With the international break coming to an end, it means the return of Premier League football is just around the corner – and with that comes the return of Fantasy Premier League football too.
Gameweek 4 turned out to be one of the most surprising and unpredictable we have seen for some time, with players such as Ollie Watkins and Jack Grealish topping the points tallies after Aston Villa’s 7-2 romping of Liverpool.
A new gameweek means new transfers in an attempt to strengthen your squads ahead of the deadline for the first game of the weekend – Everton vs Liverpool.
There are plenty of big games this weekend, with plenty of great opportunities for points, so let’s take a look at five players you should consider transfering into your fantasy team (if you haven’t already)…
James Rodriguez – £7.8m
The Colombian has been a revelation for Everton’s midfield since signing from Real Madrid during the summer transfer window – and has picked up points aplenty throughout the past few game weeks.
Against Brighton, Rodriguez picked up 18 points for his 2 goals and assist, and this week the Toffees face Liverpool in his first Merseyside derby for the club. Despite the level of opposition, Everton have had a great start to the season and look the strongest they have ever been – so they will be optimistic going into the game against a Reds side that lost 7-2 to Aston Villa during GW4.
The clubs following two fixtures against Southampton and Newcastle will also be great chances for the 29-year-old to continue his run of form and points scoring and for just £7.8m, that’s something worth thinking about.
More than 591,000 FPL users have transferred him in ahead of GW5, so maybe you should too!
Patrick Bamford – £5.8m
The Leeds United forward has proven plenty of doubters wrong since gaining promotion back to the Premier League with the Whites. Bamford’s Premier League career prior to this season involved bouncing between a handful of clubs on loan from then-parent club Chelsea but failed to make an impression due to minimal substitute appearances.
This season, the 27-year-old has led the line for Leeds after helping them win the Championship last season and faces a string of fixtures that could prove lucrative for Leeds. GW5 sees them face Wolves at home, and Bamford could be a great option to lead the line of your FPL team for the next few weeks, with following fixtures against Aston Villa, Leicester, and Crystal Palace.
The Englishman has 30 points in FPL so far this season and has been brought in by more than 165,000 other users.
Ben Chilwell – £5.6m
The 23-year-old finally made his debut for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea during game week 4, in a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, where the defender scored, assisted, and kept a clean sheet, earning himself 18 points in the process. This week, the Blues face Southampton at home, and with the new signings finally starting to settle and their defensive capabilities also starting to merge – it may be a great choice to bring Chilwell into the mix.
The Blues’ following two fixtures involve a game against a Manchester United side that has had a poor start to their season, and Burnley who are yet to record a win in the league. More than 475,000 other FPL users have transferred in Chilwell ahead of GW5, the most of any defender – so maybe you should follow the trend too…
Ollie Watkins – £5.9m
The Aston Villa striker had a great game against Liverpool during gameweek 4, scoring his first goals for the club with a hattrick over the Premier League champions.
This week sees the Villans face Leicester City away at the King Power Stadium, with the Foxes coming off the back of a 3-0 defeat to West Ham, meaning Watkins could be in with the chance of adding to his account in the league this weekend.
Villa’s following two fixtures against Leeds and Southampton could be another lucrative opportunity for Watkins, and with their form so far this season looking impressive, there is no telling how most games will go at the moment. The 24-year-old will only cost you £5.9m out of your budget, and along with the 157,000+ FPL users, you should get him in your squad!
Kurt Zouma – £5.0m
The Frenchman has been a commanding figure at the back for Chelsea this season and has certainly earned his place among Frank Lampard’s side. Last game week, the defender scored a great header against Crystal Palace, as well as keeping a clean sheet, earning himself 13 points. GW5 will see Chelsea face Southampton, and just like Chilwell, Zouma would be a great option in defence given Chelsea’s defensive form starting to improve.
Not only their game against the Saints, but following matches against a poor Manchester United side and a Burnley team that are yet to record a win this season could be great opportunities for the 25-year-old, who has become one of the first names on Lampard’s team sheet. Zouma will cost you just £5.0m, and has been transferred in by more than 101,000 other FPL users – clearly, they see the same as what I do.