With the new Premier League campaign set to begin on Friday as reigning champions Arsenal host Championship winners Coventry City, Fantasy Premier League managers across the globe are once again wrestling with how best to allocate their £100m budget. The eternal challenge remains balancing premium performers likely to dominate the points charts with lower-cost picks capable of delivering surprise value.
At the very top end, Erling Haaland (£15.5m) enters the season as the most expensive player in FPL history. The Manchester City forward, who managed only an hour in the Community Shield after a limited pre-season following international tournament duty, remains a near-essential pick given his consistent goal output. He is currently owned by close to 75 percent of the FPL player base and is expected to be the most commonly chosen captain throughout the campaign.
In midfield, Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m) posted the second-highest points total in the game last season and contributes across goals, assists and set-pieces for Manchester United. However, with United also competing in the Champions League this term, his workload raises questions about value at that price. Alternatives below his cost include Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer (both £9.5m), though some may wait to see early-season fitness signs before committing. Antoine Semenyo (£8.5m) and Morgan Gibbs-White (£8.0m) are also under consideration, despite both having outperformed their expected goals figures last season. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha (both £8.0m) offer further midfield options.
Defensively, Gabriel Magalhaes (£8.0m) starts as the priciest defender since Trent Alexander-Arnold, having recorded the third-highest points tally for a defender in FPL history last season while blanking just six times. Questions remain over Arsenal's title-winning campaign fatigue and the fitness of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber. Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) remains a steady option at Liverpool, while Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly (£6.5m) has seen his price rise, though Josko Gvardiol's (£5.5m) return from injury could limit his minutes.
Among goalkeepers, Arsenal's David Raya (£6.0m) is regarded as the most dependable 'set and forget' option, having recorded the most Premier League clean sheets in three consecutive seasons while missing just one match in two years.
In the mid-price forward bracket, Chelsea's Joao Pedro (£7.5m) stands out as a reliable selection, already owned by over half of FPL managers after scoring eight goals in seven pre-season appearances. He is set to be Chelsea's primary striker without the burden of European fixtures. Ollie Watkins (£8.0m) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (£6.5m) also carry proven scoring pedigree, despite injury-affected pre-seasons.
Mid-priced midfield options are plentiful, with Phil Foden and Florian Wirtz (£7.0m and £7.5m respectively) representing potential bargains if they can rediscover top form. Declan Rice (£7.5m) offers a reliable blend of goals, assists and defensive contributions, while Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.0m) has attracted 40 percent ownership.
For budget-conscious managers, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m) offers penalty duties and strong underlying numbers at Leeds United, while Brighton's Pascal Gross (£5.5m) remains a solid source of set-piece involvement despite Brighton's European commitments. Defensively, Luke Shaw (£4.5m) and Tyrick Mitchell (£4.5m) provide value, while goalkeeping rotations involving Antonin Kinsky, Bernd Leno, Bart Verbruggen and Carl Rushworth (all £4.5m) present a cost-effective alternative to premium shot-stoppers.
With the season opener between Arsenal and Coventry fast approaching, FPL managers face no shortage of decisions in assembling a squad capable of challenging for top honours across the 38-game campaign.
Based on reporting from The Independent.