The Window Wish List

As the transfer window swings open, the rumour mill is beginning to pick up pace as clubs start to splash the cash. With the unveiling of the Fantasy player lists perhaps just a fortnight away, we take a look at a handful of assets already known to us, whose Fantasy prospects may well be reinvigorated if they can successfully negotiate summer moves.

Wayne Rooney
Having registered his best ever Fantasy Premier League (FPL) tally in 2011/12, the United forward looked primed to play a key part in our Fantasy seasons last time out. Rooney’s 27 goals, eight assists and 37 bonus points harvested a total of 230 points and earned the former Everton forward a 12.0 starting price prior to the beginning of the previous campaign. Costly, no doubt, but Rooney looked worth the outlay if he could replicate his returns – ultimately, though, Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to purchase Robin Van Persie may have been pivotal to the Red Devils title win but it left Rooney looking for the exit door in light of the Dutchman’s displays.

In a season that saw injuries limit his game time to just 22 starts, Rooney’s prospects were also blighted by a shift to a more withdrawn role behind the former Arsenal man. Factor in Ferguson’s decision to occasionally hand him a central midfield berth and the loss of spot-kicks to Van Persie and Rooney looked a shadow of his former self – devoid of self-belief, he produced just one assist from Gameweek 30 onwards, missing the last two games after slapping in a transfer request.

With David Moyes now taking the reins, the uncertainty over Rooney’s future is gathering – the pair’s past legal battle lends weight to the idea that Rooney may decide to look for a fresh start elsewhere. Rumours of a move to Arsenal are building in momentum as the summer unfolds and with Arsene Wenger looking to spend big, his acquisition has the potential to be huge for Fantasy managers. It’s likely Rooney would be fielded in “the hole”, with Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott on either side but a drop in price to 11.5 or even 11.0 could well be on the cards after last year’s disappointment – if this transfer comes to fruition it would not only have a significant effect on Arsenal’s prospects but is likely to have a major knock-on effect on the Fantasy landscape as we know it.

Leighton Baines
With a £10 million bid already declined, Baines’ potential move to Old Trafford looks set to be a summer saga that will run until the season kick-off.

It’s highly debatable whether an eventual move to United would benefit Baines in Fantasy terms. The Everton stalwart has consistently presented the most attacking and creative option from full-back to Fantasy managers in recents seasons but has perhaps suffered from stuttering clean sheet returns. While a late flurry of shut-outs helped Baines to again establish himself as the top scoring Fantasy defender last term, there is a school of thought that suggests that Baines would benefit from starts in a United defence perhaps more assured of defensive returns.

There is also the theory that Baines’ persistent supply of crosses from the left would be converted with greater regularity by the likes of Robin Van Persie and Javier Hernandez. More clean sheets and assists are a possibility, then, and with Baines’ price already set to figure at the very top of the defender listings, it’s difficult to see how the various games can counter this potential with a further price rise.

On the other side of the coin, Baines’ security of starts will perhaps take a dent with David Moyes likely to be treated to greater rotation options around Champions League ties. With speculation on Patrice Evra’s future beginning to mount, there is, however, gathering optimism that Baines would gain the left-back berth unopposed, aside from the occasional appearance from Alex Buttner. It would seem unlikely that Baines would benefit from spot-kicks, however, with Van Persie installed as United’s designated taker last term. While the Dutchman and Golden Boot winner will surely keep penalty duties, he may well cede a portion of corners and free-kicks to the left-back – a scenario that could have a detrimental effect on both players’ potential for the season ahead should Baines follow Moyes to Manchester.

Demba Ba
It was a case of déjà vu for the Senegal striker last time round after he failed to build on a strong first half of the season. In 2011/12, the arrival of Papiss Cisse to Newcastle proved detrimental to Ba’s prospects from January onwards as he was shifted onto the flank in a 4-3-3 but last term it was a switch to Stamford Bridge that significantly damaged his Fantasy appeal. Moved to a central role by Alan Pardew for the start of 2012/13, Ba racked up 13 goals, three assists and 18 FPL bonus points in the opening 20 Gameweeks for the Magpies but subsequently produced two goals, an assist and four bonus points over 14 games for Chelsea, with only three of those appearances arriving from the bench.

