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The Premier League is now 10 days away from commencement. So is one of the most popular fantasy football games on the internet- Fantasy Premier League! In the game, users are given a budget of £100 million to spend on 15 players and every gameweek sees the user select a playing XI from the 15-man squad.
The player's real-life performance is reflected in terms of points in the player's account. For more details and information, click here.
Often, users find it difficult to accommodate all the players of their choice and end up wasting precious points on transfers. The list ahead features three recommended players for goalkeeper position and four each for defenders, midfielders and forwards who can offer great value for money as the season unfolds. The list is in no particular order of preference.
Note- All the information of points scored by players in FPL last season has directly been taken from Fantasy Premier League's official website.
Goalkeepers:
1) Mathew Ryan
Club: Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Price: £4.5m
The Australian shot-stopper had a very good first season in the English top flight last year, helping Brighton avoid relegation in their very first season. He was the 5th best goalkeeper (146 points) in last year's Fantasy premier league (FPL), finishing ahead of more coveted keepers like Hugo Loris, Jordan Pickford and Thibaut Courtois.
Mat Ryan is also good at saving penalties and looks like a steal at £4.5. The goalkeeper is also comfortable with the ball at his feet and like most modern keepers, he is never hesitant to come off his line and sweep up the danger.
Brighton have added to their squad by signing Iranian world cup hero Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Lille's combative midfielder Yves Bissouma, as well as Brazilian, left back Bernardo from RB Leipzig.
Mat Ryan will undoubtedly look to have an even better season this time around and if he can do so he would be a snip at that price. Brighton are definitely not the strongest of teams in the division and might have to contend for premier survival again next season and therefore, a lot depends on the performance of Ryan.
2) Łukasz Fabiański
Club: West Ham United F.C.
Price: £4.5m
The former Arsenal and Swansea goalkeeper has returned to London this season with West Ham after being relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.
The Polish goalkeeper is a seasoned veteran with plenty of Premier League experience under his belt. Despite Swansea being relegated, astonishingly he had the 3rd highest points(157) in FPL last season.
While being impressive at Swansea who were one of the worst teams in the league, he is now surrounded by better personnel who are managed by a seasoned manager in Manuel Pellegrini.
West Ham United have also vastly improved their defence after bringing in reinforcements in the form of Issa Diop. The 33-year-old Polish keeper is one of the best shot-stoppers in the league with lightning quick reflexes and a decent distribution. He is a very cheap and reliable option for the position of goalkeeper for the fantasy players who represents a safe investment at £4.5m.
3) Jordan Pickford
Club: Everton F.C.
Price: £5.0m
Undoubtedly, the star of the list, England's first choice shot-stopper had an impressive World Cup. Pickford aged 24, is a modern goalkeeper with strong shot-stopping attributes combined with more than capable footwork. He first caught the eye at Sunderland during the 2016-17 season, where his scintillating displays could not prevent the Black Cats from going down that season.
He is talented with the ball at his feet which helps start numerous attacks and this could potentially result in an assist or two cometh the end of the season! Goalkeepers are usually cheap and one could always save a pound or two which goes a long way in reinvesting that money towards marquee forwards.
Pickford is a very safe bet at £5.0m as his value will only increase. With Chelsea reportedly interested to acquire him as Courtois' replacement, users need to move fast before his price increases further!
Defenders:
1) Ricardo Perreira
Club: Leicester City F.C.
Price: £5.0m
A summer acquisition from FC Porto, Ricardo Pereira has long been one of the most sought-after fullbacks in Europe. The 24-year-old arrives from Portugal to provide competition to Danny Simpson at right back and can also play further forward on the right wing.
He is very good in attack and loves to go on overlapping runs, has electric pace and is also a strong tackler. He has also previously worked with current Leicester boss Claude Puel at Nice.
The Leicester defence has been reinforced with the signing of Johnny Evans from West Brom and it looks frighteningly strong when paired with Harry Maguire. Add the legs of Pereira and that Leicester defence could become very difficult to breach.
2) Ryan Bertrand
Club: Southampton F.C
Price: £5.0m
A seasoned premier league player now, the Chelsea academy graduate is one of the best left backs in the league. As a defender, he is as complete as they come- sound defensively, more than capable offensively and has great versatility. Bertrand recorded 103 points last season in a Southampton side that were threatened with relegation as he ended up as their top fantasy league scorer.
Even though Southampton's prospects in the upcoming season don't look very good, Bertrand can again be expected to step up.
It is rather surprising that no big club has gone in for him. He certainly has the quality to play for a top-six club in England. Therefore, Ryan Bertrand if opted by Fantasy users, will get a steady return on their investment.
3) Cédric Soares
Club: Southampton F.C
Price: £4.5m
At £4.5m, Cédric Soares is a good squad option. Another Southampton player, the Portuguese is a solid performer- very good defensively and a decent crosser of the ball. Along with his fellow Southampton defender Bertrand, he is a good option to fill your squad with and can be occasionally rotated.
The former Sporting Lisbon right-back has been linked with a move away from St Mary's, and expect rumours to further intensify as he might be a player in demand due to the dearth of solid right backs in the premier league.
4) Patrick van Aanholt
Club: Crystal Palace F.C.
Price: £5.5m
Last season, Crystal Palace fielded one of the best-left flanks in the league. Being defensively solid and ably supporting, Patrick van Aanholt, last season was a good one for the Dutch fullback.
Signed by Crystal Palace from Sunderland, van Aanholt has made the left back position his own. He can also provide good crosses for Christian Benteke who happens to be one of the best strikers in the air in the league, so one can expect some assists from the Dutchman.
