Bruno Fernandes (£9.4m) looks set for a spell out after sustaining a hamstring injury at Villa Park on Sunday.
Owned by over a quarter of all FPL managers, and around three-quarters of the top 100k, the Manchester United playmaker’s injury has already driven over 250,000 sales.
In this article, we take a look at five of the best replacements, along with some other alternatives.
We’ve not included Phil Foden (£8.9m) or Antoine Semenyo (£7.7m) here, who are already the two most-owned midfielders in the game.
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MATHEUS CUNHA (£8.0m)
One Manchester United midfielder out, another in?
The Red Devils have been largely inconsistent in recent weeks. Their last eight matches have produced two wins, four draws and two defeats.
Despite that mixed run, the goals have continued to arrive. Ruben Amorim’s side have scored at least twice in five of those eight fixtures, which highlights their attacking upside.
That threat shows clearly in the data. Manchester United midfielders remain among the liveliest in the league. Four currently rank inside the top 10 for non-penalty expected goal involvement (NPxGI, below) this season, underlining their appeal from an FPL perspective.
One of those midfielders is the player in focus here, Matheus Cunha (£8.0m). It remains unclear how the absence of Bryan Mbeumo (£8.1m), Amad Diallo (£6.3m), and the injured Bruno Fernandes will impact Manchester United as a whole.
What does look secure, though, is his role. Minutes should remain steady, barring injury. Penalty duties may also fall his way, which would further boost his appeal. That added responsibility increases his chances of improving on the three goals and one assist he has already delivered this season.
His shot count has gone through the roof in the last three Gameweeks, too (see below). Attempts (one being his goal) continued to arrive at Villa Park, even with Mbeumo and Amad absent and Bruno off the field.
His short-term fixture run is also very appealing. The hosting of rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers, alongside away trips to second-bottom Burnley and Leeds United, raise his potential considerably. Even Newcastle United at home isn’t as tricky a fixture as it might be: the Magpies have won only once on the road in 2025/26.
DECLAN RICE (£7.1M)
Recent draws against Sunderland and Chelsea, combined with a defeat to Aston Villa and narrow wins in Gameweeks 16 and 17, have raised question marks over Arsenal’s recent form.
Even so, the Gunners remain two points clear of Manchester City at the top. That gap highlights just how firmly they remain engaged in the title race.
Motivation should not be in doubt across the upcoming schedule. Mikel Arteta’s side face testing fixtures on paper, with clashes against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United across their next six matches. While we FPL managers may covet the ‘flat-track bully’ games, there’s less chance of our assets getting handed seasonal rests in a match against title rivals than, say, a home encounter with relegation candidates.
And it’s not like those trickier opponents haven’t shown defensive vulnerabilities. Even in-form Villa have only kept one clean sheet, against a shocking Wolves side, in the last six Gameweeks.
So, enter Declan Rice (£7.1m) – or, if you’ve got the budget, Bukayo Saka (£10.3m).
There has been little to separate the two so far this season. Rice has collected more points, but Saka has logged fewer minutes due to injury.
Even with reduced game time, Saka has almost doubled Rice’s NPxGI. That gap highlights his superior attacking potential and suggests he is more likely to deliver returns over the long term.
However, Rice comes in at over £3.0m cheaper and continues to post strong defensive numbers. He has averaged between 10 and 11 defensive contributions per 90 minutes this season. On corners, he also carries plenty of assist potential.
Picking Rice also frees the budget to upgrade a cheap forward to the increasingly appealing Hugo Ektike (£8.8m) ahead of his good upcoming fixtures.
FLORIAN WIRTZ (£8.0M)
After a rollercoaster first three months of 2025/26, Liverpool arrive unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions and head into the upcoming period on the back of three straight wins. The signs suggest they are beginning to rediscover their rhythm, even if it’s not totally convincing yet.
That timing could work well for FPL managers.
An away trip to league leaders Arsenal is far from ideal, but Liverpool face four of the league’s weakest defences (see below) across their next five fixtures, which keeps their assets firmly in focus.
Game time has been the main concern surrounding Florian Wirtz (£8.0m) this season. Rotation and injury have limited his involvement, with the German failing to start five of Liverpool’s 17 league matches so far.
That picture has improved significantly in recent weeks. Wirtz has now started five league matches in a row, helped in part by squad injuries. The continued absence of Cody Gakpo (£7.3m) and Alexander Isak (£10.3m) should further secure his minutes.
But he’d arguably be in the side on merit, too, with his performances growing ever more convincing by the week.
