Buy 5★ 29-33 year old players and free agents with sponsors money. Focus on CL & cup. Next season will be better.
Btt.: If you don't have a high budget, buying older players at the start of next season is a good tip. Personally I would not sign >30, but between 27-29 years old 5* as a low budget player. The reason is that these players still have a small development and you can field some of them also in the next season. Background: Try to manage to go into a new season with a working starting 11, since on day 1 and 2 you have cup matches, but at the first day of the new season the transfer market will be hell. Everyone has fresh money and the big token spenders show what they have. Avoid bidding wars there.
Down in level 2 (and 3), you don't really need players with multiple stars. A team with average of 3* should be more than capable of challenging for league title.
LONDON CITY
Olympic Stadium...East London
Season 47...........Manager Level 33
L2 is not easy. it depends on the opponent...if you are lucky you will get "no competitive" league....in my league (L2) i got 2 formidable opponents (31v and 27v) i am at 28.6v.....the 31v is a scout team buyer...lucky he did bought all the players after week 13 (after he was losing ground to me and there was a gap of 5 pts)....its all depands on your league...wait and see first next week (at the beginning of new season)