasons why Dortmund are rising up the table after a mostly forgettable season. The 26-year-old’s resurgence has seen his rating jump by two points on FIFA 15 UT and now holds a rating of 83.