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Bukayo Saka limping out of England’s defeat to Greece will be a painful sight for Fantasy Premier League managers who have invested in the Arsenal star.
At £10.1m, the Gunners winger is an expensive asset to hold on to if he’s going to miss a significant period of time. This year’s tight pricing structure means many FPL managers will be looking to move him on if he’s ruled out of Arsenal’s upcoming clash with Bournemouth on October 19.
Saka has provided great value even at this price, scoring two goals and providing seven assists in just seven matches so far, including a season-high 16 points last time out against Southampton. But FPL rarely lets managers rest.
If Saka is a fallen soldier, he will need replacing. His 34.9 per cent ownership–which at the time of writing, is still climbing heading into Gameweek 8–marks him as a huge favourite amongst players. Picking the right replacement may provide the opportunity to spring up the rankings and make up some valuable points.
Fantasy Premier League tips: Bukayo Saka replacements
A note before we begin: if you can afford to switch Saka for Cole Palmer in one move, just do it. No brains needed. For those who don’t want to spend as much, or might want to invest elsewhere, take a look at the following:
Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford, £7.5m
Only Luis Diaz has risen in price more than Bryan Mbeumo’s £0.5m increase to £7.5m this season. If you don’t have him, you might look at the increase and think you’ve missed the boat. You haven’t. The Brentford forward still represents incredible value at this price and is currently the sixth-highest scoring player in the game.
Both Thomas Frank’s tactics and injuries continue to elevate Mbeumo’s potential. The long-term injury to Igor Thiago, who was bought to replace Ivan Toney, means Mbeumo is dove-tailing into more central positions with the likes of Fabio Carvalho and Kevin Schade. Yoan Wissa’s spell on the sidelines also plays into this, but that’s not the only bonus.
Mbeumo is now on penalties, as demonstrated with his goal against Wolves in Gameweek 7. This responsibility should net him extra points by default and continue to see his price rise as players jump on board.
Brentford are an entertaining and relentlessly attacking side, often to the detriment of their defence. Mbeumo owners won’t care though; the Bees have scored as many goals as Liverpool and more than Aston Villa so far, with the Cameroonian often providing the spark.
They face an enticing run against Manchester United, Ipswich, Fulham, Bournemouth, Everton and Leicester next, making Mbeumo a hard prospect to turn down.
James Maddison, Tottenham, £7.5m
Another well-priced player with attractive fixtures on the horizon. Early darts celebration aside, James Maddison is looking sharp in a Spurs team that plays with similar chaos to Brentford. He has two goals and three assists so far this season, and like Mbeumo, is a star who can contribute whether Spurs win or not.
Brennan Johnson is on an excellent goal-scoring run, but is likely to prove more of a minutes risk when Son Heung-min returns from injury. Ange Postecoglu sits Maddison just in front of central midfield and gives him licence to feed the likes of Johnson, Solanke and Son, which can often work out for FPL managers better than it does for his actual coach.
Spurs have only won two of the four games in which Maddison has contributed a goal or assist this campaign. This type of player, who can pop up at any moment, shouldn’t be overlooked. Maddison also hasn’t had the faff of international football to worry about during the two-week FPL break, meaning he should be well-rested once GW8 kicks off.
Facundo Buonanotte, Leicester, £5.0m
One for managers who are looking to invest elsewhere. Perhaps you need to grab Palmer, Mohamed Salah or even an expensive striker like Erling Haaland. While Morgan Rogers is already likely on your radar if he isn’t in your team, there’s value even cheaper than the Aston Villa star in an up-and-coming Argentine who is beginning to make his mark.
Buonanotte started the season in good form, but was struggling to hold down an immediate starting place after securing his loan deal from Brighton. That said, he registered a goal and an assist in 170 minutes worth of football across the first three games, before Steve Cooper barely used him in the next two matches.
The 19-year-old was then thrown in for Arsenal away and immediately repaid the manager with an assist, before scoring the winner at home against Bournemouth last time out. He played 84 and 81 minutes respectively in these matches, making him a likely starter from now on.
Impressive players priced at around £5.0m don’t usually stay this cheap for long. As we’ve seen with Rogers, a quick increase in popularity might start to price managers out. If you need an enabler who is highly creative and building in confidence, now could be a smart moment to pull Buonanotte in, who has proven he can crack the best defence in the league already.
