The curtain will be raised on the 2025/26 Premier League season this weekend, which means millions of Fantasy Premier League players are now scrambling to finalise their squads.
Friday evening’s deadline will slam the door on preparations for Gameweek 1, before Liverpool kick off the new campaign against Bournemouth at Anfield. Our season begins two days later, in the shape of Sunday’s tantalising trip to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
With plenty of options to choose from and many different tactics being discussed and debated ahead of the return of the most-watched league in the world, FPL is well and truly back.
RULE CHANGES FOR 2025/26
Several alterations have now been implemented by the Premier League for their globally-contested FPL competition, as 2025/26 begins.
Chief among the changes to point-scoring is the introduction of ‘defensive contribution’ (DefCon) points. These include clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) - and 10 or more of these from a defender in any given match will reward them with an extra two points in the relevant Gameweek. Midfielders will require 12 CBITs for the bonus two points.
Concerning longer-term plans for FPL players this season, all four of the chips to be played have now been doubled, and can be used twice: once in the first half of the season, and again after the festive period.
Players are now looking at playing unprecedentedly early chips - which include Wildcard, Bench Boost, Triple Captain and Free Hit - when at least some are often saved until later in the campaign. Last season’s debuting Assistant Manager chip has been withdrawn for 2025/26.
Later in the season, we will focus more on other relevant changes to the game, including more transfer freedom when the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway in the winter.
NEW GUNNERS ON THE BLOCK
You can choose up to three players per Premier League club for your 15-man squad, meaning a trio of Arsenal stars can be deployed to fire your team to glory.
As of Wednesday, Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) is our most-picked player, having already endeared himself with his goal against Athletic Club in our Emirates Cup victory. A significant 25.9% of FPL players have included the Swede to spearhead their attack.
Gabriel (£6.0m) is the most popular pick in red and white on a defensive note, with over 20% of players including the Brazilian in their backline due to his prowess in both boxes, and our league-leading defensive record in 2024/25.
Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) is the most valuable Arsenal player in this year’s game, having contributed heavily to goals and assists when fit last term. Our No. 7 has enjoyed a fruitful pre-season, and has been chosen by over 17% of players. David Raya’s (£5.5m) Golden Glove last campaign has again made him an attractive proposition, with over 17% making the Spaniard the most popular goalkeeper of his starting price.
Alongside Viktor, both Martin Zubimendi and Cristhian Mosquera will make their bows in the Premier League for the first time, and Martin in particular could benefit as a midfielder from the DefCon system. Our summer recruit comes in at a reasonable £5.5m.
CARING FOR YOUR BUDGET
FPL players have been sent into overdrive when choosing their teams, particularly this week as clubs’ pre-season schedules come to an end. Slight clues are emerging as to how different teams will set up - and crucially which players are guaranteed the most minutes on the pitch to earn fantasy points.
The two priciest stars on this season’s game are Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (£14.5m, midfielder) and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (£14.0m, forward). While some persistent FPL managers are drafting squads including both players, it very much restricts top-quality options throughout the rest of the squad from the £100m budget. It also must not be forgotten that with both premium players included, at least one would always have to miss out on a double-point captaincy often capitalised upon by managers who have selected one of the pair.
As a result, many are looking elsewhere to maximise value across their wider squad, with some regular midfielders coming in as cheaply as £5.0m - including Everton’s new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and of course former Gunner Granit Xhaka, who signed for promoted Sunderland earlier this summer.
Even for no more than £5.5m, there are options such as the aforementioned Zubimendi, Manchester City new boy Tijjani Reijnders, and Nottingham Forest’s set-piece maestro Elliot Anderson.
[Read more
FPL Focus: Which Gunners to pick in your squad](https://www.arsenal.com/news/fpl-focus-which-gunners-pick-your-squad?utm_source=arsenaldotcom&utm_medium=embedded-article&utm_campaign=news)
Strikers often weigh in as the priciest, but beyond Haaland and Alexander Isak (£10.5m), Viktor joins Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as the next highest-costing at an encouraging £9.0m. Kai Havertz is among an esteemed selection in the £7.5m category, including Joao Pedro, Chris Wood and Jean-Philippe Mateta - who all performed their way to FPL popularity in 2024/25.
