With the Premier League season just days away, Fantasy Football managers face several crucial decisions before locking in their squads. BBC Sport's panel of FPL experts weighed in on the biggest talking points, from Erling Haaland's record price tag to the World Cup's lingering effects on player fitness.
Haaland enters the new campaign as the most expensive player in FPL history at £15.5m, up from £14m last season, despite his tally of 239 points falling short of his 2022-23 best. The Manchester City striker still topped last season's scoring charts, edging out Bruno Fernandes by four points. Opinions on his value vary, with some experts flagging concerns after his subdued 53-minute outing in City's 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, a game that fuelled worries about a World Cup-related fitness dip. Even so, most agreed that his consistent output and importance as a captaincy option make him difficult to leave out, particularly with City opening against Bournemouth.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, priced at £12m, remains a popular pick and features in nearly half of all FPL squads. Alongside him, Bryan Mbeumo (£8m) was highlighted as a strong attacking partner thanks to a full pre-season and likely central striker role, while Matheus Cunha (£8m) offers positional versatility. In defence, Luke Shaw (£4.5m) and Harry Maguire (£5m) were both tipped as budget-friendly options given favorable early fixtures against Hull City and Ipswich Town, with new goalkeeper Senne Lammens (£5m) also drawing praise following eight clean sheets last term.
Chelsea's rebuild under new manager Xabi Alonso adds intrigue, especially with £117m signing Morgan Rogers now sharing attacking duties with Cole Palmer. The pair, both natural number 10s, could see their minutes and output shaped by how Alonso configures his system — a 3-4-3 formation with attacking wing-backs is considered likely. Palmer, at £9.5m, arrives off a disappointing season but retains penalty duties, while Rogers offers a cheaper alternative at £7.5m. Joao Pedro, last season's top-scoring Chelsea asset in FPL terms, was frequently mentioned as the safer early pick given a full summer of rest, with the panel generally advising a wait-and-see approach on Palmer and Rogers before committing.
The World Cup's impact on player readiness was another major theme. With the Premier League season pushed back to August 21 to allow a longer recovery window, some experts feel confident the extra rest will be sufficient, particularly for Haaland ahead of City's opener. Others urged caution regarding players from teams that progressed deep into the tournament — Spain, France, England, and Argentina — as well as those from Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace, given their compressed pre-season schedules. Attackers such as Rayan Cherki, who reached the latter stages of the competition, were flagged as riskier picks compared to players like Phil Foden, who had additional preparation time.
Arsenal's defensive record also came under scrutiny after their remarkable 19 clean sheets last season, the best in the league. Despite the setback of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both starting the season sidelined through injury, the panel largely believes Mikel Arteta's side will remain among the division's stingiest units. Options such as Riccardo Calafiori, Christhian Mosquera, Ben White, and goalkeeper David Raya — a three-time Golden Glove winner — were all cited as sensible entry points into Arsenal's defense, though Saliba's continued absence is being monitored closely.
With the Fantasy Premier League deadline approaching on Friday at 18:30 BST, managers are being urged to weigh World Cup fatigue, fixture difficulty, and squad value carefully before finalizing their opening lineups.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.