Members

Who are the best Romelu Lukaku replacements in FPL?

Romelu Lukaku (£11.7m) is poised to miss Gameweek 9 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) after injuring his ankle in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League win over Malmo.

Thomas Tuchel may give us a more exact prognosis on the Belgian’s fitness in Friday’s pre-match press conference but the premium FPL forward is seemingly set to sit out Saturday’s home fixture against Norwich City at the very least, with the Chelsea boss saying Lukaku would miss “some games”.

Over three million Fantasy bosses owned the Belgium international after Gameweek 8 but the mass exodus has begun, with around 400,000 of those having already ditched him at the time of writing.

So who are the best replacements for the injured Lukaku in FPL?

We take a look at the options available to Fantasy managers in the article below.

All our stats and graphics are taken from our Premium Members Area, where there is currently a seven-day free trial on offer.

BEST LUKAKU REPLACEMENTS: PREMIUM FORWARDS

JAMIE VARDY

Vardy on target again as Man Utd's defensive issues continue in Gameweek 8 2

Top among FPL forwards for transfers in ahead of Gameweek 9, Jamie Vardy (£10.6m) is the go-to Lukaku replacement for many Fantasy managers.

It’s not so much the immediate fixtures – Brentford (a), Arsenal (h), Leeds (a) and Chelsea (h) is a mixed bag over the next four Gameweeks – as the form, with Vardy now the Premier League’s joint-top goalscorer after scoring on five occasions in his last four appearances.

Some of us may have wanted to wait for Gameweek 13 and a ticker-topping four-game stretch for Leicester City but moving for Vardy now at least saves a transfer further down the line, and opposition difficulty doesn’t seem to be much of a barrier to the veteran hitman anyway: last season, for example, he bagged 10 goals and assists combined in 12 fixtures against the ‘big six’ sides.

It’s true that 50% of his attacking returns this season have come against Norwich City and Burnley, two of the weakest defences in the division.

And the return to the starting XI of Kelechi Iheanacho (£7.0m) is also worth monitoring, as the Nigerian was the bigger goal threat of the two when Brendan Rodgers paired them up top towards the final third of last season.

Vardy hasn’t been adversely affected so far, with totals of six shots and five attempts in the box in the last two Gameweeks in keeping with his output in 2021/22 before that, and it has been Iheanacho who has been playing slightly wider and deeper.

Above: Touch heatmaps for Vardy (left) and Iheanacho (right) over the last two Gameweeks

One word of caution for medium-term holders of Vardy is that the 34-year-old striker is currently enjoying midweek breathers in the UEFA Europa League to aid with his recovery between league games. More Premier League matches replace those European nights throughout November and December, with nine top-flight games to contest in the space of 35 days from Gameweeks 13-21. The Leicester striker may not escape a benching or two over that period, then, but the same could be argued for huge swathes of the FPL players in our teams.

HARRY KANE

Kane and Wilson enter FPL differential conversation ahead of Gameweek 9

The August curse extended to mid-October this year, with Harry Kane (£12.1m) only opening his Premier League account in last week’s win over Newcastle United.

As is the case with Vardy, it’s not until next month that Spurs’ fixtures really leap off the page – a four-match period from Gameweeks 12-15 looking like the ideal time to pounce on the Lilywhites.

Kane’s extra cost is the main deterrent considering that Vardy and an alternative route into the Spurs attack, Son Heung-min (£10.1m), can be snapped up for some £1.5m-£2.0m less.

Kane’s underlying stats have really stepped up a gear over the last four Gameweeks, as he’s joint-top among FPL forwards for shots alongside Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.5m) and Vardy.

While plenty of those efforts are coming from distance, the typically dead-eyed Kane has still had more shots on target than any of his positional rivals – and the same number of big chances as Ronaldo.

Still, Son is outgunning Kane for big chances, shots in the box and expected goal involvement (xGI) even over this four-match period, so justifying that extra £2.0m outlay if it’s a ‘one or the other’ dilemma is not easy.

