It’s OK to admit that you’ve already had a play around with your Fantasy Premier League team despite the new season still being weeks away: it’s tough to resist the urge when you’re trying to pass the time after exhausting your social media doom scrolling allowance for the day.
Besides selecting your team name for the upcoming campaign – here’s some inspiration if you’re still stuck – the first port of call is to stockpile your squad with the best and most expensive assets in the game. The Erling Haalands, Harry Kanes and Mo Salahs of the FPL universe.
However, the initial buzz at assembling a squad of FPL All-Stars is quickly replaced by the sobering realisation that in order to fit them all in, you’ll need to pick up a few more affordable options at the opposite end of the price scale. Or as Eric Cantona famously described Didier Deschamps, the water carriers.
You might find that the final two or three slots that need to be filled in your 15-man squad are reserved for the £4m backup keeper or the £4.5m fifth-choice midfielder who will, more often than not, be sat on the substitutes bench.
These players still have a crucial role to play, though, as there will invariably be points in the season when injuries or squad rotation bite. The days of having a strong starting 11 and non-playing backups are long gone, friends.
As such, plenty of thought should go into which ones to get.
Every year there is at least one or two low-cost stars who assume cult hero status for providing a health supply of points at a modest price tag: Andreas Pereira, John Lundstram and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are among those to have cemented their positions in FPL folklore in recent times.
The task, as ever, is to identify one before rival managers jump on the bandwagon. Virtually every player in the game is going to have Haaland, but few will take a punt on a £5m midfielder who looked the part during pre-season.
Our criteria for a “bargain” player per position is as follows: Goalkeeper (£4 to 4.5m), Defender (£4m to £5m), Midfielder (£4.5m to £5.5m), Forward (£4.5m to £5.5m).
Here are 10 to consider for your Gameweek 1 squad:
Amari’i Bell (Luton)
Luton’s left-sided centre back Amari’i Bell is currently in more FPL teams than Reece James, Gabriel Magalhaes and Virgil van Dijk and is the sixth-most popular defender in the game. Why? Well, because he only costs £4m and is one of the first names on Rob Edwards’ teamsheet, that’s why.
Bell started in 46 of the Hatters’ 49 Championship games last season, accumulating more minutes than any other outfield player at the club. Summer signing Mads Andersen could also fit the bill at the same price.
Price: £4m Points in 2022-23: N/A
Pedro Porro (Spurs)
At £5m, Pedro Porro is more pricey than most on this list, but he could be an absolute bargain in a Tottenham side that is expected to be unshackled by Ange Postecoglou.
Despite playing in one of the worst defences in the league last season, Porro was the ninth highest-scoring defender in the game after making his debut in Gameweek 23, providing three goals and three assists in 15 appearances.
Keep an eye out for Destiny Udogie (£4.5m) too. The left-back has returned to Spurs after an exceptional season with Udinese and could be a potential starter with Ryan Sessegnon injured and Ivan Perisic linked with a move elsewhere.
Price: £5m Points in 2022-23: 59
Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth exceeded expectations by comfortably avoiding the drop last season and are a team to watch in 2023-24 following the appointment of highly-rated young manager Andoni Iraola.
One player who could thrive under the Spaniard is Dutch winger Justin Kluivert following his arrival from Roma. The 24-year-old scored six league goals in a struggling Valencia side last season and managed four goals and five assists for Nice the year before.
Price: £5m Points in 2022-23: N/A
Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
Liverpool have regenerated their midfield during pre-season with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai both joining, and while they are both expected to become automatic starters, one of them may have to challenge Curtis Jones for his spot to being with.
The 22-year-old ended the 2022-23 campaign in inspired form with three goals in six matches and carried that momentum into this summer’s U21 European Championship, netting the winner as England’s Young Lions beat Spain.
Price: £5m Points in 2022-23: 52
Alphonse Areola (West Ham)
There is no obvious like-for-like Danny Ward alternative in FPL this season, aka a starting £4m goalkeeper. However, Alphonse Areola looks like the pick of the options at that price tag as there is a chance that he could usurp Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham’s No 1.
Areola has been David Moyes’ regular keeper in Europe over the past two years and played a key role as the Hammers won the Conference League in Prague. One to keep a close eye on.
Price: £4m Points in 2022-23: 7
Carlton Morris (Luton)
If you’re after a cheap forward who is guaranteed to start and poses a goal threat, then perhaps Luton’s Carlton Morris should be on your radar.
Assuming Edwards sticks with a 3-5-2 system in the Premier League, Morris and his strike partner Elija Adebayo (£5m) should cause plenty of problems for opposition defences. Morris scored 20 goals and set up seven more in the Championship last season.
Price: £5m Points in 2022-23: N/A
Danilo (Nottingham Forest)
It’s early days but Morgan Gibbs-White (£6m) is currently far more popular an FPL asset than his midfield colleague Danilo (£5.5m) albeit both are differentials at under five per cent ownership: Gibbs-White is selected by 4.2 per cent of managers and Danilo by just 0.2 per cent.
Crucial as Gibbs-White is to Steve Cooper’s side, the Brazilian is being overlooked. Danilo scored three times and registered an assist in his final five appearances of the season and matches Gibbs-White for shots (with eight) in those fixtures.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2022-23: 48
Julio Enciso (Brighton)
Brighton’s Paraguayan pocket rocket exploded into life during the final weeks of last season, playing a key role as Roberto De Zerbi’s exciting Seagulls secured a historic sixth-placed finish.
Julio Enciso scored three goals and registered two assists in his final 10 appearances. A positional change in FPL should boost his prospects further as he has been reclassified as a midfielder having been previously listed as a forward.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2022-23: 57
Sven Botman (Newcastle)
Considering Newcastle boasted the strongest defensive record in the division last term, it is a big surprise that Sven Botman’s £4.5m price tag has remained intact.
The Dutchman doesn’t offer much of an attacking threat, emphasised by a return of no goals and only two assists in 35 league matches.
However, he kept 13 clean sheets in total and as a result was the eighth-highest scoring defender in the game, more than Pervis Estupinan, Luke Shaw and Andy Robertson, amongst others.
Price: £4.5m Points in 2022-23: 129
Anass Zaroury (Burnley)
Burnley are back, but not as we know them. The Clarets will be a different proposition under Vincent Kompany than they were during the Sean Dyche days; more expansive in attack and possibly more open at the back. Targeting their midfielders and attackers rather than defenders and goalkeeper, could be the way to go.
With last season’s top scorer Nathan Tella still at Southampton, Anass Zaroury looks like the best Burnley pick at the moment. The Morocco international started 34 games in the Championship, combining seven goals with six assists as the Clarets romped to the Championship title.
Price: £5m Points in 2022-23: N/A
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