I use negotiation but sometimes is annoying because the player you want it has an inactive manager as owner and you have to wait 24 hours until you can ask for another player (because I only have 16T and 14T are with the player)

So I use auctions when it's something very important and I buy a ~92% 21 years-old player for 15T.

I never use scout. Until this season I have been in a Gold 1 association and that only give you 50T, not enough to support a player who cost 60T...