With Jose Mourinho back at the Bridge, question marks are already hovering over Ba’s future. The Blues boss is rumoured to be closing in on a deal for Edinson Cavani and with Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku both vying for the lone forward spot, reports in yesterday’s Sunday Times indicate Steve Clarke is looking to bring Ba in on loan for the season. Clarke’s previous spell at the Bridge helped him acquire Lukaku last time round and the Baggies boss is hopeful his close ties with Mourinho can help solve his striking dilemma, in light of Lukaku’s return to the Blues. Ba’s poor second half to the season is likely to ensure his price remains relatively kindly across the Fantasy games – if he starts at a cost similar to last term’s 7.5, a spell at the Hawthorns could still provide us with strong value if he can rediscover his Newcastle form.

Darren Bent
Paul Lambert’s penchant for a lone striker system at Villa makes the 29-year-old surplus to requirements, with Christian Benteke firmly in the driving seat after last term’s 19-goal haul. With new boy Nicklas Helenius also waiting in the wings, Bent desperately needs to revitalise his career after being handed a mere eight starts in Lambert’s first season in charge. Having racked up 41 goals over the 2009/10 and 2010/11 campaigns (195 and 158 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) points respectively), Bent’s penalty box abilities have served us well in times gone by – he even managed nine goals in 21 starts in Alex McLeish’s ill-fated term in charge before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury.

According to the media, Bent is very much a man in demand. Newcastle, Fulham, Palace and Hull are all said to be eyeing up a move for the nomadic frontman, with the Magpies perhaps looking front runners to win the race. If Bent remains at Villa until the player price lists are revealed across the Fantasy games, he should come in around the mid-price mark and drop significantly from last season’s initial FPL 8.5 price tag. A cost around 6.5 to 7.0 could well be superb value if Bent does subsequently end up at Newcastle but may scupper his prospects if he moves to Hull or Palace. A possible transfer to Fulham would likely prove detrimental to Dimitar Berbatov’s prospects – the Bulgarian flourished as the most advanced forward in his debut season at the Cottage but would shift to a more withdrawn role to accommodate Bent if Martin Jol decides to swoop.

Peter Odemwingie
A bit-part player at the Baggies in Steve Clarke’s first season at the Hawthorns, the Nigerian made the headlines for all the wrong reasons after his attempt to push through a winter move to QPR backfired. Odemwingie took the top-flight by storm in his debut campaign at West Brom back in 2010/11, racking up 15 goals and 171 FPL points and, while he managed double figures in his second year at the club, revealed he struggled under Roy Hodgson’s guidance.

Although he has just one year of his contract, the club are looking for £4 million for his services, with Hull, Palace and Swansea all circling. If he’s still at the Hawthorns when the player lists are revealed, a starting price of 6.0 in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) – the same as Shane Long last term – looks likely but his classification will be key. Certainly, given that he was only selected on the flank under Clarke, there’s an argument for his re-classification as a midfielder, in a situation similar to Arsenal’s Gervinho last season, for example. This would certainly boost his appeal, while a move to Hull or Palace would offer greater guarantee of game time, with Swansea perhaps more prone to rotation on the flanks in light of their upcoming Europa League program.

Victor Moses
A goal and assist was the sum total of the Nigerian’s league returns in his debut season at Chelsea. Handed 12 starts and 11 sub appearances over the 2012/13 campaign, Moses’ impact was minimal to say the least and with Andre Schurrle now added to the Blues’ wing options, he looks to have fallen further down the pecking order as Jose Mourinho takes the reins again. With Juan Mata and Oscar likely to contest for the position “the hole”, Schurrle will battle it out with Eden Hazard on the flanks and, with Mourinho looking to integrate Kevin De Bruyne to the first-team squad this year, the former Wigan man faces a real battle for game time. Factor in Ramires’ versatility on the right and Moses may well be best served with a move away from the Bridge ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Already, he’s been linked with a move to Everton as former Latics boss Roberto Martinez looks to freshen up his first-team squad. Moses earned 140 points in his final season under Martinez at the DW and looks set to come in around 6.5 in FPL next term after producing a dismal 56 points. If Martinez opts for a 3-4-3, however, it remains to be seen just what impact Moses’ potential arrival would have on Kevin Mirallas, with the Belgian currently looking in pole position for the right wing role.

Grant Holt
The Norwich frontman finds himself in something of a quandary following the arrival of Ricky Van Wolfswinkel at Carrow Road. Holt started 28 of his side’s matches and also made six sub appearances but with Chris Hughton preferring a lone striker system, his chances of regular game time look to have dropped. With potential new boy Ola Toivonen offering versatility in “the hole” or up front, Hughton is clearly looking to improve upon a scoring record of 41 goals last time out – although Holt notched in each of the final three Gameweeks, he found the net just eight times over the entire season, more than any team mate.

