Last season’s top scorer in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) became this campaign’s major transfer market soap opera.
But now that Alexis Sanchez’s protracted move away from Arsenal has finally led him to Old Trafford, is it time he also made an appearance in Fantasy squads?
His 11.7 price tag represents a major challenge to our budgets, particularly as it remains unclear just how Jose Mourinho will fit his new man into a midfield already featuring the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.
Do we feel that, ultimately, one of those players will benefit from Sanchez’s arrival? Or are Lingard owners wise to consider selling in lieu of rotation?
And what about the other player involved in the swap deal, Henrikh Mkhitaryan?
Is the Armenian more likely to emerge as an option now that he’s at an Arsenal side where, presumably, there won’t be a ‘breakdown of trust’ between man and manager? And if so, how long before we consider him?
Last season’s FPL title winner Ben Crabtree, runner-up Uwais Ahmed and Career Hall of Fame luminaries Jay Egersdorff and Peter Kouwenberg – along with Mark – have been handed the latest Burning Question – how do we react to the Sanchez Swap deal?
Jay Says…
It’s a big “wait and see” for me.
There’s no question over Sanchez’s ability and FPL pedigree, but with Spurs away first up, it makes sense to me to take the opportunity to see how he fits into their side.
As with many of the top team’s attacking assets, rotation is sadly inevitable, so while this could limit the minutes of Pogba, Martial and Lingard, I’d be more concerned if I was a Romelu Lukaku owner because Sanchez now really does offer Mourinho a world-class alternative.
Lingard is in my team and I still feel he’s worth holding until his first team chances are clearer, given his excellent value for money.
Ironically, all the talk has been of Sanchez, but it’s Mkhitaryan’s move to Arsenal that probably intrigues me more.
FPL managers love a bargain and, at 7.6, with a Sanchez-shaped hole to fill and a massive point to prove, it may well be the Armenian who becomes the must-have option as we move into the final third of the season.
Ben Says…
The Sanchez-Mkhitaryan swap could be a game changer.
Those who quickly jump on Sanchez could be in for huge rewards should he start to mould the new template around himself.
Those that dawdle could end up in no man’s land, with a free-falling rank and taking multiple hits to acquire an even more expensive Sanchez down the line.
My instinct says that Lukaku will benefit as well as Sanchez and add to the simmering list of big-hitters preparing for a lucrative run of form. Pogba should also enjoy Sanchez’s movement as a source of assists and will continue to provide great value.
An expensive double-up on the Man United attack may be common before the season is out, with Lingard owners likely to be forced into a trade.
I’ll give him time in case he also benefits from Sanchez and can return to the form when he was a sparsely-owned bargain.
The other side of the swap deal could also reinvent Mkhitaryan as a great value midfielder.
Arsenal’s style and Arsene Wenger’s use of Mkhitaryan-type players suggests that he could thrive.
Given the price, my current team and a dodgy Marko Arnautovic hamstring, Mkhitaryan is the most likely player I’ll be able to purchase first.
I have alternatives at the moment, so I’ll give all players affected by this transfer at least one week before I choose in which direction to steer my ship.
Peter Says…
If ever there was a case for waiting to see, this is surely it.
Sanchez, an FPL juggernaut, sits just outside the top ten midfielders on overall points, despite a seemingly distracted and frustrated campaign to date.
His points per 90 minutes have fallen well below the last three seasons’ averages of 7.7, 6.1 and 6.3 to a “meagre” 5.8.
I’m confident that Sanchez will be a big hit at Old Trafford – he averaged virtually a goal a game at Arsenal – and forthcoming fixtures against Huddersfield and Newcastle suggest that he could hit the ground running and benefit the early bird manager who brings him in ahead of the crowd.
Personally, I will be monitoring where he fits in at United, and also whether the better value options in midfield (Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez Mahrez to name but a few) continue to fire.
Despite recent question marks around the likes of Richarlison, Lingard and Arnautovic, those midfield slots remain highly competitive and Sanchez is going to have to post some pretty impressive scores to justify the outlay.
Speaking of value, Mkhitaryan is another one to monitor.
I’m a big fan of the Armenian and had him in for the first few weeks of the season as he started to show some of his 2015-16 Borussia Dortmund form.
As with Sanchez, I’m intrigued to see how his new club accommodates him, with Wenger sometimes hesitant to throw his new charges into battle early on.
But with consistent pitch-time, Mkhitaryan absolutely will be on my radar. Just no more than that for now.
Uwais Says…
The initial thoughts on the deal was that it suited both clubs. In terms of Fantasy, it also opens up various possibilities.
Arsenal have another good offensive option and, regardless of the formation that Wenger fields, Mkhitaryan should slot in alongside Mesut Özil to create and convert attacking opportunities.
I don’t envisage Alex Iwobi as a consistent starter now that Mkhitaryan has arrived and, with the Armenian no doubt fully motivated to show his worth given his frustrating time in the Premier League, his price tag as an attacking Arsenal option is well worth considering.
With Sanchez, however, I would urge a little caution.
Not only do we need to see where he lines up, I also feel his price is one that is prohibitive for the many FPL managers working hard to fit Harry Kane and Manchester City assets into their teams.
There has been talk that the Chilean will line up on the right side of the midfield three, behind Lukaku, but I anticipate him playing directly behind the Belgian, with Lingard sharing pitch-time with Mata on the right side.
But nobody knows for sure yet, and given the outlay required, that’s an expensive jump on a bandwagon when we have little evidence of how he fits into the United line-up.
It would be prudent to see how things shape up against both Yeovil Town tonight and in the tough trip to Spurs before we ramp up our interest.
Mark Says…
One Gameweek on from Sergio Aguero reminding us of his heavy-hitter status, we’re handed an opportunity to re-assess Sanchez.
Potentially, the Chilean could have the bigger say on the rest of our season.
But once again his price tag is the obstacle and, while Aguero is a big fish in a small pond, Sanchez finds himself swimming alongside a cast of midfield alternatives at his new club and beyond.
I don’t doubt that he will inject more goals and attacking intent into United and, as a knock-on, that will surely benefit the likes of Pogba, Martial and Lingard.
The problem is, it could take weeks before the situation becomes clearer.
I don’t expect tonight’s appearance in the FA Cup, or even Wednesday’s against Spurs, to shed any light on the situation.
Jose Mourinho has fielded a second string line-up around Sanchez at Yeovil and will likely adopt a more defensive stance and formation at Spurs, so we will need more than these two matches give us.
It has to be a watching brief for now, and I’m hoping that one of the three cheaper United options blossoms and earns assured starts alongside their new team-mate.
If anything, Mkhitaryan is more likely to turn my head.
I benefited from his early season form and I’d be willing to revisit his talents if he can settle in the Arsenal attack.
The season run-in is very favourable, and if he can be re-united with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the value on offer could prove irresistible.
