Running a ludus instead of a single fighter is a strong angle, and permadeath + finances gives choices real weight. Since you're asking about recruitment: what usually makes a market readable is being able to compare two fighters side by side with the deltas highlighted, plus a one-line "role" label (tank, duelist, crowd-pleaser) so new players don't have to decode raw stats. For "is it clear what to do at start," a 3-step first-day goal (buy one fighter, then train, then enter first fight) would help. Small page note: the page is pretty minimal — a couple of screenshots of the market and a fight result would let people know what they're getting into before clicking play.
If you're into strategy/defense, I'd gladly swap: https://deunastudio.itch.io/beacon-breakers-merge-defense