We continue our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) price list analysis, this time exploring the best £8.0m+ FPL midfielders.
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MOHAMED SALAH
Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) is quite simply one of the best Fantasy assets in FPL.
He was in a bit of a rut before the 2022 World Cup, scoring just six times, but a spectacular finale meant he finished as FPL’s top-scoring midfielder, having been directly involved in 18 goals from March onwards.
As a result, Salah has produced 230+ points in each of his six seasons on Merseyside, highlighting his consistency.
| Season | Starts | Goals | Assists | FPL points |
| 2022/23 | 37 | 19 | 13 | 239 |
| 2021/22 | 30 | 23 | 14 | 265 |
| 2020/21 | 34 | 22 | 6 | 231 |
| 2019/20 | 33 | 19 | 10 | 233 |
| 2018/19 | 37 | 22 | 12 | 259 |
| 2017/18 | 34 | 32 | 12 | 303 |
Still, it’s a tough start for Liverpool in 2023/24, with away trips to both Chelsea and Newcastle United within the first three matches, which is why Salah’s FPL ownership currently sits at a modest 25%.
But nobody does counter-attacks quite like Salah, which is worth factoring in when he faces tougher opposition. It’s also worth noting that he is the standout captain pick in Gameweek 2 according to our points projections, when the Reds host Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
Expected to play 90 minutes most weeks, which can’t be said for other Liverpool attackers such as Diogo Jota (£8.0m), Salah is an excellent option to start the season with.
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MARCUS RASHFORD/BRUNO FERNANDES
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford (£9.0m) recorded a career-high haul of 205 points in 2022/23, scoring 17 Premier League goals, a tally only beaten by Salah in his position.
That figure rose to 30 in all competitions, yet that hasn’t stopped Erik ten Hag from demanding more.
“I think Marcus is capable of scoring 40 goals in a season. For him, that’s the next step. I think there is more to come from Marcus. There’s a lot of room for improvement in his game and I’m convinced he can score even more. When you take, for instance, the last 10 games he didn’t score many goals.” – Erik ten Hag on Marcus Rashford
Ten Hag is right in that Rashford’s form did dip during the run-in, with just three goals scored in his final 11 Premier League outings. However, it’s worth noting he was still averaging a shot every 22.2 minutes in that period, a very decent rate.
Rashford’s home form last term (13 goals in 16 starts) is also worth factoring in, with Man Utd set to play five matches at Old Trafford in the opening eight Gameweeks.
After being somewhat overshadowed by Rashford in 2022/23, Bruno Fernandes will start the new season at just £8.5m.
The Portuguese finished the campaign with a modest eight goals but led the way for chances created in the top flight. It’s also likely he’ll remain on penalties, so he’s an appealing pick, given that he’s a minute’s monster and very rarely gets rested.
Above: Bruno Fernandes ranked ninth among all outfield Premier League players for minutes played (3312) in 2022/23
There is a slight concern Mason Mount’s (£7.0m) arrival could push him a bit deeper, which we’ll need to monitor in pre-season, but even then, Man Utd’s favourable start, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest at home in the first three Gameweeks, will see him pick up plenty of interest.
In short, Fernandes is a hub of creativity and his assist tally should further improve if a quality striker arrives at Old Trafford this summer.
- READ MORE: FPL new signings: What impact will Mount have on Fernandes?
- READ MORE: Rashford v Fernandes: Who is the best pick for FPL 2023/24?
BUKAYO SAKA/MARTIN ODEGAARD/GABRIEL MARTINELLI
Bukayo Saka (£8.5m), Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£8.0m) all finished amongst FPL’s five top-scoring midfielders in 2022/23, with the trio separated by just 14 points.
You probably can’t go wrong with any of them in your team, but with their prices so close, Saka arguably edges it, which is reflected in their early ownership figures:
It means Saka is the most-owned midfielder in FPL (52.5%) at the time of writing, which is no surprise given that he was one of just two players to hit double-figures for both goals and assists last term. He is also on penalties and is Arsenal’s primary corner-taker.
Still, the underlying stats suggest that Odegaard and Martinelli are very viable alternatives.
Despite starting from a deeper position, Odegaard scored 15 goals and assisted eight others in 2022/23, as he reached 212 points. He also ranked top among teammates for expected goal involvement (xGI).
As for Martinelli, it was a breakout season for the Brazilian, who also found the net 15 times. He actually beat Odegaard for assists (nine) but the playmaker had far more bonus points. He may be prone to a spot more rotation next season, but at just 13.8% ownership, feels like he’s being overlooked.
It’s four home matches in six Gameweeks for Arsenal at the start of the campaign, so a Gameweek 1 double-up will be a popular tactic.
- READ MORE: FPL new transfers: Will Havertz be worth buying at Arsenal?
- READ MORE: Arsenal midfielders: Who is the best pick in FPL 2023/24?
OTHER OPTIONS
Son Heung-min (£9.0m) is coming off the back of a disappointing campaign and, as a result, has dropped in price by £3.0m. 22 of his 33 starts ended in blanks, as the South Korean produced only 10 goals, six assists and 152 points.
However, Ange Postecoglou is renowned for attacking football, while the arrival of playmaker James Maddison (£7.5m) will help creatively, even if he does steal some of Son’s set-pieces.
If he starts strongly, expect interest to pick up ahead of Gameweek 3, when Spurs face Bournemouth, Burnley and Sheffield United.
Elsewhere, Kevin De Bruyne (£10.5m) has dropped £1.5m from his 2022/23 starting price and could potentially be fit to start the season, having been named in Manchester City’s 25-man pre-season squad.
His 18 Premier League assists last season was by far the most in the top flight, but he was rotated fairly often by Pep Guardiola in the final weeks.
That should ensure he starts the season as a differential pick, even if he is fit, but the fixtures are very good, for those wanting to go down a different route.
As for Diogo Jota, he looked lively against Karlsruher in midweek, netting two late goals. He also produced a nice assist, but it remains to be seen if he’s first-choice under Jurgen Klopp, making him a much riskier pick.
WHAT RMT THINKS
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