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⚽🧠FPL Brain: Who to transfer in?

⚽🧠FPL Brain: Who to transfer in?

Simple, statistics-based rankings for Captaincy and Transfers, delivered weekly

September 12, 2025

Welcome to this week’s FPL newsletter! Here’s a quick guide to the sections and stats you’ll see below:

Captain Picks – The standout options to give the armband to this gameweek, based on form and immediate fixture potential.
Overall Best (⚔️ Defenders, 🎨 Midfielders, 🎯 Forwards) – The top-performing players in each position, projected over the next 3 gameweeks.
Budget Gems (💸) – Lower-priced players who still offer strong returns, helping free up funds elsewhere, for the next 3 gameweeks.
Low Ownership Differentials (🔍) – Under-the-radar picks with less than ~10% ownership, who can boost your rank if they deliver, also assessed across the next 3 gameweeks.

Stat Glossary:

xGI/90 – Expected Goals + Assists per 90 minutes. A measure of attacking involvement.
Attack % – Strength of attacking output versus upcoming opponents (higher % = stronger attacking potential).
Defend % – Reliability of defensive output versus upcoming opponents (higher % = better chance of clean sheets/defensive returns).
Def contribs/90 – Defensive contributions (tackles, blocks, interceptions) per 90 minutes.
Fixtures – The next 2–3 matches the player is projected to play.
Rank # – Position compared to others in the same category (1 = best).

Use this guide to balance safe picks with clever differentials, and to spot where you can save budget or take calculated risks across the next three gameweeks.

Captain Picks

Hugo Ekitiké (£8.8m, CAP) — Liverpool — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.56
Attack 95%

Erling Haaland (£14.1m, CAP) — Man City — Rank #2
xGI/90 1.49
Attack 86%

Viktor Gyökeres (£9.0m, CAP) — Arsenal — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.57
Attack 91%

Florian Wirtz (£8.4m, CAP) — Liverpool — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.29
Attack 95%

Cody Gakpo (£7.7m, CAP) — Liverpool — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.27
Attack 95%

⚔️ Overall Defenders

Virgil van Dijk (£6.0m, DEF) — Liverpool — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.07 · Def contribs/90 14.67
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Trevoh Chalobah (£5.1m, DEF) — Chelsea — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.28 · Def contribs/90 9.07
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

Joachim Andersen (£4.5m, DEF) — Fulham — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 9.67
Attack 56% · Defend 77%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

Marcos Senesi Barón (£4.6m, DEF) — Bournemouth — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.08 · Def contribs/90 14.33
Attack 76% · Defend 23%
(Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds)

Marc Cucurella Saseta (£6.1m, DEF) — Chelsea — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.20 · Def contribs/90 6.53
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

🎨 Overall Midfielders

Enzo Fernández (£6.6m, MID) — Chelsea — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.76 · Def contribs/90 3.84
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

Cody Gakpo (£7.7m, MID) — Liverpool — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.27 · Def contribs/90 7.33
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Florian Wirtz (£8.4m, MID) — Liverpool — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 7.26
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Mohamed Salah (£14.5m, MID) — Liverpool — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.22 · Def contribs/90 4.67
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Pedro Lomba Neto (£7.0m, MID) — Chelsea — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.38 · Def contribs/90 4.15
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

🎯 Overall Forwards

Hugo Ekitiké (£8.8m, FWD) — Liverpool — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.56
Attack 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Erling Haaland (£14.1m, FWD) — Man City — Rank #2
xGI/90 1.49
Attack 91%
(Man Utd, Arsenal, Burnley)

Viktor Gyökeres (£9.0m, FWD) — Arsenal — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.57
Attack 82%
(Nott'm Forest, Man City, Newcastle)

Ollie Watkins (£8.9m, FWD) — Aston Villa — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.42
Attack 46%
(Everton, Sunderland, Fulham)

João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus (£7.7m, FWD) — Chelsea — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.53
Attack 86%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

💸 Budget Defenders

Joachim Andersen (£4.5m, DEF) — Fulham — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 9.67
Attack 56% · Defend 77%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

Marcos Senesi Barón (£4.6m, DEF) — Bournemouth — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.08 · Def contribs/90 14.33
Attack 76% · Defend 23%
(Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds)

