New Starting £4.0m Goalkeeper in FPL – Gamechanger for Your Bench
A New Starting £4.0m Goalkeeper in FPL has emerged – and it could have a big impact on how managers build their squads for Gameweek 1.
Budget goalkeepers are always in high demand. This latest development opens the door for major savings without sacrificing playing minutes. In this article, we’ll break down who the new starter is and why they’re worth considering.
Sky Sports recently confirmed that Burnley had agreed a deal to buy Martin Dubravka from Newcastle on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Burnley’ pursuit of a new goalkeeper came as no surprise, due to the recent departure of number one James Trafford to Manchester City.
James Trafford’s return to Manchester City is confirmed below.
Find team reveals, drafts, top picks and the best options at each price-point in our FPL Essential Guide.
More on Dubravka
Martin Dúbravka is a Slovak goalkeeper. At 35 years old, he brings plenty of experience and has been part of Newcastle since 2018, when he joined from Sparta Prague. He quickly became a fan favourite with his shot-stopping ability and calm presence between the posts.
While he’s mostly served as backup in recent seasons – especially since Nick Pope arrived – Dúbravka has regularly stepped in when needed. He continues to prove he can perform at Premier League level. Dubravka is also a regular for the Slovakia national team, with over 40 caps to his name.
Dubravka featured for the Magpies on 10 occasions in the Premier League last season – helping his side keep five clean sheets during that period – over a third of their clean sheet tally in the 2024-25 campaign.
Why could Dubravka be a good FPL asset?
As highlighted by content creator FPL Focal, Dubravka is priced at £4m. This is a price-point many FPL managers seek when building their teams.
The most experienced FPL managers usually look to spend as little budget between the sticks as possible. So, the Slovakian could be a lovely back-up.
Does most of his appeal come from his price point?
No. Burnley had an outstanding defensive season in the 2024/25 Championship. There they produced one of the best backline records English football has ever seen. Over the course of 46 league games, they conceded just 16 goals, averaging an incredible 0.35 goals against per match – the lowest ever in a full league campaign.
Their defence was consistently solid, never conceding more than one goal in a single game all season. Goalkeeper James Trafford was a standout, keeping 30 clean sheets, which equalled the all-time record for shutouts in a single season. That included a record-breaking run of 12 clean sheets in a row, the longest streak in Championship history.
Burnley also went unbeaten at home and lost only twice all season, finishing level on 100 points with Leeds United, just missing out on the title due to goal difference. It was a campaign built on defensive control and consistency, and one that will be remembered for years.
Could Dubravka help with strategy?
Yes! As highlighted by Dan below, Bench Boosting Dubravka is something that many within the community are considering.
Bench Boost can be one of the most difficult chips to plan for. Because of this many within the community are hoping to play it early on.
Gameweek 2 could be a fantastic opportunity for managers to do exactly that. There won’t be many ‘easy’ fixtures for Burnley in the campaign ahead.
However, in the second round they clash with fellow promoted side Sunderland, which could offer solid potential for both the Burnley defence and Dubravka.
Will you be looking to add Dubravka to your squad?
