Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has launched for the 2026/27 season, so let the first draft team reveals begin!
This time, we hear from FPL Reactions, who you can find here on X.
- READ MORE: FPL General’s first 2026/27 draft: 3-4-3 with Odegaard
- READ MORE: FPL Focal’s team reveal: 3-5-2 + double Arsenal defence
- READ MORE: FPL 2026/27 team reveals: Hall of Famer Dan Wright’s first draft
The new FPL season is still a few weeks away, and plenty will change before the opening deadline. Even so, my latest draft has one major talking point: it doesn’t include Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m)!
In this article, I’ll explain why I’ve gone without one of the game’s most popular midfielders and where I’ve invested the money instead.
WHY NO BRUNO?
Bruno Fernandes was one of only a handful of players to break the 200-point mark last season. The Manchester United midfielder delivered 33 attacking returns in 2025/26. Penalties, set-pieces, creativity and open-play goal threat all contributed, while he even chipped in with the odd defensive return.
So why have I left him out?
The biggest reason is captaincy. I already own Erling Haaland (£15.5m), who looks the standout captain for many of the opening Gameweeks. The Norwegian also has a history of starting seasons strongly. Owning both premiums would leave me with a captaincy dilemma almost every week, and that’s something I’d rather avoid.
Price also plays a big part. Bruno fully deserves his rise to £12.0m, but it’s still a huge investment for a player I don’t expect to captain very often. That money can strengthen the rest of my squad, and there are plenty of appealing mid-priced options this season.
In addition, I think Manchester United’s attack offers alternative routes in. Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) and Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) may not match Fernandes’ output over the season, but both have the potential to get close. Mbeumo, in particular, ranked second among all midfielders for non-penalty expected goal involvement (NPxGI) last season.
The final question is simple. How much stronger can the rest of your squad become by spending that extra £4.0m elsewhere? Let’s take a look.
NO BRUNO DRAFT
DEFENCE
You’ll probably recognise this defence. A lot of early drafts look very similar, and mine is no exception.
AntonÃn Kinský (£4.5m) looks too good to ignore at his price. If he nails down the number one spot, he could prove one of the bargains of the season. Cristhian Mosquera (£5.5m) also stands out. If he features regularly for Arsenal throughout pre-season, I expect him to become a popular pick.
Luke Shaw (£4.5m) is another player I like. He’s currently Manchester United’s cheapest defender with what should be reliable minutes, and we also know he can offer the odd attacking return when fully fit.
I’ve also backed Neco Williams (£5.0m). He has regularly pushed into advanced areas during Nottingham Forest’s pre-season friendlies, often operating almost as a wing-back. If that role continues, he’ll have several routes to points at both ends of the pitch.
I also think Aston Villa’s defenders are underpriced. At £4.5m, both Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa offer excellent value. Villa have established themselves as one of the league’s strongest teams, so investing in their defence feels like an easy decision.
My final defender is Bobby Thomas (£4.0m). Like most defenders from promoted clubs, he comes in at the minimum price. I currently expect Coventry City to be the strongest of the promoted sides, which gives Thomas the edge over the other budget options – for now, at least.
ATTACK
The attack is where going without Bruno Fernandes really starts to pay off!
Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.0m) has featured in almost every draft I’ve seen so far, and it’s easy to understand why. The Liverpool midfielder looks well priced and offers plenty of attacking upside. Enzo Le Fée (£6.0m) has also become a popular pick among experienced managers. He’s on penalties, should play every week for Sunderland and is cheap enough to leave on the bench when needed.
The extra funds also make it much easier to fit Cole Palmer (£9.5m) into the squad. I’ve seen plenty of managers struggle to squeeze him in without weakening another area of their team. Going without Bruno removes that problem.
The same applies to Antoine Semenyo (£8.5m). If you’re looking to benefit from Manchester City’s goals beyond simply captaining Haaland, the former Bournemouth midfielder is an excellent option. He finished last season with more than 200 FPL points and was a regular starter. I think plenty of engaged managers will overlook him simply because they’re spending so much on Bruno.
Bruno remains an outstanding FPL asset, but he doesn’t always play as high up the pitch as we’d like. He often drops deeper to dictate play, which can limit the number of chances he gets inside the box.
That opens the door for Mbeumo or Cunha. I’m not saying either will outscore Fernandes across the entire season, but they could certainly match or even better him over shorter spells.
It then comes back to the same question. What can you do with the extra £4.0m? If that money upgrades multiple positions across your squad, going without Fernandes could prove the stronger overall strategy.
The upgrades don’t stop there. A front three feels much easier to build without Bruno taking up such a large chunk of the budget. I really like the £6.0m forward bracket this season, so owning Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m) also gives me flexibility if another player emerges in that price range.
Perhaps the biggest winner, though, is João Pedro (£7.5m). Many managers will own him, but they’ll probably have had to compromise elsewhere to make it happen. The Brazilian impressed after joining Chelsea, and with no European football to contend with, I like the idea of doubling up on an attack that could thrive under new management.
The final benefit is squad depth. Most early drafts include one playable substitute alongside a £4.0m defender. Going without Bruno allows me to keep two strong bench options in Le Fée and Cash. That extra depth should help cover injuries, while also making it easier to roll transfers and target bigger moves later in the season.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This draft is far from final. We still have several weeks of pre-season to get through, and plenty could change before the Gameweek 1 deadline.
Going without Bruno Fernandes will also be uncomfortable. If he becomes a heavily captained pick, his effective ownership could punish non-owners very quickly.
Even so, I can see plenty of upside. It gives me the freedom to back another Manchester United attacker, spread the budget more evenly across the squad and invest in players many engaged managers simply won’t be able to afford alongside Fernandes. It also leaves me with stronger bench options, which should make it easier to deal with injuries and roll transfers when bigger opportunities arise.
Whether that trade-off proves worthwhile remains to be seen, but it’s a strategy I’m more than happy to back at this stage of pre-season.
