Five fantasy football bargains to include in your team

With the return of Premier League football just around the corner, millions of fantasy football managers are assessing the market for the best players to make up their squad.

Every year, players hunt down the cheapest buys to accommodate spending half of their budget on the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane.

To help struggling managers out, we have taken a look at five huge bargains that you should consider ahead of the opening fixture on Friday.

Ivan Perisic (Tottenham, £5.5million)

Ivan Perisic was Antonio Conte’s first recruit of the summer transfer window, with the pair having worked together previously at Inter Milan.

The Croatian scored eight times in Serie A last season and registered seven assists, making him one of the best-performing wing-backs in Italy.

If he can replicate that form in the Premier League for a Tottenham team that is finally taking shape under Conte, then he is undoubtedly great value for money.

Available to select as a defender, Perisic will be feeding the likes of Kane and Heung-Min Son, who are guaranteed to score goals.

He is a must-have and a great alternative to players with premium prices such as Andy Robertson and Ben Chilwell.

Michael Olise (Crystal Palace, £5.5million)

At just 20 years old, Michael Olise looks set to be a star under Patrick Vieira’s guidance.

Often operating on the right, Olise likes to cut in on his left and frequently gets the better of the defender trying to mark him.

Tipped by Fantasy Premier League experts to start the majority of games for Crystal Palace this season, the former Reading man will be looking to improve upon his two league goals and five assists from the last campaign.

Palace were on the up towards the end of last season, losing just one of their last six Premier League games, and with Vieira seemingly motivated to push the South London side to new heights, Olise could be an important piece of the puzzle.

At just £5.5million, he offers a cheaper alternative to Luis Diaz, Dejan Kulusevski and Raheem Sterling, and his selection could turn out to be a masterstroke as the season progresses.

Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, £6million)

Arsenal look like they mean business having dispatched both Chelsea and Sevilla with ease in pre-season.

Gabriel Martinelli solidified his place in the Gunners’ starting XI towards the back end of last season and even took over penalty duties from Bukayo Saka.

The Brazilian registered six goals and six assists during the last league campaign, and his lower price tag will certainly tempt a few into including him in their squad.

With opening fixtures against Palace, Leicester, Bournemouth and Fulham, Martinelli could seize the opportunity to hit the ground running for Mikel Arteta’s side.

With premium players such as Jarrod Bowen, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden all costing upwards of £8m, Martinelli could be a gamble that pays off early on in your fantasy campaign.

Pedro Neto (Wolves, £5.5million)

Although injuries hindered Pedro Neto last season, the Wolves man recovered well and impressed in the final stretch of the 2021-22 campaign.

His role as an agile forward is a bonus for those that pick him, as he is likely to play off Raul Jimenez who fills the role of target man.

The low price given to Neto is undoubtedly due to his injury record, but if the Portuguese international can stay fit, he has already proven that he can be a handful for England’s top teams.

With compatriot Diogo Jota costing a hefty £9m and Arsenal’s Saka costing £8m, Neto is a risk worth taking for the upcoming season.

Bruno Lage is keen on bringing European football back to Molineux and Neto will be determined to make up for lost time over the last 12 months.

David Raya (Brentford, £4.5million)

Keepers can come at a high price in FPL, but there is always one or two cheap standouts across the season.

David Raya could be your best bet for a shrewd option who can still rack up a high number of points.

The Brentford shot-stopper collected 95 points in limited game time last season, due to the knee injury he picked up in October.

Raya kept eight clean sheets in 24 Premier League games in 2021-22 and Thomas Frank will be relying on the 26-year-old once again this year.

Faith in the Spaniard could be well rewarded if you do decide to take the gamble — he is certainly your best bet for an affordable recruit.