Information is key for Fantasy Premier League managers and the close of the summer transfer window last Friday gives us a lot more clarity on who the best investments are for our teams.
We may have to wait a few more weeks for acquisitions to bed in at their new clubs, meaning the majority of the players that made moves at the end of the window are in the ‘wait and see’ bracket.
So who should we have an eye on and which other assets will benefit from the big switches that happened at the end of the window?
Arsenal’s intriguing departures and will Sterling shine again?
Arsenal were one of the most active clubs as the deadline ticked closer.
Midfielder Mikel Merino (£6.0m) arrived to join the midfield ranks but a freak accident in training ruled him out for the next month with a fractured shoulder.
However, the real action at the Emirates Stadium came at the exit door, with striker Eddie Nketiah (£5.9m) moving to Crystal Palace, where he’s likely to provide backup for Jean-Philippe Mateta.
If Nketiah becomes a starter, he will be fantastic value in an attractive Oliver Glasner attack. We saw the Palace manager experiment with a two-man front line in Gameweek 2 against West Ham United.
Reiss Nelson (£5.0m) has departed for Fulham and could link up with former Arsenal team-mate Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m) at Craven Cottage.
With fewer than 100 league appearances in his senior career, it’s difficult to judge Nelson’s potential, but he has an attractive price if he can oust Adama Traore on the right side of Fulham’s attack.
England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (£4.4m) has left for Southampton, where he has become an immediate starter and could be one to monitor, with Neto (£4.5m) coming in from Bournemouth to provide backup for Arsenal’s No 1, David Raya.
Raheem Sterling (£6.8m) also arrived at Arsenal on loan from Chelsea and presents an interesting FPL option if he can disrupt the left-wing slot, with Leandro Trossard (£6.9m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£6.9m) already competing for minutes.
Raheem Sterling has scored more than 200 points in an FPL season three times (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Sterling struggled at Chelsea compared to his dominant Manchester City days under Pep Guardiola but if he plays regularly, he should hit double digits for goals.
Mikel Arteta knows Sterling from his days assisting Guardiola at City, so there’s hope the Arsenal manager can reinstate the forward’s confidence and form.
Chelsea new boy Sancho is a risky yet intriguing option
Speaking of Chelsea, we have seen another England winger, Jadon Sancho (6.3m), become available at an attractive price point at a new club after failing to find his best form at Manchester United.
We know his capabilities from his time spent at Borussia Dortmund, where he produced 94 goal involvements in 118 league appearances, so he’s certainly one to monitor, but the strength and depth in Chelsea’s attack means he’s far from being a nailed-on starter.
Chelsea managed to clear out some players in the summer window, including Sterling, but still have 33 players registered in the game.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.5m) was loaned to Bournemouth and went straight into the starting XI for their 3-2 victory over Everton in Gameweek 3. He is an option to keep an eye on as the fixtures improve for Bournemouth.
We also saw Trevoh Chalobah (£4.4m) leave on loan for Palace, where he will join centre-back Maxence Lacroix (£4.5m), who was signed from Wolfsburg.
Matt Turner, Eddie Nketiah and Trevoh Chalobah (left to right) all joined Crystal Palace (Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Everton have recruited striker Armando Broja (£5.5m) on loan to provide competition for Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.9m), who managed a goal and an assist in Gameweek 3.
Calvert-Lewin will almost certainly stay in the side while Broja looks to recover from a foot injury.
Manchester United’s new midfielder is one to steer clear of
On paper, Manchester United have conducted some impressive business, with a big clear-out of their squad, including the departures of Sancho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m), who is expected to become a regular starter at West Ham.
Scott McTominay left for Napoli at the very end of the window while Manuel Ugarte (£5.0m) was the significant signing to replace him in the heart of the Manchester United midfield.
He comes in for big money from Paris Saint-Germain and while assets from United are always popular in FPL, investment in defensive-minded players should be avoided at all costs.
The knock-on effect of Ivan Toney’s Brenford departure
One of the most significant moves on the final day of the transfer window was the departure of Ivan Toney from Brentford, who joined the Saudi Pro League with Al Ahil.
This significantly boosts the attraction of Bryan Mbeumo (£7.1m) in FPL, who already has three goals in three games to start the season.
Without Toney in the side, he plays higher and takes more set pieces, including penalties, so should manage more attacking returns.
It’s also good news for striker Yoane Wissa (£6.1m), who becomes a consideration for our forward lines.
Wissa has two goals and one assist this season and played 90 minutes in Brentford’s 3-1 win against Southampton in Gameweek 3.
Yoane Wissa should benefit from Ivan Toney’s Brentford departure (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
The only concern with these two players, however, is their fixtures — trips to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur should be enough to put us off buying them straight away.
However, we see a significant swing in Gameweek 6, where Brentford have games against West Ham (H), Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), Manchester United (A), Ipswich Town (H), Fulham (A), Bournemouth (H), Everton (A) and Leicester City (H).
For me, the departure of Toney was the most important of the late business. With a Gameweek 6 wildcard to come, I’m very likely to have Mbeumo or Wissa (or even both) in my side.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