THE OTHERS

Cristiano Ronaldo dominates his premium peers stats-wise over the course of the season but some stiff fixtures, not to mention United’s iffy form and inability to carve out a single ‘big chance’ for him over the last three Gameweeks, leads us away from the veteran Portuguese.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.9m) is arguably the pick of the rest from the premium pool. Having found the net in each of his last three appearances at the Emirates, the Gabon international and his Gunners teammates have four more very favourable home encounters against Aston Villa, Watford, Newcastle and Southampton between now and Gameweek 16.

Trips to Leicester and Manchester United needn’t be feared from a defensive perspective either, with those two hapless backlines on just one clean sheet apiece in 2021/22.

A lack of big chances this season (two, fewer than 17 other forwards) is the main downside and he’s having to rely on his historically strong goal conversion rate to maintain his output. A possible recall for Alexandre Lacazette (£8.3m) would also presumably see Aubameyang shunted to the left flank, as has happened many times before.

Gabriel Jesus (£8.6m) is being routinely overlooked by many of us, with the week-to-week rotation risk and a ‘reverse out of position’ tag cited as the main reasons. And yet, despite registering fewer minutes than 15 other FPL forwards, he is still third among players in his Fantasy position for points.

The no-shows and one-pointers will be as regular as the double-digit hauls, nevertheless still resulting in a decent points-per-match average (Jesus’s is currently 5.90). Strong benches will be needed to negotiate those rests, so with many of us taking punts on rotation risks such as Phil Foden (£8.0m), Reece James (£5.5m) and Ben Chilwell (£5.7m), the Man City man may be one gamble too many.

BEST LUKAKU REPLACEMENTS: MID-PRICE/BUDGET FORWARDS

IVAN TONEY

Toney off the mark as injuries and Covid impact Villa 4

Lukaku’s injury doesn’t just allow FPL managers to move sideways between premium forwards but downgrade to a mid-price or budget option in order to reallocate funds elsewhere, perhaps with a view to recruiting Son, Kevin De Bruyne (£11.9m) or the man who looks set to lead Chelsea’s line in Lukaku and Timo Werner‘s (£8.6m) absences, the ‘out of position’ Kai Havertz (£8.1m).

One such cut-price striker is Ivan Toney (£6.4m), whose Brentford side sit top of our Season Ticker from now until Gameweek 18.

Pre-season price offer extended for FFScout Premium Membership 10

Full-year memberships, monthly subscriptions and a FREE trial are all now available.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 150+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • Enjoy our Flat-Track Bully feature which introduces an opposition filter to your tables.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

ALREADY A USER? CLICK HERE TO UPGRADE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT

NEW TO SCOUT? CLICK HERE TO START A MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT

3,460 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Podge
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Vardy

    1. GoalsAloud
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Party

  2. Kryptonite666
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thinking of

    Lukaku, Gray and Perica to Wilson, Toney and Havertz for a -12.

    One return should pay it off ?

    1. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      No other option to lose other than gray?

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wouldn’t do a -12 personally

    3. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Do the Perica to Toney bit next week ?

  3. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Too left field to capt Ronaldo over mo?

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

    2. melvinmbabazi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      No,

    3. im1974
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Same coin flip for me

  4. C_G
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    good to go? 2.2 ITB, no FTs

    Sanchez

    TAA White Livra Alonso

    Salah (c) Son Raph Benrama

    Antonio Vardy

    Steele King Allan Williams

  5. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Putting a bet down.
    Man U 1-5 Liverpool

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Thats ridiculous

      United wont score 🙂

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Good point.

    2. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      0-3

    3. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Its the exact type of game ogs pulls a rabbit out of the hat.

      Just when you think he's about to have his knockout blow, he dodges and fights back.

