FPL GW5 ideas: Midfielder rapidly changing into ‘should have’ and earlier deadline revealed
With one more game week to go before the bumper three week international break, managers will no doubt be scrambling around for transfer advice ahead of this evening’s deadline.
Well, don’t fear because The Daily Star has all the top expert advice for you right here, allowing you to get the big calls right before the 6:30pm cut off.
Don’t go Fulham crazy just yet
A lot of FPL managers are considering going heavy on Fulham players over the next few weeks, but we reckon they should be cautious of going overboard on some Cottagers.
Fulham have flattered to deceive so far(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Fulham have one of the most attractive fixture runs in the Premier League coming up, but that doesn’t mean FPL managers should immediately start piling into Álvaro Arbeloa’s squad.
After Manchester United this weekend, the Cottagers take on Ipswich, Hull and Coventry before a trip to Aston Villa. On paper, it’s the sort of run that should have fantasy managers licking their lips.
There’s just one problem: Fulham have looked pretty average.
They have taken just one point from their opening four league matches and conceded seven goals, although their underlying numbers suggest performances haven’t been quite as disastrous as the results.
So rather than loading up on Fulham players, it might be worth picking out one or two who can provide genuine value.
Josh King (£5.5m) is comfortably the standout.
Josh King has sparkled so far this season(Image: Mike Hewitt, Getty Images)
The youngster has started all four league games, scoring twice and returning 22 FPL points already. He has also produced around 1.6 expected goal involvements, which suggests there is at least some substance behind his impressive start.
At just £5.5m, King doesn’t need to become Cole Palmer overnight to justify his place in your squad. If he can keep starting and chipping in with returns against some very favourable opposition, he could prove to be an excellent enabler.
Antonee Robinson (£4.5m) is another worth considering.
Fulham haven’t exactly screamed clean sheets so far, but Robinson offers more going forward than most defenders around his price point. Perhaps most interestingly, he is also believed to be among Fulham’s penalty options.
A £4.5m defender potentially taking spot-kicks is always going to get our attention.
On the other hand, the likes of Bobb, Palacios, and Kevin are probably avoids, especially considering none are entirely nailed in the first team.
Is it Free Hit time?
Managers may be considering a free hit(Image: Getty Images)
We think there is also a decent argument for playing the Free Hit this weekend.
Arsenal, Bournemouth and Chelsea all have difficult fixtures, meaning plenty of the players who have been carrying our FPL teams through the opening weeks suddenly look far less appealing.
Then there is the case of the injured João Pedro (£7.8m), who you definitely won’t want to sell as is likely back of the break, but looks likely to burn a big hole on your bench in a week where points could be hard to come by.
Cherki could become a must-have
If you’re shopping for a midfielder, Rayan Cherki (£7.8m) is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
The Manchester City star has been an output machine whenever he has been given minutes, already producing two goals and two assists despite playing just over 200 minutes in the league.
Rayan Cherki looks an even more appealing asset after Phil Foden’s suspension (Image: Getty Images)
And the biggest concern surrounding Cherki has always been minutes rather than talent.
Phil Foden’s suspension suddenly makes that less of an issue and gives the Frenchman a much clearer pathway into Pep Guardiola’s starting XI.
At £7.8m, he isn’t bargain-bin cheap anymore, but if the minutes become reliable then Cherki could quickly go from an interesting differential to a must-have.
Josko Gvardiol (£5.7m) is another City player who looks seriously tempting. He offers access to their defence while carrying considerably more attacking threat than your average centre-back.
If you’re currently sitting there with barely any City coverage, this could be the moment to change that.
Sometimes the best transfer is no transfer
And finally, don’t burn a transfer just because you have one.
There is a big international break coming after this weekend, which means injuries, knocks and unexpected selection problems are almost inevitable.
If your team looks fine and there isn’t an obvious move staring you in the face, save it.
Having extra transfers available when everyone returns battered from international duty could be far more valuable than making a sideways move now just for the sake of it.
