With the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season only weeks away, FPL expert Lee Bonfield has revealed his current 15-man squad and explained his choices. Lee isn't currently planning to use a chip in Gameweek 1.
Goalkeeper
Caoimhin Kelleher (£4.5m): As a Liverpool fan I know first hand just how good the new Brentford goalkeeper is. He is well priced and plays for a team who, if they maintain the same style of play as under Thomas Frank, will invite a lot of shots. This could lead to additional points, with every three saves worth an additional point.
Defenders
Virgin van Dijk (£6.0m): A certain starter in a Liverpool side, who kept the most clean sheets in the league last season. With this and the additional defensive contribution points, Van Dijk should be a points magnet this season.
See: What are defensive contribution points?
Murillo (£5.5m): As with Van Dijk, Murillo would have been an excellent asset for defensive contribution points last season. Had the points been in the game last campaign, Murillo would have registered an additional 38 points, only two defenders in the game would have returned more.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m): West Ham United kept seven clean sheets last season, Wan-Bissaka also added eight attacking returns last time out. He would also have picked up a further 12 points for defensive contributions, so at £4.5m gives good value for money.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah (£14.5m): The Egyptian king is a no-brainer. Even as the most expensive player in the game, he still feels like a must-have on the back of a record-breaking season in 2024/25.
Cole Palmer (£10.5m): Having someone in the premium bracket offers really good flexibility. I am at this stage unsure on Palmer v Bukayo Saka (£10.0m), however I do prefer the fixtures for Chelsea to start the season, with NONE of Chelsea’s fist six matches score more than three according to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).
Chelsea's first six fixtures 25/26
GW | Opp. | FDR |
1 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
---|---|---|
2 | West Ham United (A) | 2 |
3 | Fulham (H) | 3 |
4 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
5 | Man Utd (A) | 3 |
6 | Brighton (H) | 3 |
*1=easiest possible fixture, 5=hardest possible fixture
Florian Wirtz (£8.5m): What an exciting signing for Liverpool. Wirtz played 31 matches in the Bundesliga last season scoring 10 goals and registering 12 assists. His pace will see him fit in perfectly to Arne Slot's style of play.
Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m): Tottenham Hotspur's new signing has played on both the right and the left in the pre-season matches for his new team. This flexibility is a good thing in terms of security of starts. At £6.5m he is potentially a cheap route into the Spurs attack ahead of an opening-weekend fixture at home to Burnley.
Forwards
Ollie Watkins (£9.0m): He has started pre-season well and has an important price point. Having the opportunity to move to other premium assets such as Alexander Isak (£10.5m) or Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) depending on how pre-season pans out and if I decide to own Saka.
Joao Pedro (£7.5m): With three goals at the FIFA Club World Cup, I am not surprised to see Joao Pedro as the most-owned player in FPL. I am not certain that he will stay in my team, especially as of his 10 goals last season five were penalties and he is unlikely to be on those with Palmer on the pitch.
Beto (£5.5m): Everton have signed Thierno Barry (£6.0m) so it remains to be seen if Beto or Barry will lead the line, or indeed play upfront together. Pre-season will be important for whether Beto stays in my team heading into Gameweek 1. I do like Everton's fixtures though, which is why Beto has made my opening squad.
Bench
Karl Darlow (£4.0m): With Leeds United in the market for a new goalkeeper, I am not expecting Darlow to start between the sticks. So if I do decide to play my Bench Boost chip, then I will likely need to find £0.5m to afford a starting goalkeeper.
Ezri Konsa (£4.5m): Konsa scored two goals in his 32 starts last season as well as keeping eight clean sheets. The defender had 11 attempts from set-pieces, more than any other Aston Villa player. Villa also have a great run of fixtures to start the season.
Enzo Le Fee (£5.0m): Le Fee joined Sunderland in January, registering a goal and three assists in 18 starts for the club. Now that he has made his move permanent, he will be a regular starter for Sunderland and at £5.0m he fills that cheap fifth midfielder slot nicely.
Alex Moreno (£4.0m): At Villa, Moreno is unlikely to be a regular starter, however if he gets a loan move he could be a great option. If he doesn't I will move to one of the playing £4.0m assets or I'll try and find an extra £0.5m for someone like Micky van de Ven (£4.5m) instead.