For defenders, the majority fielded by Mikel Arteta last season are valued around the £5.5-6.0m mark as ‘premium’ picks. While noting the importance of at least one premium defender in the squad, cheaper regulars at £4.5m include Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Maxim de Cuyper (Brighton) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United).
Given his clean sheet record since arriving at Emirates Stadium, Raya remains a hugely popular goalkeeper pick even at £5.5m, which is the heaviest price for a stopper alongside Jordan Pickford (Everton), Alisson Becker (Liverpool) and Ederson (Man City). Our number one shared his accolade last term with Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels (£5.0m), while Brentford’s Caoimhin Kelleher and Burnley’s Martin Dubravka are highly sought-after for their value, at £4.5m and £4.0m respectively - each tipped to be first-choice.
ESSENTIALS AND DIFFERENTIALS
With the new season around the corner, it is intriguing to discover the most popular players - not just based on their potential for the season, but also their value.
Pedro joins Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer as the most-picked players in the game so far due to their potential value for money, with Salah the only other star owned by more than half of the competition worldwide.
His fellow Liverpool squad members Florian Wirtz (£8.5m, midfielder) and Jeremie Frimpong (£6.0m, defender) are considered high possibilities for points hauls as they begin life in the Premier League, while our brand-new No. 14 Gyokeres is the entire game’s eighth-highest chosen star, and second for forwards only to Pedro, £1.5m cheaper.
Differentials, by FPL definition, are those owned by fewer than 10% of fantasy managers - but can be a goldmine for points where others in your mini-league may have missed the boat.
Among those who performed last season, Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) of Manchester United and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo (£7.0m) are most notably still owned by under 10% of FPL squads heading into GW1. Former Gunner Alex Iwobi (£6.5m), now at Fulham, slammed home 156 points in 2024/25, but remains owned by just 1.6% of teams.
Defensively, Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic and Palace’s Daniel Munoz scored a combined 287 points last year, but have not yet reached 10% ownership - possibly due to their raised £5.5m price tag. The same can be said for Liverpool new boy Milos Kerkez, now priced at £6.0m following his move from opening-day opponents Bournemouth.
[Read more
What's new in the Premier League in 2025/26?](https://www.arsenal.com/news/whats-new-premier-league-202526-0?utm_source=arsenaldotcom&utm_medium=embedded-article&utm_campaign=news)
Finally, you’ve picked your side. You’ve got your three Gunners, fit and ready to fire. You’re trimming players down to your second and third option to remain within budget, but now need a few from the very lowest price pool to complete your squad. Far too many simply throw in a player injured, not included, or worse still, who have departed the Premier League.
For goalkeepers, Dubravka has skyrocketed to become the most popular £4.0m choice, with his move from Newcastle to Burnley sealing a probable number one spot. Leeds’ Karl Darlow is also available, though heads to Emirates Stadium in GW2.
Defensively, the popular £4.0m options include the Clarets’ Maxime Esteve and Quilindschy Hartman, alongside Joe Rodon of Leeds, Alex Moreno of Aston Villa, and Sunderland’s Reinildo Mandava.
In midfield, the lowest-priced pool weighs in at £4.5m, comprising Burnley’s Aaron Ramsey, Palace’s Community Shield penalty hero Justin Devenny, and West Ham’s Freddie Potts, who has featured in pre-season.
Up top, Sunderland’s Marc Guiu has seen his £4.5m value look far more appealing since arriving on Wearside on loan from Chelsea. For £5.0m are Leeds’ experienced Patrick Bamford and Odsonne Edouard of Palace, though minutes are a risk.
Don’t miss your chance to register your team in time for Gameweek 1, and play out a 2025/26 FPL masterclass!
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.