Two assists arrived over the last four Gameweeks, during which time he’s been among the top five midfielders for chances created (CC, below):
That uptick, combined with a favourable run of fixtures, could signal the start of more consistent returns for Wirtz in the weeks ahead.
ANTHONY GORDON (£7.3M)
Newcastle United are another side who have struggled to find consistency this season. The Magpies currently sit 11th in the table, with a poor away record playing a major role in that position.
From an attacking perspective, there is room for improvement. Eddie Howe’s side rank around mid-table for goals scored.
However, the underlying numbers remain encouraging. Newcastle sit inside the top eight for key attacking metrics such as big chances created and shots on target, which offers a positive outlook moving forward.
With that in mind, there is plenty to be optimistic about moving forward for Newcastle. Upcoming fixtures against Burnley away, Leeds United at home and Wolverhampton Wanderers away pit them against some of the league’s weakest defences. Even meetings with Manchester United (one clean sheet all season) and a recently leaky Crystal Palace could present opportunities.
From an FPL perspective, Anthony Gordon (£7.3m) looks like one of the strongest routes into the Newcastle attack. As the designated penalty taker, he carries added upside.
Minutes have been an issue at times this season. Gametime is not fully secure, with Harvey Barnes (£6.2m) waiting in reserve. Even when Gordon starts, a substitution around the 70-minute mark is to be feared.
Three consecutive league starts suggest he may be re-establishing himself in the starting XI, even if it’s not as a 90-minute man. That increased involvement has translated into returns. Gordon has delivered two goals and two assists across his last four matches, with those two strikes admittedly coming from the spot.
While early-ish substitutions are to be expected, it’s worth pointing out that Newcastle’s fixture turnaround times over Christmas and New Year (see below) are among the four most forgiving in the division. Friday-Tuesday-Sunday looks very manageable in Gameweeks 18-20, especially. Three starts could yet be within reach.
RAYAN CHERKI (£6.6m)
Manchester City have now recorded seven consecutive league wins as they continue to chase Arsenal at the top of the table.
Pep Guardiola’s side have scored at least three goals in five of those fixtures, underlining just how relentless they have been in attack.
It is hard to label any fixture above as restrictive given Manchester City’s current form. A run that includes Nottingham Forest away, Brighton & Hove Albion at home, Manchester United away and Wolves at home offers plenty of scope for attacking returns across the next six Gameweeks.
While he does not stand out as strongly as some teammates for underlying metrics, Rayan Cherki (£6.6m) remains an interesting option. He ranks second among City midfielders for attacking returns this season, with eight in total.
Seven of those have come in the form of assists, and it’s creativity, rather than goalscoring, where most of his points will come from.
Above: Among midfielders with more than 500 minutes of game-time, Cherki has the best rate of chances created this season
The Frenchman has now started and played over 60 minutes in three consecutive league matches for the first time this campaign. Pep Guardiola has, amazingly, also made fewer starting XI changes than any other Premier League manager in the last eight Gameweeks.
Price is another key factor. A move from Bruno Fernandes to Cherki frees up significant funds, potentially enabling multiple upgrades elsewhere.
With heavy ownership around Erling Haaland (£15.0m) and Phil Foden (£8.9m), Man City gains can be hard to come by if they deliver as expected. Cherki offers a differential route into a red-hot attack, with upside if his minutes continue to improve.
ALSO CONSIDER
There are several alternatives available for Bruno Fernandes owners looking to move on. Another is the in-form Morgan Rogers (£7.2m).
In-form Aston Villa have now won 10 consecutive matches across all competitions, which keeps their attacking assets firmly on the radar.
However, the immediate fixtures are not ideal, with away trips to Chelsea and Arsenal. A strong run follows shortly after. Back-to-back braces from Rogers, combined with the ability to free up funds for upgrades elsewhere, could tempt managers to act sooner than the ideal Gameweek 20 entry point. It’s worth having a read of Tom’s Scout Notes for a bit more on the Villa man’s increased goal threat.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur have a favourable run of fixtures ahead of them:
A recent lack of clean sheets makes Crystal Palace far less intimidating from an attacking perspective. That vulnerability, combined with fixtures against Brentford away, Sunderland at home, Bournemouth away, West Ham United at home and Burnley away, boosts the appeal of Mohammed Kudus (£6.4m).
The Ghanaian has been one of Spurs’ most influential midfielders this season. His minutes have remained steady throughout the campaign. While he has slightly overperformed his underlying data, a return of two goals and six assists still represents solid output for a player operating in a struggling side.