Crystal Palace are believed to be interested and are in the market for a forward, with last term’s top scorer Glenn Murray expected to be sidelined until Christmas. A move to Selhurst Park would certainly bolster Holt’s chances, with spot-kicks also likely to be guaranteed, though if he’s still at Carrow Road when the price lists are revealed, a cost of around 6.5 may well deter investors – nevertheless, a debut season haul of 15 goals and 138 FPL points in 2011/12 serve a reminder of his potential when established as a regular starter.

Scott Sinclair
A move to Man City towards the end of last season’s summer transfer window proved disastrous for the winger. Sinclair climbed off the bench to score in Swansea’s Gameweek 1 hammering of QPR but after signing on at the Etihad, was afforded a mere 198 minutes for the rest of the season. Having produced 151 points for the Swans in 2011/12, Sinclair’s price was boosted to 7.0 in FPL last year but can be expected to drop in price across the Fantasy games in light of his season of inactivity.

Currently on the way to recovery from a shoulder operation, he is expected to be ready for the start of the new campaign and is firmly on West Brom’s radar, with a year-deal loan deal a distinct possibility, according to the press. With Odemwingie looking for a way out and Jerome Thomas also likely to move on, Steve Clarke is desperate to bolster his wing options and a move to the Hawthorns could reignite Sinclair’s appeal, with the possibility of spot-kicks also on the agenda.

Yossi Benayoun
The Israeli has also been linked with a move to West Brom after being released on a free by Chelsea earlier this summer. Despite his talents, Benayoun has struggled to nail down a regular role during his time in the top-flight – his most successful season was in 2008/09, where he produced eight goals, four assists and 124 points over 21 starts at Liverpool.

With only two of his midfield mustering more than three assists last term, Steve Clarke clearly requires more creativity in his second season at the helm. A starting price of around 5.5 to 6.0 seems likely if such a move transpires, though whether the 33-year-old Benayoun can nail down a starting berth is another matter altogether. A role tucked in behind a lone striker would seem the most likely position granted the Israeli – an outcome that would certainly dent the appeal of midfield mainstay, James Morrison.

Jonjo Shelvey
Without a goal or assist in 19 appearances (nine starts and 10 games off the bench), the midfielder’s lack of impact under Brendan Rodgers was all too apparent last time out. As the Liverpool manager sets about reshaping his side, the 21-year-old is reported to be in talks with Swansea over a potential move to the Liberty as Michael Laudrup looks to bolster his first-team squad. Recent reports also link Shelvey with potential moves to West Ham and Norwich.

Shelvey’s versatility could work in his favour if he moves on – he has the potential to be fielded in a more withdrawn role but could also be pushed forward into “the hole” at Swansea if Michael Laudrup chooses to rest Michu or field him as a lone striker. Similarly, Chris Hughton’s established 4-5-1 could allow Shelvey a role pushed up behind a lone striker. A starting price of around 5.5 in the FPL looks likely, regardless of whether Shelvey stays at Anfield or moves prior to the player lists publish dates.

The Best of the Rest
An array of loan deals, bringing several starlets into focus could well be on the cards. Chelsea’s Nathaniel Chalobah is a case in point: the youngster impressed during a season-long loan spell at Watford last term, grabbing five goals from 38 appearances as Gianfranco Zola’s side made it to the Championship play-off final. Classified as a defender across the Fantasy games last term, Chalobah’s versatility saw him utilised in midfield by the Hornets. If Jose Mourinho decides to farm him out in order to gain further experience, Chalobah may afford Fantasy managers a real cut-price backline option with out of position potential – a move to one of the promoted sides would elevate him further.

United’s Nick Powell is another prospect who could be in line for a loan deal, with both Hull and Crystal Palace perhaps positioned to consider a move given Steve Bruce’s connections at Old Trafford and Ian Holloway’s route in following Wilfred Zaha’s transfer to Old Trafford. Powell is a player widely tipped to establish himself as a Premier League regular and future full international. A midfielder thought to have both goals and assists in his locker, it will be interesting to plot Powell’s progress this term. A loan move to the Championship is perhaps his most likely destination, along with fellow United starlet, Adnan Januzaj.