Joe Gomez (£5.0m, DEF) — Liverpool — Rank #3
xGI/90 0 · Def contribs/90 24.83
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Maxence Lacroix (£5.0m, DEF) — Crystal Palace — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.07 · Def contribs/90 12.33
Attack 51% · Defend 67%
(Sunderland, West Ham, Liverpool)

Tosin Adarabioyo (£4.5m, DEF) — Chelsea — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.02 · Def contribs/90 10
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

💸 Budget Midfielders

Oscar Bobb (£5.5m, MID) — Man City — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.27 · Def contribs/90 5.31
Attack 91% · Defend 86%
(Man Utd, Arsenal, Burnley)

Josh King (£4.5m, MID) — Fulham — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.26 · Def contribs/90 6.79
Attack 56% · Defend 77%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

David Brooks (£5.0m, MID) — Bournemouth — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.80 · Def contribs/90 6.79
Attack 76% · Defend 23%
(Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds)

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£5.0m, MID) — Everton — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.35 · Def contribs/90 5
Attack 6% · Defend 43%
(Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham)

Saša Lukić (£5.0m, MID) — Fulham — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.19 · Def contribs/90 8.33
Attack 56% · Defend 77%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

💸 Budget Forwards

Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal (£5.4m, FWD) — Everton — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.43
Attack 6%
(Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham)

Igor Thiago Nascimento Rodrigues (£6.0m, FWD) — Brentford — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.46
Attack 41%
(Chelsea, Fulham, Man Utd)

Lyle Foster (£5.0m, FWD) — Burnley — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.28
(Liverpool, Nott'm Forest, Man City)

Eliezer Mayenda Dossou (£5.5m, FWD) — Sunderland — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.17
Attack 16%
(Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Nott'm Forest)

Rodrigo Muniz Carvalho (£5.5m, FWD) — Fulham — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.33
Attack 56%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

🔍 Low-Ownership Defenders

Trevoh Chalobah (£5.1m, DEF) — Chelsea — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.28 · Def contribs/90 9.07
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

Joachim Andersen (£4.5m, DEF) — Fulham — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.29 · Def contribs/90 9.67
Attack 56% · Defend 77%
(Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa)

Marcos Senesi Barón (£4.6m, DEF) — Bournemouth — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.08 · Def contribs/90 14.33
Attack 76% · Defend 23%
(Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds)

Joe Gomez (£5.0m, DEF) — Liverpool — Rank #4
xGI/90 0 · Def contribs/90 24.83
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

Milos Kerkez (£6.0m, DEF) — Liverpool — Rank #5
xGI/90 0 · Def contribs/90 9.04
Attack 95% · Defend 95%
(Burnley, Everton, Crystal Palace)

🔍 Low-Ownership Midfielders

Pedro Lomba Neto (£7.0m, MID) — Chelsea — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.38 · Def contribs/90 4.15
Attack 86% · Defend 72%
(Brentford, Man Utd, Brighton)

Declan Rice (£6.5m, MID) — Arsenal — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.27 · Def contribs/90 6.87
Attack 82% · Defend 91%
(Nott'm Forest, Man City, Newcastle)

Oscar Bobb (£5.5m, MID) — Man City — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.27 · Def contribs/90 5.31
Attack 91% · Defend 86%
(Man Utd, Arsenal, Burnley)

Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima (£5.9m, MID) — West Ham — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.46 · Def contribs/90 10.67
Attack 31% · Defend 52%
(Spurs, Crystal Palace, Everton)

Brennan Johnson (£7.1m, MID) — Spurs — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.43 · Def contribs/90 5.6
Attack 60% · Defend 57%
(West Ham, Brighton, Wolves)

🔍 Low-Ownership Forwards

Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal (£5.4m, FWD) — Everton — Rank #1
xGI/90 0.43
Attack 6%
(Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham)

Igor Thiago Nascimento Rodrigues (£6.0m, FWD) — Brentford — Rank #2
xGI/90 0.46
Attack 41%
(Chelsea, Fulham, Man Utd)

Jarrod Bowen (£7.8m, FWD) — West Ham — Rank #3
xGI/90 0.17
Attack 31%
(Spurs, Crystal Palace, Everton)

Francisco Evanilson de Lima Barbosa (£7.0m, FWD) — Bournemouth — Rank #4
xGI/90 0.31
Attack 76%
(Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds)

Lyle Foster (£5.0m, FWD) — Burnley — Rank #5
xGI/90 0.28
(Liverpool, Nott'm Forest, Man City)