The transfers of Martin Dubravka (£4.0m), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£5.0m) and Marc Guiu (£4.5m) between Premier League clubs this week could prove pivotal to the strategies of millions of managers in 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League.
The trio were each handed ultra-low price tags when Fantasy launched last month because they all looked unlikely to start for their clubs at the time.
But with all three players now expected to become regular starters for their new clubs this season, Fantasy managers should look to take advantage of the huge value they could offer.
Dubravka’s move to Burnley from Newcastle United means that, right now, he is the ONLY goalkeeper priced at £4.0m - the lowest possible price in Fantasy - who is set to be a regular starter for his club.
He can simply sit on your bench in FPL to be called upon in emergencies.
Similarly, Guiu looks set to be the cheapest starting forward in 2025/26 Fantasy after moving to Sunderland on loan from Chelsea.
His cost of just £4.5m will increase the appeal of moving to a 3-5-2 formation this season, with Guiu being your cheap attacking player who sits on your bench.
That strategy would allow you to spend more cash on big-hitting midfielders.
This could be particularly crucial in 2025/26, with the introduction of the defensive contributions metric broadening the pool of options in midfield.
Dewsbury-Hall’s transfer to Everton from Chelsea may prove just as important for managers who are on the lookout for a cheap fourth or fifth midfielder.
He is likely to share set-pieces with Dwight McNeil (£6.0m) for David Moyes’ side, immediately lifting his potential for assists. Dewsbury-Hall could also be handed a No 10 role, marking him out as one of the best options in the budget bracket.
In terms of squad structure, the ultra-low costs of Dubravka and Guiu, as well as that of Dewsbury-Hall, will now make it easier to focus more money on your starting XI.
It could also increase the appeal of using the Bench Boost chip in Gameweek 1 in order to earn points from all 15 players in your squad.