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⚽🧠FPL Brain: Who to transfer in?
Simple, statistics-based rankings for Captaincy and Transfers, delivered weekly
Welcome to This Week’s FPL Player Insights 📊
In this newsletter, we break down the best picks across Defenders, Midfielders, and Forwards in Fantasy Premier League — highlighting both premium options, budget gems, and low-ownership differentials. Each player is shown with their club-colored jersey icon, so you can instantly spot their team.
What the stats mean:
- xGI per 90 → Expected goal involvement (goals + assists) per 90 minutes.
- Defensive contributions per 90 → Key defensive actions (clearances, interceptions, blocks) for defenders.
- Attack % (Next 3) → How favourable their attacking output is expected to be across the next 3 fixtures, relative to opponent defences.
- Defend % (Next 3) → For defenders, how solid they are projected to be against opponent attacks in the next 3 fixtures.
- Fixtures → The next 3 matches on their schedule.
Use this guide to spot captaincy candidates, budget enablers, or sneaky differentials before making your transfers. The higher the percentage in attack/defend, the better their outlook!
Overall Best Players for Next 3 Gameweeks
⚔️ Overall Defenders
Virgil van Dijk (£6.0m, DEF) — Liverpool
xGI/90 0.09 · Def contribs/90 18
Attack 90% · Defend 95%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
xGI/90 0.09 · Def contribs/90 18
Attack 90% · Defend 95%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
Rico Lewis (£5.0m, DEF) — Man City
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
Trevoh Chalobah (£5.0m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Dan Burn (£5.0m, DEF) — Newcastle
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
Reece James (£5.5m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 6.36
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 6.36
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
🎯 Overall Midfielders
Estêvão Gonçalves (£6.5m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 1.30 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 1.30 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Harvey Barnes (£6.5m, MID) — Newcastle
xGI/90 0.51 · Attack 95%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
xGI/90 0.51 · Attack 95%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
Enzo Fernández (£6.5m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Cody Gakpo (£7.5m, MID) — Liverpool
xGI/90 0.39 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
xGI/90 0.39 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
Pedro Neto (£7.0m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.46 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.46 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
🚀 Overall Forwards
Hugo Ekitiké (£8.6m, FWD) — Liverpool
xGI/90 0.86 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
xGI/90 0.86 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
Erling Haaland (£14.1m, FWD) — Man City
xGI/90 1.54 · Attack 86%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
xGI/90 1.54 · Attack 86%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
Viktor Gyökeres (£9.0m, FWD) — Arsenal
xGI/90 0.82 · Attack 56%
(Liverpool, Nott'm Forest, Man City)
xGI/90 0.82 · Attack 56%
(Liverpool, Nott'm Forest, Man City)
Chris Wood (£7.6m, FWD) — Nott'm Forest
xGI/90 0.68 · Attack 40%
(West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley)
xGI/90 0.68 · Attack 40%
(West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley)
João Pedro (£7.5m, FWD) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.45 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.45 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Best Budget Players for Next 3 Gameweeks
💰 Budget Defenders
Rico Lewis (£5.0m, DEF) — Man City
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
Trevoh Chalobah (£5.0m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Dan Burn (£5.0m, DEF) — Newcastle
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
Maxence Lacroix (£5.0m, DEF) — Crystal Palace
xGI/90 0.05 · Def contribs/90 14.0
Attack 71% · Defend 71%
(Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham)
xGI/90 0.05 · Def contribs/90 14.0
Attack 71% · Defend 71%
(Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham)
Josh Acheampong (£4.0m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.10 · Def contribs/90 8.0
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.10 · Def contribs/90 8.0
