You’d need the sales techniques of Jordan Belfort to convince Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers that many of the £5.0m-£5.5m midfielders are worth buying.
There are an eye-watering 151 options in this tier – and you could argue that there’s not a single one that really stands out.
Anyone playing 4-5-1/3-5-2 will mostly be looking at midfield options £6.0m and above; anyone playing a 3-4-3/4-4-2 may only be able to afford/want one of the cheapest starting options like Marvelous Nakamba (£4.5m).
But enough of the doom-mongering – here is the best of what we could find in the £5.0m-£5.5m bracket.
DWIGHT MCNEIL
From Gameweek 22 of last season onwards, Dwight McNeil (£5.5m) banked more Premier League attacking returns (nine) and FPL points (86) than any other midfielder now available for less than £6.0m.
He was also top for chances created (37), big chances created (nine), shots on target (13) and expected goal involvement (6.82).
Gameweek 22 isn’t an arbitrary start date – it’s the point at which Sean Dyche took over at Everton.
The former Burnley boss made his new side a big threat at corners and free-kicks: Everton were third for xG from set plays after his appointment.
And McNeil took many of those set pieces, delivering more successful corners (20) than anyone else in this article.
Dyche even managed to get the winger’s rate of shots up from one every 76 minutes (Gameweeks 1-21) to one every 47 minutes (Gameweeks 22-38).
Above: Dwight McNeil’s shots before (left) and after (right) Sean Dyche’s arrival
While the likes of Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) quickened the pulse in the budget midfield bracket in 2022/23, the selection of McNeil will have many reaching for the defibrillator paddles.
But while he lacks that ‘sexiness’ as an FPL asset, he’s a dependable sort who lasted 90 minutes in 17 of the 18 matches Dyche has overseen. The opening fixtures are very decent, too, particularly at Goodison Park.
ANTHONY GORDON
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