      1. Alexis Nonsense
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        True, but this time they have to "carry" Ronaldo, which is really really bad vs. Liverpool

  6. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Squid Game worth a watch? Any other Netflix series you would recommend?

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      It’s ok, over rated I think - started well but the end was rubbish imo

      1. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I’ve probably just ruined it for you sorry Matt

    2. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      worth it

    3. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      It’s worth a watch.

      Click bait is good too

    4. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      First few episodes are great imo but the ending isn’t. Watching clickbait right now and it’s very good

    5. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Watch it with the subs, don't do the dub!

      But I enjoyed it overall, decent show

  7. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Jesus is coming in

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      What, a sock?

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Grow up

    2. Calculated Risks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Christians will be happy

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Haha and me

  8. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Evening all.
    2FTs here, 0.4itb. Considering the below…

    Ronaldo+Mount+Shaw >> Vardy+Havertz+Chillwell (-4)? Or no need for a hit?

    Sanchez
    Rüdiger. TAA. Livramento
    Salah. Mount. Raph. Sarr
    Ronaldo. Antonio. ASM
    (Foster, White, Shaw, Gilmour)

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Looks very nice to me

    2. King Kun Ta
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Worth the hit

    3. Atimis
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Take the hit imho

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Think Mount >> Havertz is worth the -4? Could backfire

        1. Gazza2000
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Not worth it imo

          1. RAFA THE GAFFA
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            Just do the Vardy and Chillwell moves mate?

  9. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thoughts on that WC team?

    Any other issues than no TAA?

    Raya/Foster
    Azpi/Cancelo/Chilwell/Livra/Duffy
    Salah/Son/Havertz/Raph/Mbeumo
    Vardy/Toney/Broja

    1. Atimis
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Or just 4.5 instead of Broja and bank the change?

      1. Podge
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Where will he be on your bench ?
        If third then there's probably no point

        1. Atimis
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Could start him this week but will he start?

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Very nice. Dias over Azpi?

      1. Atimis
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Been thinking about him but looking at next 3 fixtures, I would try with double Che at first

        1. RAFA THE GAFFA
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Probably agree for the next 3 tbh. Do you think I should take the hit above?

  10. melvinmbabazi
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thoughts on what to do this week? 1 FT 0.2 itb

    Ramsdale
    Cancelo, Christiansen,R.James
    Salah, Raphinha, ESR,Gallagher
    CR7, *Lukaku, Antonio,

    Subs: Foster, Livramento, Manquillo,D.Luiz

    Thanks

    1. GoalsAloud
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Kaku to Vardy

  11. Siva Mohan
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ramsdale
    Rudiger | Cancelo | Livra
    Salah | Raph | Benrahma | Saka*
    Vardy | Antonio | Lukaku*
    Foster | Semedo | Duffy | Douglas

    2 FT & 0.4 ITB

    Saka + Lukaku >> Kai + Auba

    do it?

    1. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Seems Saka has trained

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yeh looks decent

    3. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      triggered

      cheers both

  12. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ramsdale
    TAA Cancelo James
    Salah Foden Mbeumo Raphinha
    Lukaku Antonio Jimenez

    Foster Livramento Duffy Brownhill

    1FT, 0.4 itb

    1. Toney (get Vardy for Antonio GW11)
    2. Vardy (get Toney for Antonio GW11)
    3. Kane

    Thanks

    1. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      2

    2. GoalsAloud
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      2

  13. CRAZY TRAIN
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku and Doucoure owner looking at a -8 move. Which option?

    A) KDB & Toney
    B) Son & Wilson
    C) Havertz & Auba (have Vardy)

    1. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A

      1. CRAZY TRAIN
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks. A -12 is also an option with Pogba > Havertz

  14. Jabba12
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Honestly got no idea what to do this week. Got 3.5mil ITB and 1ft. Who should I sell out of
    Jota
    Greenwood
    CR7
    Adam Armstrong

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Jota or Armstrong

  15. GS456
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Benrahma & Lukaku to Son & Toney (-4)?

    Already have Vardy

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      yep

  16. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    I went with Jimmy as I already have Vardy. 5.6m ITB…

  17. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Antonio and Benrahma rested. May hold and rid myself if Jota instead.

