We're now just days away from the Premier League season kicking off, and the excitement is certainly building. The start of a new campaign also means the beginning of yet another Fantasy Premier League term for those amongst us who want to prove that we're a master-tactician in the making.
With that in mind, we've drawn up a list of 'cheap beasts' who could prove to be absolute steals for your teams. Whether they'll be amongst your focal point-scorers remains to be seen, but I've no doubts that the players mentioned will do a job. As an addicted FPL player, I know that at least a couple of these guys have already earned a place in my side anyway... Let's get right to it.
Joe Hart - West Ham United - £4.5m
Yes, you read that correctly. West Ham United's loan star Joe Hart costs just £4.5million. Whether you're after a bargain first-choice goalkeeper to spend big money elsewhere, or you need someone to play second-fiddle to your star man in between the sticks, the Englishman is a good option for all.
He's a proven Premier League player with an excellent defence in front of him. Hart will have to make his fair share of saves but will guarantee a clean sheet here and there. An absolute must in most teams, and surprisingly, he's only been selected by around 13% of players thus far.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah - Manchester United - £4.5m
He's currently on Manchester United's books, but a loan move to Crystal Palace looks to be in the offing. When that deal is confirmed, expect his ownership to rise from the current 0.2% pretty swiftly.
This is a young man who has proven he has what it takes to play at the highest level of Premier League football, and I've no doubts that Tim Fosu-Mensah will soar to new heights whilst playing for The Eagles. The Dutchman will be playing alongside some stern Palace defenders, and the clean sheets, as well as those all-important bonus points, will definitely be on offer.
Ilkay Gundogan - Manchester City - £5.5m
Manchester City will be right up there challenging for the title this season, and before he got injured last term, Ilkay Gundogan was an integral starter in Pep Guardiola's team. After overcoming a serious injury, the German may take a while to get going, but once he's back up to speed, this man will guarantee points.
Gundogan scored an impressive 41 points in just 800 minutes in his debut season at City, and expect that to be upped considerably if he can remain fit. He loves to get forward and he will contribute both goals and assists. It's criminal that only 0.2% of players deem him worthy of a position in their squads.
Tammy Abraham - Swansea City -£5.5m
Abraham, 19, will be tasked with getting the goals for Swansea City who'll be hoping to avoid the dreaded drop this season. He's on Chelsea's books, but the striker will get his first taste of Premier League football in Wales after a stunning season for Bristol City last year; where he scored 26 goals in 48 appearances.
Coming in at just £5.5m, he offers plenty of value for a cheap striker. I'm a firm believer in Abraham's ability, and if he can score goals in the Championship, I fully believe he'll be able to adapt and find the back of the net regularly in the Premier League too. With just 3.5% ownership, this man could be a real sleeper for FPL players this year, and his value should start to rise pretty rapidly.
Anyway, we hope you've enjoyed our list, and maybe it has given you some tips to take into consideration. No doubt they'll all flop or get injured after writing this post. Heck, we'll all have probably given up on FPL by mid-October anyway...
