Following our look at the (generally unappealing) £4.0m budget options, let’s continue analysing Fantasy Premier League (FPL) defenders by picking out the best that cost exactly £5.0m.
In our position-by-position guides, we’ll analyse the main players fighting to make managers’ opening squads.
- READ MORE: Best £4.0m defenders for FPL 2025/26 – All 79 assessed
- READ MORE: FPL 2025/26: Who are the best £4.5m budget forwards?
- READ MORE: Best £6.0m to £7.0m forwards for 2025/26
- READ MORE: The revised points of 11 players who’ve changed position
OVERVIEW
£5.0m could be seen an awkward price point. It’s stuck between the premium big-hitters and a huge number of £4.5m teammates that managers hope will provide better value.
Even so, last season saw two major successes begin at this price. Daniel Munoz (£5.5m) and Marc Cucurella (£6.0m) finished fifth and seventh best amongst all FPL defenders, totalling 142 and 133 points.
Tyrick Mitchell (£5.0m) did well but was overshadowed by his right-sided Crystal Palace equivalent. No defender accrued more penalty area touches (112), shots on target (14) or expected goals (xG, 4.93) than Munoz, yet Cucurella outdid him when it came to goals (five).
Three of the Chelsea man’s final seven home games were a 15-point haul.
Elsewhere, Ibrahima Konate (£5.5m) was part of the champions’ first-choice backline, while it’s recently been revealed that James Tarkowski (£5.5m) would have been the biggest recipient of defensive contribution (DC) points had they been around. Nobody exceeded his 10.8 DC actions per match.
This time, we currently have 29 players tagged at £5.0m.
Let’s have a look at the best options first before rounding up the rest.
Vitalii Mykolenko + Jake O’Brien
For £0.5m less than Tarkowski, you can get one of these Everton teammates. Not that either came close to his hypothetical 44 extra points; instead, they would’ve received 14 and six of them.
In fairness to O’Brien, he only really entered the fray once David Moyes took charge, finding time to score two goals in 17 starts.
As for left-back Mykolenko, he grabbed eight, eight and nine points in the season’s final three outings.
Whichever you prefer, it certainly seems wise to buy some sort of Toffee, as only three teams conceded fewer goals (44) and they get to face Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United during the first half-dozen Gameweeks.
Ola Aina + Neco Williams
Similarly, an ideal FPL squad would have managers on Nikola Milenkovic (£5.5m) and Murillo (£5.5m). The Serbian bagged five goals, while the Brazilian DC magnet was up near Tarkowski with 10.5 actions per match.
These would’ve ended as the highest-scoring defenders had this new points method been in play, because Nottingham Forest kept 13 clean sheets and conceded the second-fewest big chances (72). It took them to the verge of a shock Champions League qualification.
Even if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side regresses slightly, the prospect of being against Brentford, West Ham, Burnley and Sunderland in the first six matches feels irresistible.
Additionally, Aina was actually the position’s league leader up until Gameweek 23, fading slightly in later months.
On the opposite side, it took a while for Williams to start consistently. But, from Gameweek 16 onwards, he accumulated the second-most shots (26) and fifth-most points (89) of all defenders.
Given tat
Levi Colwill
Breaking Forest hearts on the final day was Colwill, whose winner took Chelsea up to fourth place. It’s something they’ve built upon during successful post-season run-outs in America and, if the Blues start well, they could be a serious threat this season.
After all, none of their opening six are rated as difficult on our Season Ticker.
England international Colwill was the Chelsea defence’s most frequent 2024/25 starter, though there’s fierce competition throughout the squad, which could worsen if Jorrel Hato arrives from Ajax.
Trevoh Chalobah (£5.0m) and Malo Gusto (£5.0m) are identically priced but, at this juncture, much less assured of game-time than Colwill.
Maxence Lacroix
While the aforementioned Mitchell remains at £5.0m, he now has competition from the same-priced Borna Sosa (£5.0m). So maybe Lacroix is the one to pursue.
Under the radar last time, he ended as the biggest xG underachiever of all defenders (-2.46). The arrival from Wolfsburg was his position’s number three for headed shots (20) and, of all outfielders, the second-best at set play efforts (27).
Palace clean sheets picked up as the season progressed, as Lacroix averaged 9.9 DC actions per match. He would’ve collected another 34 points.
Admittedly, the Eagles’ early fixtures are mixed. But finding a good rotation partner could make the Frenchman an appealing long-term pick.
Nathan Collins
When combining an overhaul of key players and the risky promotion of Keith Andrews into his first senior management role, it’s hard to fully back Brentford right now. This is despite a strong schedule that ranks second on our Fixture Ticker up to Gameweek 6.
Still, the most-selected goalkeeper is their new signing Caoimhin Kelleher (£4.5m). Whereas for half a million more, you get a centre-back fresh from two goals and seven assists, the sixth-best defender for big chances (six).
Collins was the sole outfielder to play every single minute of 2024/25, ruling out any rotation threat.
Plus, the 6ft 4in talent brought in a good number of DC points. That extra 32 would have put him on a final tally of 159, the fifth-best.
Teammate Keane Lewis-Potter (£5.0m) is one to perhaps swerve for now but keep on the watchlist. With Rico Henry (£4.5m) and Aaron Hickey (£4.0m) back fit, there is plenty of competition at left-back. Lewis-Potter did feature ‘out of position’ on the left wing on Friday, though, so that’s a situation to keep an eye on.
THE LESS DESIRABLES
Meanwhile, a lot of the other £5.0m picks are either back-ups or hard-to-call assets of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.0m) almost certainly won’t start for the Gunners. Conor Bradley (£5.0m), Kostas Tsimikas (£5.0m) and Joe Gomez (£5.0m), in that order in likelihood of starting, are not assured of sustained game-time. Rico Lewis (£5.0m), Vitor Reis (£5.0m) and Nico O’Reilly (£5.0m), even more so at Manchester City.
Tino Livramento (£5.0m) or Dan Burn (£5.0m) are potential targets once the Magpies’ fixtures improve, but they do have Champions League football to deal with. Burn was Newcastle’s top defender for DC points (22) last season. Livramento should get the nod over Kieran Trippier (£5.0m), although Sven Botman‘s (£5.0m) return to fitness casts some doubt over Burn. Avoid for now and reassess later.
Elsewhere, Illia Zabarnyi (£5.0m) and Cristian Romero (£5.0m) are being tentatively linked with moves away. The latter is more likely to stay, but Tottenham Hotspur teammates Destiny Udogie (£4.5m) and Micky van de Ven (£4.5m) are cheaper.
Across London, Fulham’s summer quietness gives off an underwhelming vibe. Not that any defender came close to Antonee Robinson‘s (£5.0m) 10 assists last season. Whisper it quietly but he was also the leading full-back for DC points (22) in 2024/25.
One very much to consider from Gameweek 10:
Finally, Manchester United defenders – and their £5.0m trio of Noussair Mazrouai, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt – won’t be high up on shopping lists with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea up in the first five Gameweeks. With Martinez still working his way back from injury and Ayden Heaven (£4.0m), Luke Shaw (£4.5m), Leny Yoro (£4.5m) and Harry Maguire (£4.5m) alternatives to the other two, there aren’t even assurances over minutes.
