The start of the season saw Nani as something of an outside bet when weighing up midfield options, with Antonio Valencia the favoured Man United pick. Nani had made just 23 league appearances the previous season compared to Valencia’s 34, and was on the pitch for 1,000+ minutes less; with a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) price of 8.0, his selection was simply too much of a risk for many Fantasy managers.
Valencia’s injury in United’s Champions League match with Rangers, however, changed matters completely and allowed Nani to step up and cement his place as a first-team regular. By gameweek 10, he’d hit double figures four times and had failed to score or assist in just three matches for United. Nani continued to pick up the points hauls and ended with campaign on 198 pts, one of the most surprise top-scoring FPL players in recent seasons.
The Statistics
That 8.0 starting price quickly rocketed, with a leap of 0.9 from gameweek 3-10 indicative of the winger’s growing popularity amongst Fantasy managers. It’s difficult to pick out one single week as his stand-out performance; with eight double points haul for the season in total, Nani offered a brilliant consistency for a long period of time, though it’s worth noting that seven of those eight big scores came at Old Trafford.
He eventually finished the season on 9 goals, 18 assists -the Premier League’s top creator- and was rewarded for his displays in the shape of 25 Bonus Points but, despite this, Nani’s points returns definitely tailed off from gameweek 27; he didn’t find the net from early February onwards and failed to either score or assist in his last five starts for United.
The Prospects
There’s no doubt a fit-again Valencia will raise question marks over both Nani’s number of starts and points returns next season. It’s no coincidence that Nani’s above-mentioned drop in form coincided with Valencia’s return from injury in gameweek 30 and perhaps suggests diminishing returns when the pair take to the field together.
One factor in his favour is Nani’s adaptability; whereas Valencia is suited solely to the right wing role, Nani is just as effective on either flank and his Old Trafford points returns illustrate just how devastating he can be at home. Next season could prove a real source of frustration in that respect; Nani will see a hefty jump in price (10.0 to 10.5 seems more than possible) but with the chances of decreasing game time likely, could prove too pricey a player to have if he’s not guaranteed starts. A repeat of those double-figure points returns, then, could resultantly catch out those Fantasy managers without him in their squads.