    Any update on Zaha?

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes on Jota. Zaha is a troll though

      1. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah but Vieras palace seem to have clicked a bit more in recent games and he is their talisman and on pens. Fixtures are nice albeit City next gw

  18. Gazump
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Toney, Wilson or Ings?

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Ings is underlooked.

    2. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Toney.

    3. GoalsAloud
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wilson

  19. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Sell one:

    A) Grealish
    B) Jota

    1. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      B

    2. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      B

  20. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Is bringing in Alonso and Captaining him a too big a risk?

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Best Chelsea defender in your opinion?

        1. Tcheco
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          If I was wildcarding I’d bring in Chilwell. I went with Rudiger for nailedness though. Bummer

          1. ZeBestee
            • 9 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            Have Rud. Need a differential chelsea defender but i guess Azpi is the most nailed on but can see a benching this gw imo

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      If you have to ask...

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Whom u captaining?

        1. Podge
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Mo

  21. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Who would you captain out of these options?

    A. Vardy (bre)
    B. Mbeumo (LEI)
    C. Raphinha (WOL)
    D. Gray (WAT)

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Salad

      1. Tcheco
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Out of those only. Good time for a differential (C)

        1. Podge
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Has to be Vardy then, having the others is enough

  22. thepancakeman123
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Sarr + Lukaku > Son/Havertz + Toney for a -4.

    Yay or nay?

    1. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yay! I’d say Havertz for now and then switch to Son when the fixtures turn for both

  23. xHaTr
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Have exact money for this but its a -8. Surely not right?

    Saka, Lukaku, Dias to Havertz, Vardy, Chilwell

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Do you need to make the Dias move to afford it? Seems strange selling him

      1. xHaTr
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah im 0.4 short otherwise

    2. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Just Lukaku & Saka out

      Vardy Havertz

      1. xHaTr
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        cant afford im short 0.4 need the extra funds from dias to chilwell

        1. Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Dias to Chillwell is not worth a hit. Dias more nailed on too

  24. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Which are the best set of transfers to do this GW

    Ronaldo & Lukaku > Vardy & Kane (-4)
    Lukaku > Vardy
    Lukaku & Odegaard > Aubameyang & Mbeumo (-4) (Already have Toney)

    Any ideas would be welcomed

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      2

    2. thepancakeman123
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Is Lukaku & Odegaard > Vardy & Mbuemo not possible?

    3. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Lukaku to Vardy

  25. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Antonio rested? Is Moyes the type to divulge if he’s injured post game?

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Dont think he is. Rested most probably

  26. The Parrot
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ramsdale
    Cancelo, Rudiger, Apzi, Dias
    Salah(c), Raphina, Mbeumo
    Antonio, Jimi, Vardy

    (Foster)(Saka)(Livra)(D.Luiz)

    3.1mitb 0ft

    All good to go here or are there any risky hits that might pay off???

  27. Liastro ⭐️
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone on WC this week?

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yup

  28. Going Home
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Saka to Havertz worth a -4? Fixtures are good, but minutes a doubt going forwards. Norwich alone could pay for it…

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Werner should be out for a while so he still starts when Lukaku is back

    2. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Same situation. Went Mbeuemo for that reason.

    3. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I'm doing it so hopefully, yep.

  29. drughi
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Play 2 out of

    A. Sarr
    B. Alonso
    C. Benrahma

    1. thepancakeman123
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Alonso probably won't play so you'll end up with Sarr and Benrahma regardless

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Reason?

        1. thepancakeman123
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Chilwell?

    2. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      AB

  30. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Triple City, Cancelo, Foden and Jesus

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Like the Jesus choice. Not sold yet on Foden but not the worst i reckon