Welcome back, FPL managers. The Gameweek 3 deadline is Friday 4th September at 17:30, and there is a lot to digest before you lock in your squad. Injury concerns, deadline day arrivals, a blockbuster captaincy pick, and some defensive gems flying under the radar - we've got it all covered below. Let's get into it.
🚨 News Bulletin - Act Now
Haaland
Palmer
Mosquera has an injury concern flagged from the Aston Villa vs Arsenal match. If you haven't sold already, do it now - do not wait for injury confirmation before acting.
Tzolis was taken off at half-time in the same game, raising serious questions about his role going forward at Villa.
Transfer deadline day has passed and the FPL team have assessed and priced up new Premier League arrivals - keep an eye on newly added assets if you have chips or budget to play with.
The Wildcard conversation is very much alive heading into GW3, with Man City hosting Coventry City - one of the most appealing fixtures on the board this weekend.
📈 Top Transfers In This Week
1. Riccardo Calafiori - Arsenal DEF - £5.6m
VERDICT: ESSENTIAL
293,000 transfers in this week. Ownership at 43.3% and rising fast. This is the most important transfer you can make right now.
2 clean sheets this season, 0 goals conceded
2 assists on the season
11 points in GW2 - assist, clean sheet, and 2 bonus points
Played the full 90 minutes at Aston Villa and was immense
GW3: Arsenal host Chelsea - a tasty home fixture
GW4: Arsenal travel to Sunderland - continued defensive opportunity
The defensive returns are real here. Calafiori is delivering at both ends of the pitch and at £5.6m he represents outstanding value. If you don't have him, get him in before the deadline. He's already accumulated 20 total points in just two gameweeks.
2. Tzolakis - Hull City GKP - £4.5m
VERDICT: GOOD - A serious budget option between the sticks.
242,000 transfers in this week
Only 6.6% ownership - still under the radar
2 clean sheets in 2 games, 8 saves on the season
10 points in GW2 including 3 bonus points
Hull have conceded ZERO goals in two matches
GW3: Hull face Aston Villa away - trickier, but the underlying form is outstanding
20 total points in two gameweeks at just £4.5m
At £4.5m, Tzolakis is the budget goalkeeper doing premium things. Hull's defensive record has been extraordinary and the price point is almost impossible to argue with. If you need to free up funds, switching from a pricier keeper to Tzolakis is a genuine strategy worth considering.
3. James Tarkowski - Everton DEF - £6.0m
VERDICT: GOOD - The defender who scores goals is always FPL gold.
151,000 transfers in this week
10.3% ownership
12 points in GW2 - goal, 2 bonus points, full 90 minutes
18 total points across the first two gameweeks
Aerial dominance makes him a set-piece threat every single week
GW3: Everton host Man United - a competitive fixture but Tarkowski's threat from corners and set pieces remains
Tarkowski is both a defensive AND attacking threat this season. A defender with goal threat is always FPL gold, and at £6.0m he sits in a sweet spot. Check the set piece taker data to see just how involved Everton are from dead-ball situations.
📉 Top Transfers Out This Week
1. Bryan Mbeumo - Man Utd MID - £8.0m
VERDICT: SELL - Cash in and redirect funds to a more reliable asset.
455,000 transfers OUT this week - the market has spoken
30.4% owned - there is still time to move before his price drops
11 points against Ipswich in GW2 looks promising on the surface, BUT...
Man United have conceded 4 goals this season - the defensive structure is a mess
GW3: Everton at home - no easy ride
His price hasn't dropped yet, making this the window to sell
The 11-point GW2 haul is masking some serious structural concerns at Man United. Mbeumo's underlying value is declining and £8.0m could be better deployed elsewhere. Don't let one good gameweek cloud the bigger picture.
2. Mosquera - Injury Concern
VERDICT: SELL - No change in stance. This is a sell.
As flagged in the news bulletin, Mosquera has an injury concern following the Aston Villa vs Arsenal match. We recommended selling earlier this week and that advice stands firm. Do not wait for confirmation on the injury before acting - by then it could be too late.
3. David Raya - Arsenal GKP - £6.0m
VERDICT: Hold if you've fully committed to the Arsenal defence, but consider switching to Tzolakis to free up budget elsewhere.