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
💰 Budget Midfielders
Elliot Anderson (£5.5m, MID) — Nott'm Forest
xGI/90 0.36 · Attack 40%
(West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley)
xGI/90 0.36 · Attack 40%
(West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley)
David Brooks (£5.0m, MID) — Bournemouth
xGI/90 0.74 · Attack 76%
(Spurs, Brighton, Newcastle)
xGI/90 0.74 · Attack 76%
(Spurs, Brighton, Newcastle)
Jaidon Anthony (£5.5m, MID) — Burnley
xGI/90 0.83 · Attack —
(Man Utd, Liverpool, Nott'm Forest)
xGI/90 0.83 · Attack —
(Man Utd, Liverpool, Nott'm Forest)
Josh King (£4.5m, MID) — Fulham
xGI/90 0.31 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
xGI/90 0.31 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
Moisés Caicedo (£5.5m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.17 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.17 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
💰 Budget Forwards
Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m, FWD) — Fulham
xGI/90 0.50 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
xGI/90 0.50 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
Igor Thiago (£6.0m, FWD) — Brentford
xGI/90 0.57 · Attack 66%
(Sunderland, Chelsea, Fulham)
xGI/90 0.57 · Attack 66%
(Sunderland, Chelsea, Fulham)
Jørgen Strand Larsen (£6.5m, FWD) — Wolves
xGI/90 0.28 · Attack 31%
(Everton, Newcastle, Leeds)
xGI/90 0.28 · Attack 31%
(Everton, Newcastle, Leeds)
Danny Welbeck (£6.4m, FWD) — Brighton
xGI/90 1.34 · Attack 49%
(Man City, Bournemouth, Spurs)
xGI/90 1.34 · Attack 49%
(Man City, Bournemouth, Spurs)
Norberto Beto (£5.5m, FWD) — Everton
xGI/90 0.17 · Attack 6%
(Wolves, Aston Villa, Liverpool)
xGI/90 0.17 · Attack 6%
(Wolves, Aston Villa, Liverpool)
Best Low Ownership Players Next 3 Gameweeks
📉 Low-Ownership Defenders
Rico Lewis (£5.0m, DEF) — Man City
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
xGI/90 0.40 · Def contribs/90 6.97
Attack 86% · Defend 91%
(Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal)
Trevoh Chalobah (£5.0m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.25 · Def contribs/90 7.97
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Dan Burn (£5.0m, DEF) — Newcastle
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
xGI/90 0.04 · Def contribs/90 11.5
Attack 95% · Defend 81%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
Reece James (£5.5m, DEF) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 6.36
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 6.36
Attack 81% · Defend 76%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Maxence Lacroix (£5.0m, DEF) — Crystal Palace
xGI/90 0.05 · Def contribs/90 14.0
Attack 71% · Defend 71%
(Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham)
xGI/90 0.05 · Def contribs/90 14.0
Attack 71% · Defend 71%
(Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham)
📉 Low-Ownership Midfielders
Estêvão Gonçalves (£6.5m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 1.30 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 1.30 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Harvey Barnes (£6.5m, MID) — Newcastle
xGI/90 0.51 · Attack 95%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
xGI/90 0.51 · Attack 95%
(Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth)
Enzo Fernández (£6.5m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
Cody Gakpo (£7.5m, MID) — Liverpool
xGI/90 0.39 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
xGI/90 0.39 · Attack 90%
(Arsenal, Burnley, Everton)
Pedro Neto (£7.0m, MID) — Chelsea
xGI/90 0.46 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
xGI/90 0.46 · Attack 81%
(Fulham, Brentford, Man Utd)
📉 Low-Ownership Forwards
Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m, FWD) — Fulham
xGI/90 0.50 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
xGI/90 0.50 · Attack 36%
(Chelsea, Leeds, Brentford)
Richarlison (£6.6m, FWD) — Spurs
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 61%
(Bournemouth, West Ham, Brighton)
xGI/90 0.61 · Attack 61%
(Bournemouth, West Ham, Brighton)
Igor Thiago (£6.0m, FWD) — Brentford
xGI/90 0.57 · Attack 66%
(Sunderland, Chelsea, Fulham)
xGI/90 0.57 · Attack 66%
(Sunderland, Chelsea, Fulham)
Jørgen Strand Larsen (£6.5m, FWD) — Wolves
xGI/90 0.28 · Attack 31%
(Everton, Newcastle, Leeds)
xGI/90 0.28 · Attack 31%
(Everton, Newcastle, Leeds)
Danny Welbeck (£6.4m, FWD) — Brighton
xGI/90 1.34 · Attack 49%
(Man City, Bournemouth, Spurs)
xGI/90 1.34 · Attack 49%
(Man City, Bournemouth, Spurs)