Who are the best £4.5m defenders?
Lets take a look at some of the best potential 4.5m defenders in the game for the new season. We’ll use stats and the Fantasy Football Scout season ticker to help us pick out some great options to include in managers FPL teams.
With lots of nicely priced defenders in the game this season FPL managers have plenty to choose from. Enabling our FPL teams with cheaper assets is vital to building a well balanced fantasy team.
Tomiyasu
Arsenal are top of the fixture ticker in the first eight game weeks. They play Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Everton in that same period. Arsenal came in and around the top six teams for defensive underlying stats last season. This already indicates an Arsenal defender could be the way to go.
Although team mate Ben White also came in a £4.5m his lack of attacking threat raised questions over his attraction as an asset. Right-back Tomiyasu could potentially offer something Ben White does not. If he can stay fit Tomiyasu has already shown he is first team and with a higher non-penalty expected goal involvement than White last season, he has the potential to be the better option.
James Justin
Leicester struggled with injuries a lot last season which really unsettled their team and more importantly their performances. The foxes actually kept the fourth lowest amount of clean sheets in the entire league where as the season before they were competing for top four. This shows the potential they can have.
James Justin has shown great periods through his FPL career and actually became an FPL favourite whilst he was fit last season. In the 20/21 season Justin managed 12 returns in the 23 starts he made for Leicester, a total of 101 FPL points. With stability in fitness and defensive form Justin could well become a great pick again.
Tariq Lamptey
Brighton have shown to be a great defensive side under manager Potter which has reflected in their underlying stats. Last season Brighton were in amongst the top seven teams for goals conceded, clean sheets kept and shots on target conceded.
Lamptey has always shown massive potential when fit. Although his fitness is a constant concern for FPL managers the Brighton defender is an exciting watch. Per 90 minutes Lamptey offered a 0.22 expected goal involvement, more than most other £4.5m defenders in the league. The potential is there and if he can stay fit Lamptey could be a great option.
Lewis Dunk
Another Brighton defender joins the list coming in cheaper than he usually does. Dunk offers both consistency of fitness and attacking threat from his aerial ability. In season 20/21 the big man at the back managed to score the joint most goal amongst defenders with five. He was also joint 5th for goal attempts that season.
Combined with the potential of the clean sheets Dunk does offer threat. With that in mind the Brighton defender could be a great asset to enable the rest of your team in the new season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Wolves come top of the fixture ticker for the first six game weeks. They play Leeds, Fulham, Southampton, Newcastle and Bournemouth in that first period. Already the starting fixtures and ticker indicate that a Wolves defender could be a good move to start the season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, made the cut in many FPL managers teams last season during good fixture periods and it is likely we see that again. The £4.5m man is an exciting watch whilst getting into some great attacking positions. Team mate Johnny also comes in at the same price and could also be a good option from Wolves.
Want to know why top managers prefer cheap goalkeepers? Check this article out.
