How To Manage The FPL Premiums In 23/24
The number of premiums in the game for the 23/24 season has almost halved this year. There were eight players priced at a premium price tag for the start of the 22/23 season. This time when the game launched there were only five. Here we take a look at home managers should manage the FPL premiums in 23/24.
One of the big decisions for FPL managers to make is how many premium players they should have in their squads. The premium picks are the most expensive players in the game. These players are priced at over £10.0m in the game, with the exception of defenders who are seen as premium if over £7.0m. Owning one of them is easy. However the more that managers add to their squad the harder it is to create a balanced team.
This season three of the five premium players in the game have risen in price. Erling Haaland (£14.0m) has risen by £2.5m. Harry Kane (£12.5m) is up by £1.0m and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.0m) has risen by £0.5m. Mo Salah (£12.5m) and Kevin de Bruyne (£10.5m) have taken a slight price drop ahead of the new season. Players like Son Heung-min (£9.0m) and Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) are no longer classed as premium picks, because of their new price tags.
So how should managers invest in premiums?
The premiums in 2022/23
During the majority of the 2022/23 season it was possible for managers to own a ‘threemium’ team. This was a team which contained three premium picks. It was possible for FPL managers to own all three of Salah, Haaland and Kane. It was even easier for them to own Haaland, Kane and Alexander-Arnold, or Haaland, Salah and Alexander-Arnold. Last season owning three premiums also did not compromise the rest of the 15 man squad.
The threemium teams in 22/23 were not compromised because of the pricing of other attractive assets in the game. Managers had the benefit of in form assets such as Marcus Rashford (£9.0m), Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£8.0m) who were all budget friendly and returning well.
At the start of the 22/23 season owning Salah, Haaland and Kane would have cost FPL managers £36.0m. Owning three three players for the 23/24 season will now cost £39.0m. That additional £3.0m will be difficult for managers to cover across their teams.
How many premiums for 23/24?
At £39.0m for the three attacking assets or £34.5m for Haaland, Alexander-Arnold and Salah/Kane managers will need to make tough choices. Owning all of them in a draft for the 23/24 season will mean huge compromises else where. It likely means managers will struggle to invest heavily in the mid-priced midfielders who look to offer great value for money this season.
Last week we asked the community for their best three premium drafts.
Many of the drafts provided have either compromised their benches, or they have limited their picks from the £7.5-9.0m midfielder bracket. Some have done both.
Last season Haaland, Kane and Salah were the top points scorers. However, there was not a huge amount of difference between their returns and those of the cheaper options behind them. At last seasons prices the most expensive of the players that followed was Bukayo Saka (£8.5m) who was priced at £8.0m for the start of last season.
For the price of Salah, managers could own both Marcus Rashford and Gabriel Martinelli. Combined at the start of the 22/23 season Rashford and Martinelli cost £12.5m, £0.5m less than Salah. Therefore the points for spreading the budget across two players would have been greater than Salah and a non playing, or very cheap budget enabler. Managers should think carefully about the combination of players and their potential returns before diving into all out premium teams.
Which premiums to choose?
When it comes to how to manage the FPL premiums managers will have some tough decisions to make. Spending £22.0m on Haaland and Alexander-Arnold will leave enough budget to invest in quality midfielders as well as mid-priced defenders.
Owning Haaland and one of Kane or Salah will cost managers £26.5m. When it comes to how to manage the FPL premiums owning two of these three will mean more compromises, how it is still achievable.
Going without Haaland feels too risky for many. However, it is possible to build a really nice squad of 15 with Kane and Salah as the two premium picks, if managers are brave enough.
