The Scout’s panel of Fantasy Premier League experts predict how players will be priced next season and explain their reasoning.
Defenders
Harry Daniels (@FPL_Harry)
2023/24 was not Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s best season, but the potential for attacking returns is always there. I expect a price drop from his starting cost of £8.5m this season but that he will still remain one of the most expensive defenders in the game at £7.0m.
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
Josko Gvardiol was a hero for many managers at the end of the season. He was a secure starter, keeping some clean sheets and regularly producing attacking returns. I suspect we’ll see him at £5.5m, up from £5.0m this season and more in-line with the premium defenders, and I would not be hugely shocked if he came in at £6.0m.
Pras (@Pras_FPL)
I’d want to price Malo Gusto similarly to Reece James, otherwise the former becomes too cheap if James is injured again. For his attacking threat, I’d price Gusto at £5.0m, a hefty £1.0m more than he cost at the start of this season.
Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
Bettered only by team-mates William Saliba and Ben White, Gabriel finished 2023/24 Fantasy as the third highest-scoring defender with 149 points, which surely means he’s in for a price rise, going up from the £5.0m where he started this season. I’d expect hikes across the board for Arsenal’s defence, particularly as they’re so assured of minute – and Gabriel registered three goals and one assist across his 34 starts.
Pranil Sheth (@lateriser12)
Pedro Porro started the season at £5.0m and was very popular throughout. Largely due to his three goals and eight assists, he was the fourth highest-scoring defender. I’m expecting him to get a price hike and come in at £5.5m next season.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL)
Everton kept a whopping 13 clean sheets this season and Jarrad Branthwaite started 12 of those matches. He also notched three goals and one assist, which should see him priced at £5.0m, up from his starting price of £4.0m this season, and his final price of £4.5m. It is worth mentioning that most of these clean sheets were in home matches, though, so he is one you probably want to consider only as a rotation option.
Nick Harris (@WGTA_Nick)
After an excellent campaign in 2022/23 Fantasy, Kieran Trippier started this season at £6.5m, at the more expensive end for defenders. This season, partly due to injury, he wasn’t able to accrue as many points, but he was still effective offensively – his 10 assists were the joint-most among defenders, level with Alfie Doughty. I can see him having a slight price drop, coming in at £6.0m.
Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice)
Rayan Ait-Nouri has become a key cog in the Gary O’Neil machine for Wolverhampton Wanderers at wing-back and towards the end of the season we even saw him play in a front three when a few forwards were injured. He should rightly continue to be listed as a defender, and he would be a bargain if he comes in at £4.5m again. Across 29 starts this season, he underwhelmed in terms of output, with only five attacking returns, but his expected data was much better than that. For that reason, I think he will be £5.0m.
Az Phillips (@FPLBlackBox_Az)
Joachim Andersen was the highest-scoring defender in the game for a decent chunk of the season, with both of his goals coming over the first seven Gameweeks. But I expect him to remain at £4.5m. I don’t think he’s worth more than Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Munoz at wing-back, but he might be a decent budget option at the price.