Welcome back to your daily FPL briefing! With Gameweek 26's Tuesday deadline fast approaching (6pm GMT), we've got all the transfer targets, players to avoid, and differential picks you need to dominate your mini-leagues. Let's dive straight into the action.
📰 Key News & Injury Updates
Raya
Dalot
Before we discuss transfers, here's what you need to know:
Szoboszlai (Liverpool) picked up a knock against City and is expected to miss multiple matches - avoid Liverpool midfielders in this price range
Van Hecke (Brighton) didn't feature against Palace with a potential injury, impacting Brighton's defensive stability
Raúl (Fulham) came through unscathed despite pre-match concerns, playing 74 minutes and grabbing an assist
Multiple players are now on 9 yellow cards - one booking away from suspension, so check your defenders carefully
🔥 Top Three Transfers IN
1️⃣ Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - £9.8m | 35.1% Owned
Verdict: ESSENTIAL BUY
Bruno delivered 10 points in GW25 with a goal and two bonus points against Spurs, playing the full 90 minutes. His season stats are impressive: 6 goals and 12 assists, averaging 6.4 points per game.
Why he's essential:
On penalties and set pieces - absolutely central to United's attack
Fixtures: West Ham (A) in GW26, then Everton (H) in GW27
176,000 managers brought him in last week - momentum is building
Total season points: 141
If you don't own Bruno, this is the week to fix that. He's firing on all cylinders.
2️⃣ Gabriel (Arsenal) - £7.1m | 41.7% Owned
Verdict: GOOD BUY
The Brazilian defender kept his 12th clean sheet of the season against Sunderland, banking 6 points in GW25. While Arsenal face Brentford away on Thursday (GW26) - a tougher fixture - look at what follows:
GW27: Spurs at home
GW28: Chelsea away
Also offers goal threat with 3 goals this season
97,000 transfers in shows strong community confidence
Expected 13.6 points for GW26
At £7.1m, he's premium-priced but offers consistent returns. Perfect if you're doubling up on Arsenal's defence.
3️⃣ João Pedro (Chelsea) - £7.6m | 43.2% Owned
Verdict: ESSENTIAL
This is the standout pick of the gameweek. João Pedro grabbed 8 points in GW25 with two assists against Wolves (74 minutes played). His form is red-hot:
9 goals and 7 assists this season
Averaging 9.5 points per game recently
Total season points: 122
155,000 transfers in last gameweek shows massive confidence
Chelsea face Leeds at home in GW26 - a fixture they should dominate. Expected 9.5 points next. At £7.6m, he's the best value forward in the game right now.
❌ Top Three Transfers OUT
1️⃣ Erling Haaland (Man City) - £14.9m | 69% Owned
Verdict: SELL IF YOU NEED FUNDS
Yes, Haaland delivered 11 points against Liverpool with a goal and assist. But 81,000 managers sold him last week, and here's the logic:
At £14.9m, he's consuming a massive chunk of your budget
City face Fulham (H) in GW26 with expected 5.3 points, then Newcastle (A) in GW27
Compare to João Pedro at £7.6m with similar recent output
Downgrading Haaland unlocks funds for two premium players elsewhere
Season totals: 21 goals, 6 assists, 182 points
Haaland is still elite, but if your team structure is broken, this downgrade could transform your entire squad. Only hold if your team allows it.
2️⃣ Ekitiké (Liverpool) - £8.9m | 26% Owned
Verdict: SELL
Blanked with just 2 points against City despite playing 90 minutes. With Szoboszlai injured and Liverpool's attack looking blunt, there are serious concerns:
GW26: Sunderland (A) - tricky fixture
GW27: Forest (H)
58,000 managers sold him last week
At £8.9m, you're paying premium money for inconsistent returns
Move the funds to João Pedro or save money with a cheaper forward.
3️⃣ Bowen (West Ham) - £7.7m | 9.3% Owned
Verdict: SELL
72,000 transfers out tells you everything you need to know. Despite a clean sheet against Burnley for 2 points, Bowen's not delivering attacking returns:
Just 8 goals and 3 assists all season
Points per game: 4.6 - not good enough for £7.7m
GW26: Man Utd (H) - horrible fixture
GW27: Bournemouth (A)
Expected just 6.2 points next
Too expensive for what he's offering. Move him on.
💎 Differential Picks (Under 10% Ownership)
Raúl (Fulham) - £6.2m | 1.9% Owned
Grabbed 5 points against Everton with an assist and clean sheet contribution, playing 74 minutes. Here's why he's interesting:
Skip GW26 (City away), but look at GW27 & 28: Sunderland and Spurs
6 goals and 5 assists this season
At £6.2m, he's a bargain enabler who can actually return
Came through his injury concerns unscathed
A genuine differential who could swing your mini-league.
Armstrong (Wolves) - £5.5m | 0% Owned
Just delivered 4 points with an assist against Chelsea, playing the full 90 minutes. This is a budget enabler play:
Literally 0% owned - maximum differential potential
Nailed in the Wolves lineup
Fixtures: Forest (A), then Crystal Palace
At £5.5m, he's bench fodder who might surprise you
Worth a punt if you need to free up significant funds elsewhere.
⚡ Captaincy Pick for GW26
Primary Choice: João Pedro vs Leeds (H)
Chelsea should dominate Leeds at home, and Pedro is hauling every week. He offers the highest ceiling for this gameweek.
Safe Alternative: Bruno Fernandes vs West Ham (A)
If you're feeling more conservative, Bruno offers the safer floor given his consistency and set-piece involvement.
The verdict: Stick with João Pedro for the ceiling, Bruno for the floor.
🎯 Key Tip of the Week
Don't panic sell Haaland unless you desperately need the funds. He's still Haaland. But if your team structure is broken, downgrading him to João Pedro unlocks your entire squad. Make that move count.
Final Thoughts
With Tuesday's 6pm GMT deadline approaching fast, prioritize getting João Pedro and Bruno Fernandes into your squad if you haven't already. The Haaland decision is personal - only downgrade if it genuinely transforms your team structure.
Remember to check those yellow card suspensions and keep an eye on any late injury news before the deadline.
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Good luck in GW26, and we'll see you tomorrow with more FPL insights!
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