Following our look at £4.5m options, £5.0m-£5.5m picks and mid-priced contenders, let’s complete the analysis of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) forwards with those costing at least £7.5m.
In our position-by-position guides, we’ll analyse the main players fighting to make managers’ opening squads.
OVERVIEW
As you’d expect from premium assets, four of last season’s best seven forwards came from this price bracket. Alexander Isak (£10.5m) led the way on 211 points, a number beaten by three midfielders.
A couple of the others were hampered by injury, whereas Cody Gakpo (£7.5m) could’ve built upon 10 goals and five assists had he not been restricted by Liverpool rotation.
So the main disappointments were Nicolas Jackson (£6.5m) and Darwin Nunez (£6.5m). Chelsea’s frustrating forward had some good moments but ended up missing 21 big chances, while the Uruguayan only started eight times.
At the time of writing, there are 12 players now within this price range.
None look likely to leave the Premier League, despite the media’s determination to unsettle Isak. And while there are rumours constantly linking Yoane Wissa (£7.5m) with an exit, we’re talking domestic switches.
Erling Haaland (£14.0m)
Despite having his worst of three FPL seasons, it’ll still cost £14.0m to buy Haaland. That’s to deter managers from having both him and Mohamed Salah (£14.5m).
Then again, even a ‘bad’ campaign brought 22 goals, the joint-most shots on target (59, see below) and second biggest expected goals (xG, 22.01) tally.
Not that it tells the whole story. Back-to-back early hat-tricks helped the Norwegian reach a phenomenal 10 goals by the end of Gameweek 5. But, out of nowhere, a huge barren spell for both himself (three strikes in 13) and Manchester City removed the invincibility.
At least that storm looks to be over. The team picked up some late form to secure Champions League qualification, since adding Rayan Cherki (£6.5m), Rayan Ait-Nouri (£6.0m) and Tijani Reijnders (£5.5m) to their squad. Rodri (£6.5m) is back, too.
A good start versus Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur precedes the Gameweek 6 clash with Burnley. If Haaland can start like last time, suggesting he can return to the average of 40 attacking returns in each of his first two seasons, Haaland could become hard to resist – especially at a cheaper price than Salah.
Ollie Watkins (£9.0m)
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