The Scout follows up his watchlist of goalkeepers with the first of four budget defenders to look out for in 2017/18 Fantasy Premier League.
Cedric Soares (Southampton) £5.0m
Cedric Soares has emerged as an early target for Fantasy Premier League managers.
Priced at £5.0m, the Southampton right-back already has an ownership of 14.8%.
He produced 106 points last season and is cheaper than defensive team-mates Ryan Bertrand and Virgil van Dijk, both £5.5m.
Although he registered only three assists in 2016/17, the Portugal international was a major creative force.
A total of 43 successful crosses was second only to West Bromwich Albion’s Chris Brunt (£5.5m and 44) among FPL defenders.
This ability helped Cedric create 39 goalscoring chances last season, joint-fourth with Tottenham Hotspur’s Kyle Walker (£6.5m).
With Brunt reclassified as a midfielder for 2017/18, Cedric is the standout defender for crossing potential.
The arrival of manager Mauricio Pellegrino should also boost the defender's potential for clean sheets.
Pellegrino’s former club Alaves conceded only 43 times last season. This was the fifth-best record in LaLiga.
Encouragingly, Cedric made more successful tackles (83) than any Southampton defender last season.
Tackling is a key element of the Bonus Points System (BPS), which boosts his prospects of extra returns.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Rankings (FDR), only one of Southampton's first 11 matches scores more than two.
Their start includes three home matches over the first four Gameweeks.
Southampton's first five Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR (1 = Low 5 = High) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swansea City (h) | 2 |
| 2 | West Ham (h) | 2 |
| 3 | Huddersfield Town (a) | 2 |
| 4 | Watford (h) | 2 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace (a) | 2 |