Owners of Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) in Fantasy Premier League are looking for a replacement after he was ruled out for a number of weeks.
Interest in the winger soared ahead of Leicester City’s Double Gameweek 26, with more than 1.1million managers bringing him in on the back of 25 points across his previous two appearances.
But Barnes lasted only 50 minutes against Arsenal on Sunday before being taken off on a stretcher with a knee injury.
"We’re hopeful that he’ll be going in for surgery tomorrow," Brendan Rodgers told Leicester's official website on Monday. "Part of the patella is separated in the knee... hopefully he can be back in six weeks."
Barnes is already the most-sold player ahead of Saturday’s 11:00 GMT Gameweek 27 deadline, moved on by 280,000+ former owners.
The Scout’s panel of experts suggest targets for managers in search of a new cut-price midfielder.
What the experts say
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
I'd be taking a look at Ademola Lookman (£5.0m). Fulham have improved dramatically over the last few weeks and he always looks dangerous.
With a Gameweek 29 fixture against Leeds United, he could be the perfect Barnes replacement.
Pranil Sheth (@Lateriser12)
It's a case of "wait and see" until Aston Villa's press conference on Friday for me. It’s very important to see if Jack Grealish (£7.6m) is fit, as he's the best replacement option. Dean Smith has confirmed he will miss the midweek trip to Sheffield United though.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@zophar666)
Raphinha (£5.4m) is the obvious replacement for Barnes, especially if you're not playing your Free Hit chip in Gameweek 29.
West Ham United's Jesse Lingard (£6.0m) is also a good option but keep in mind he cannot play against his parent club Manchester United in Gameweek 28.
Diogo Jota (£6.6m) could be a sneaky differential if he's declared fit.
Fixtures for top Barnes replacements
| Player | GW27 | GW28 | GW29 | GW30 |
| El Ghazi/Grealish | WOL (H) | NEW (A) | TOT (H) | FUL (H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gundogan | MUN (H), SOU (H) | FUL (A) | - | LEI (A) |
| Lookman | LIV (A) | MCI (H) | LEE (H) | AVL (A) |
| Raphinha | WHU (A) | CHE (H) | FUL (A) | SHU (H) |
| Saka | BUR (A) | TOT (H) | WHU (A) | LIV (H) |
Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
There are plenty of options in this price bracket, including Ross Barkley (£5.9m), Pedro Neto (£5.7m) and even Lucas Moura (£6.6m).
But the standout choices are Raphinha or, if fit, Grealish. Both these players play in Gameweek 29 too, so if you're looking to navigate that Gameweek without the Free Hit chip, they could be good options.
Ben Crabtree (@FC_CrabDogg)
Raphinha would be my No 1 choice.
Anwar El Ghazi (£5.3m) could reward managers willing to take a risk on his game time, while James Ward-Prowse (£5.9m), Stuart Armstrong (£5.5m) or Takumi Minamino (£6.0m) offer options if you're looking to attack Southampton’s Double Gameweek 27.
Ben McNair (@drbenmcnair)
If Grealish recovers in time for the weekend, he'd be the best replacement based on his superb form this season and upcoming fixtures.
Otherwise, I think it would be best to replace him with a cheap bench option, change formation and add a defender or forward in the same price range, as there are many more attractive picks in those positions.
Nick (@WGTA_Nick)
El Ghazi impressed me at the weekend with his attacking impetus and the volume of set-pieces that he was involved with.
The only question with him is whether he will be subject to rotation again once Grealish is fit.
Geoff Dance (@GeoffreyDance)
Ilkay Gundogan (£6.2m) is still a strong pick with two home matches in Gameweek 27 and a favourable Gameweek 28 fixture against Fulham.
Manchester City's top scorer this season with 11 goals, he should provide strong value, even with Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) back in the team.
Neal Thurman (@nealjthurman)
Most will focus on Raphinha, and rightly so. But in the interest of variety, I'm going to advocate for Bukayo Saka (£5.2m).
He's been Arsenal's best player this season and seems to be getting better every week.
Also in this series
Part 1: GW26 FPL stats: Fernandes owners frustrated by Double blank
Part 2: GW26 Bonus points: Mount counts more gains
Part 3: FPL Saturday review: Double delight for City centre-backs
Part 4: FPL Sunday review: Bale back to his best?
Part 6: FPL Monday review: Richarlison extends goal run
Part 7: FPL Tuesday review: Jesus and Mahrez are Double differentials
Part 8: FPL Wednesday review: Fernandes foiled by Palace defence