Fantasy Premier League managers were spoiled for choice in the midfield positions last season as numerous low-budget options rose in prominence alongside more established picks.
It will be harder to fill those five slots this time around, though, given plenty of popular assets have risen in price based on their form in 2023-24. Cole Palmer’s price tag has more than doubled, for instance.
Plenty of FPL managers will be attempting creative solutions to squeeze both Erling Haaland and Mo Salah into their teams. It is not impossible to fit both in, but doing so while assembling a balanced squad is tricky given Haaland has risen £1m in price since last season. Most bosses will find themselves prioritising one over the other.
Here are 10 of the best midfielders to consider, covering a range of price points.
Mo Salah (Liverpool)
If you’re in the Team Salah camp, you can be confident of a fast start: Salah always delivers in Gameweek 1. The Egyptian has never failed to produce at least one attacking return in Liverpool’s first Premier League game of a new season. His opening day scores since 2017-18 read: 11 points, eight, 12, 20, 17, 12 and five.
Liverpool have a promising schedule to start their new era under Arne Slot. Their opening six fixtures are against: Ipswich (a), Brentford (h), Manchester United (a), Nottingham Forest (h), Bournemouth (h), Wolves (a). You’d expect a fully refreshed Salah to rack up some big scores in those fixtures.
Price: £12.5m Points in 2023-24: 211
Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
A significant price hike was inevitable after the season that Palmer had. Chelsea’s playmaker and penalty-taking king started the 2023-24 campaign as a Manchester City player valued at just £5m on FPL; he ended it a couple of million pounds pricier and as the highest-scoring player in the game.
Palmer’s FPL fee has more than doubled in less than 12 months, but that hasn’t put FPL managers off buying him. At the time of writing, Palmer is the third most popular asset in the game, only behind two forwards Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak. After contributing 22 goals and 13 assists in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, it is easy to see why he’s a man in demand.
Price: £10.5m Points in 2023-24: 244
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Bukayo Saka has made a year-on-year improvement in FPL since breaking into Arsenal’s team in 2019-20. His final points tallies over the past five campaigns, from first to most recent, read: 71, 114, 171, 202 and 226. With Arsenal’s trajectory mirroring Saka’s, there is no reason why he can’t better last season’s total in 2024-25.
Similarly to Palmer, Saka’s status as first-choice penalty taker boosts his appeal. He scored all six of his attempts in 2023-24 and was also on target for England against Switzerland at the Euros. Currently in around a quarter of FPL squads, Saka is being strangely overlooked at present but is one of the most reliable midfield picks in the game.
Price: £10m Points in 2023-24: 226
Son Heung-min (Spurs)
Son Heung-min’s campaign mirrored that of Tottenham Hotspur’s. The South Korean started it brilliantly, thriving in a central role under Ange Postecoglou, before tailing off after Christmas. The Tottenham skipper looked leggy after returning from the Asia Cup in February.
The 32-year-old has looked sharp in pre-season, though, and interestingly has been used in his favoured left-wing position with Dejan Kulusevski deployed as a false nine.
Son looks more comfortable and effective in that role and if Spurs buy a new striker – Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke has been linked – he looks a great option at £10m.
Price: £10m Points in 2023-24: 213
Phil Foden (Man City)
Managers who have baulked at Haaland’s price tag will have to source a replacement from the Manchester City attack and after his career-best exploits in 2023-24, Phil Foden is the obvious pick.
Foden outperformed his teammate in the standings last time around, bettering his tally by 13 points. A final total of 230 points – thanks to 19 goals and eight assists – was only 14 fewer than Palmer managed and yet the City man is a full £1m cheaper than his one-time club colleague.
Price: £9.5m Points in 2023-24: 230
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Anthony Gordon had a sensational first full season at Newcastle and was especially productive at St James’ Park where the Magpies kick off their 2024-25 campaign against Southampton. Of his 27 attacking returns (11 goals, 16 assists), 22 came in home fixtures.
The winger is attractively priced at £7.5m and can offer great value for money given his ability to provide big returns. If you are planning to pick both Haaland and Salah, Gordon will be easier to accommodate than any of the above midfielders.
Price: £7.5m Points in 2023-24: 183
Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
Oliver Glasner galvanised Crystal Palace after joining in January and while the revitalised Jean-Philippe Mateta was the poster boy for the Eagles’ improved fortunes under the Austrian, Eberechi Eze also excelled.
The England international scored six goals and provided three assists in 11 games under Glasner and with Michael Olise now playing his football at Bayern Munich Eze’s importance to the side will increase even further.
Price: £7m Points in 2023-24: 136
Mohammed Kudus (West Ham)
West Ham possess plenty of firepower with Niklas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville joining Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus in an exciting four-pronged attack.
There’s bound to be some rotation, but Kudus is too good not to be a key player under Julen Lopetegui. The Ghanaian had an encouraging debut year in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and registering nine assists. He looks slightly underpriced at £6.5m.
Price: £6.5m Points in 2023-24: 137
Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham)
Emile Smith Rowe needed to leave Arsenal this summer to invigorate a career that has stalled. A move to Fulham gives him the chance to rediscover his top form in his home city.
Buying Smith Rowe for Gameweek 1 is undoubtedly a punt considering he has barely played in two years and will have to adapt to Marco Silva’s system. However, he is favourably priced at £5.5m and produced 10 goals and two assists in the 2021-22 season when he was a regular starter for the Gunners.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2023-24: 25
Ben Brereton Diaz (Southampton)
Here’s a differential option to finish with. Ben Brereton Diaz has joined newly-promoted Southampton on a permanent deal from Villarreal and is expected to alternate with captain Adam Armstrong on the left and in the middle of the front three positions in Russell Martin’s favoured 4-3-3 formation.
The Chile international performed well in a struggling Sheffield United side in the second half of last season, scoring six goals and setting another one up in only 14 appearances.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2023-24: 62
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