The Wind-Up Merchant Evolution turns an ordinary defensive midfielder into a 97-rated ball-winner built to shut down counter-attacks and break up play in the middle of the pitch. It carries a real price tag, so the card you pick matters more than usual. The right base player walks away with a huge stat jump and a stacked set of PlayStyles+; the wrong one wastes coins you can’t get back.
Quick answer: Slot in a high-rated CDM at Overall 96 or lower with strong defending and physical stats, such as Valverde Ultimate Birthday, Rice TOTS, or Vieira Winter Wildcards, then complete all five levels to hit 97 Overall with +4 Weak Foot and multiple PlayStyles+.
Wind-Up Merchant entry requirements and cost
Any card you plan to evolve has to fit under the caps below. The evolution is locked behind a coin or FC Points cost, so confirm your player qualifies before you pay.
| Requirement | Limit |
|---|---|
| Overall | Max 96 |
| Position | CDM |
| PlayStyles | Max 10 |
| PlayStyles+ | Max 4 |
| Unlock cost | 175,000 coins or 600 FC Points |
Note: The position lock is strict. Your card must already list CDM as a main or alternate position, so a pure CB or CM without a CDM slot won’t be eligible.
Full stat upgrades across all five levels
The Evolution runs through five levels. Each one adds a specific block of attribute boosts plus a new PlayStyle or PlayStyle+. The totals push Overall to 97, add four Weak Foot stars, and load the card with defensive and passing PlayStyles+.
| Level | Key upgrades | PlayStyle reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +30 OVR (97), +30 Reactions (95), +30 Short Passing (97), +40 Standing Tackle, +30 Stamina (96) | Intercept+ (4) |
| 2 | +30 Ball Control (94), +30 Heading Acc. (94), +30 Long Shots (94), +40 Strength, +30 Vision (97) | Bruiser+ (4) |
| 3 | +30 Acceleration (92), +40 Aggression, +30 Dribbling (95), +30 Long Passing (96), +30 Def. Awareness (95) | Incisive Pass+ (4) |
| 4 | +30 Agility (95), +30 Shot Power (94), +40 Slide Tackle (96), +30 Composure (95) | Pinged Pass+ (4), Tiki Taka |
| 5 | +30 Balance (94), +30 Interceptions (96), +30 Jumping (96), +30 Sprint Speed (92), +4 Weak Foot | Anticipate (7) |
Best players to put through Wind-Up Merchant
The strongest choices are cards that already sit near the Overall cap with solid defending, passing, and physicality, since the Evolution builds on their existing base rather than fixing weak stats. These options all fit the CDM position rule and finish as elite midfield anchors.
| Player | Card version |
|---|---|
| Valverde | Ultimate Birthday |
| Rice | TOTS |
| Vitinha | TOTY |
| Vieira | Winter Wildcards |
| Pedri | Ultimate Birthday |
| Kroos | GOTG Icon |
| Toure | FUTTIES |
| Huijsen | FUTTIES |
| Stones | Glory Hunters |
| Alexia Putellas | TOTS |
| Mariona | National Pride |
Tip: You can also feed in a card that has already been through an earlier Evolution chain instead of a fresh special item. Continuing an existing chain, such as an Ultimate Birthday base you’ve already boosted, stretches the value of the coins you spend here.
How to complete each level
Every level shares the same simple objective, so the whole Evolution is a matter of playing games with your active Evo card in your lineup.
You’ll know a level is done when the card’s Overall and stats update in your club and the next stage appears as available. If a level fails to progress, the usual cause is that the Evo player wasn’t actually on the pitch during the match or the game was played below Semi-Pro difficulty.
Given how late this Evolution lands in the season, the payoff is a ready-made endgame midfielder with a full sweep of defensive PlayStyles+ and a passing range to match. Pick a base card that’s already close to the 96 cap, and the 175,000-coin outlay turns into one of the more complete CDMs you can build.