128,000 transfers out vs 121,000 in - slight net negative
37.9% owned
2 clean sheets but only 6 points in GW2 compared to Tzolakis's 10
At £6.0m vs Tzolakis at £4.5m - that £1.5m saving could transform your squad
If you want Arsenal defensive cover, Calafiori delivers far more attacking upside
🔍 Differential Picks (All Under 10% Ownership)
These are the players flying under the radar that could separate you from your mini-league rivals. For more low-ownership gems, browse our differential players tool.
Egan - Hull City DEF - £4.0m | 4.1% owned
2 clean sheets in 2 games - perfectly mirroring Tzolakis's defensive form
9 points in GW2
Only 270 transfers in - the secret is barely out yet
At £4.0m he is almost free money in your squad
Get in before the price rises
Saka - Arsenal MID - £9.5m | 10.5% owned
11 points in GW2 - goal, clean sheet, and 3 bonus points
2 goals in 2 gameweeks this season
20 total points in the opening two weeks
Just over 10% ownership for a player delivering premium returns - genuinely surprising
GW3: Arsenal host Chelsea - a prime fixture for a big score
Just over 10% ownership for a player of Saka's quality delivering consistent premium returns is a differential worth exploiting. If you can fit him in alongside Calafiori, the Arsenal double-up looks very appealing.
Schade - Brentford MID - £6.0m | 3.9% owned
10 points in GW2 - goal and 3 bonus points
Only 3.9% owned - proper differential territory
GW3: Brentford host Sunderland - potential clean sheet opportunity with attacking upside
At under 4% ownership, he could be the differential that wins you your mini-league this week
🎯 Captain Pick: Rayan Cherki - Man City MID - £7.7m
Cherki delivered 14 points in GW2 with 2 goals and 3 bonus points - the best individual performance of the gameweek. Man City host Coventry City in GW3, with Coventry's fixture difficulty rated at 5 out of 5. It doesn't get easier than that for City. Cherki is in scintillating form. This is the armband pick.
14 points in GW2 - 2 goals, 3 bonus points
22 total points in two gameweeks
GW3 opponents: Coventry City (H) - fixture difficulty rated 5/5
Man City at home against newly promoted Coventry is about as good as it gets in terms of fixture quality
In outstanding form and priced at just £7.7m - exceptional value for a player of this quality
Cherki is your captain this gameweek. The fixture, the form, and the price all point in one direction. If you have him - armband on. If you don't have him - consider whether a transfer in before the deadline makes sense.
⚠️ Key Deadline Reminder
The Gameweek 3 deadline is Friday 4th September at 17:30. Do not sleep on this. With deadline day transfers now assessed and new players available, get your moves in early. The worst outcome in FPL is having transfers planned and missing the deadline. Set a reminder now.
📊 GW2 Score Summary - Key Performers at a Glance
| Player | Team | Price | GW2 Pts | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Fernandes | Man Utd | - | 23 | 25 |
| Cherki | Man City | £7.7m | 14 | 22 |
| Groß | Brighton | - | 13 | 15 |
| Haaland | Man City | - | 13 | 15 |
| Gibbs-White | Nott'm Forest | - | 13 | 15 |
| Tarkowski | Everton | £6.0m | 12 | 18 |
| Calafiori | Arsenal | £5.6m | 11 | 20 |
| Saka | Arsenal | £9.5m | 11 | 20 |
| Mbeumo | Man Utd | £8.0m | 11 | 13 |
| Tzolakis | Hull City | £4.5m | 10 | 20 |
| Schade | Brentford | £6.0m | 10 | 13 |
| Egan | Hull City | £4.0m | 9 | 17 |
🃏 Should You Wildcard?
The Wildcard conversation is very much alive heading into GW3. With Man City hosting Coventry City - one of the most appealing fixtures on the board - and multiple assets looking essential right now (Calafiori, Cherki, Tzolakis, Egan), if your squad is in need of a structural overhaul, this could be the gameweek to pull the trigger. View the full fixture difficulty ratings to help you plan your wildcard squad around the best upcoming schedules.
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Good luck with your GW3 transfers. Remember - deadline is Friday 4th September at 17:30. Don't leave it late!