Therefore, reasons for his selection in one's fantasy team are his set-piece threat and excellent crossing as he is not seen as the best defender but is certainly useful as a player in your fantasy team as a defender having an output of a winger in certain games. He packs an interesting tactical option for all the players.
Midfielders:
1) Ryan Sessegnon
Club: Fulham F.C.
Price: £6.5m
Tipped for greatness from such an early age, the teenager from Fulham was the Championship player of the year, scoring 16 goals starting as a left back/left midfielder. The 18-year old can play anywhere across the left flank and is also good at Ball retention due to his close control and dribbling ability. In his limited career, he has shown a level of maturity rarely found in players of his age group.
He will surely benefit in terms of goals and assists under manager Slavisa Jokanovic who is known for his attacking brand of football and he will surely encourage Sessegnon to express himself on the field.
Add to the fact that Fulham midfield looks pretty exciting with the additions of Jean Michaël Seri and Cairney, he is surrounded by more than capable personnel. Expect the youngster from Fulham to light up the Premier League this coming season.
2) Robert Kenedy Nunes do Nascimento
Club: Newcastle United F.C. (on loan from Chelsea)
Price: £5.0m
Kenedy had a very successful time in the second half of last season, after arriving on loan from Chelsea in the winter transfer window. He barely played at Chelsea and after spending half a season with Newcastle, the winger racked up a respectable 51 points.
He instantly became fan favorite with the Toon army and their were also rumors of a permanent deal until the lean deal from Chelsea was announced. A direct and pacy winger with typical Brazilian footwork and a rocket of a shot, his return on loan only bodes well for Newcastle's prospects this year.
He has always been a very exciting player and it's a bit of shame that he was never used in his natural position at Chelsea. Instead was kept around as a backup to Marcos Alonso.
He has the lethal combination of supreme athleticism combined with trickery which make him a nightmare to play against for opposition defenders. Robert Kenedy offers a budget option who can potentially be amongst the highest scoring midfielders in FPL.
3) Diogo Jota
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Price: £6.5m
The Portuguese attacking midfielder scored 17 and set up another 5 last season in the Championship. The player's strengths can be listed as dribbling, finishing and vision.He is also quick and can also play as a false nine.
His best position though lies in the half spaces, playing off the striker and doing quick layoffs and combination plays. Wolves' squad has been significantly strengthened by the arrival of the likes of Jimenez, Moutinho and Patricio.
Diogo Jota is a crucial part of an impressive Wolves side who look to cement their top-flight status with their newly formed Portuguese core in their squad.
4) Felipe Anderson Pereira Gomes
Club: West Ham United F.C
Price: £7.0m
Arriving from Lazio, Felipe Anderson is another name who has long been linked with a move to Premier League. Even though he struggled for playing time last season, he remains a very good player and there should be little doubt about his quality. He has repeatedly been linked to clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United, which speaks volumes about his ability.
He has had a scintillating start to life as a Hammer with impressive performances in preseason. Along with being a very good dribbler, he also can hit long rangers.
Anderson can play in multiple positions across the midfield as well as on the wings which Manuel Pellegrini will certainly appreciate. The Brazilian though slightly expensive and riskier option in FPL, has the right characteristics to succeed in the Premier League and the current price may prove to be a bargain in the long run.
Forwards:
1) Wilfried Zaha
Club: Crystal Palace F.C.
Price: £7.0m
Wilfried Zaha racked up 136 points in a struggling Crystal Palace side, providing 9 goals and 7 assists. He has been on the radar of the top premier league clubs for the past couple of seasons and his big move might arrive sooner rather than later.
Capable of playing across the front three, the winger is finally showing why Sir Alex Ferguson brought him in in the first place. He is the main attacking threat in the Palace side and the manager will surely be making plans to set up his team around the Ivorian and getting the best out of him.
He scored 136 points in the FPL last season, better than the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Alvaro Morata and Marcus Rashford and is a very attractive option for the role of forward at £7.0m.
2) Marko Arnautovic
Club: West Ham United F.C.
Price: £7.0m
The Austrian is one of the most lethal forwards in the league. Arnautovic scored 11 goals and provided 7 assists last year which has been his best return in England so far. He is also starting to feature in rumor mills regularly with links to Manchester United. Apart from being a good finisher, Arnautovic possesses some serious flair.
West Ham United have strengthened their midfield options with Jack Wilshere and also have signed Felipe Anderson, a winger of elite category.
With more support for Arnautovic upfront, the Austrian can enjoy an even more prolific goalscoring campaign this time aorund. Arnautovic would also relish playing with Chicharito Hernandez and both will look strike good coordination to help Westham finish higher up the table
3) Ayoze Pérez
Club: Newcastle United F.C.
Price: £6.5m
The French attacker contributed 8 goals and 6 assists to the Newcastle's cause last season. He has been one of the most consistent attackers in the Newcastle lineup. A versatile forward with the ability to play on the wing, behind the striker and even up front, Perez will again be an important player in the Newcastle starting XI.
The Spaniard still has a lot of room of improvement in his overall game but he still represents a decent rotational option one's fantasy squad. He will also have support of Robert Kenedy for the full season and Jonjo Shelvey would love to hit his trademark long range passes to the pair and things could click for Newcastle this season,
4) Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Club: Everton F.C.
Price: £5.5m
The 21-year-old English starlet impressed as a regular first team member for Everton last season. He is good in the air, pacy and tenacious. Judging by the season he's had, he would continue to get more minutes under his belt and would no doubt be a major part of Marco Silva's plans in the near future.
More than the striker's physical and technical attributes, it is his poaching instincts that will serve him well over the long run. This season he might very well establish himself as a regular premier league starter and his potential partnership with Richarlison could cause some serious problems to the opposition. He is a wildcard option and at £5.5m, but the potential returns are too good to resist.
