Best £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season

After having discussed the best 4.5m defenders and even the best 4.0m defenders in previous posts, we are now moving on to perhaps the most undervalued price bracket, £5-5.5 million FPL defenders. There are a couple of reasons that these players are often overlooked, primarily due to the great value of the 4.5m defenders this season, but it must be acknowledged that this price bracket contains some great FPL picks, particularly for FPL GW1.

In fact, 4 out of the top 10 most ‘valuable’ defenders are priced between 5 and 5.5m, highlighting just how many great options there are in this bracket. So, let’s take a look at the Best £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season!

Suggested pre reads:

• Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season
• Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders For The 2024/25 FPL Season

Link to all our 2024/25 Pre-Season articles including all team pre-season friendly updates, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, differentials, players to target, budget enablers and more. Completely free to access as well!

Best £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders to Target

Daniel Munoz (£5.0m)

While many in the FPL community prefer Andersen (£4.5m) and Guehi (£4.5m) due to their price tag, Munoz, at only 0.5m more, could prove to be a bargain come the end of the season, especially if he carries his form from the end of last season into this one. The Colombian only joined The Eagles at the end of January, but made himself not only an essential part of new Manager Glasner’s plans, but also undroppable.

Last season, Munoz averaged 2.63 touches in the opposition penalty box per 90, significantly more than other attacking fullbacks in the Prem like Trent (1.41), White (1.88), Porro (2.01), and even his fullback partner at Palace, Mitchell (1.52). This is all the more encouraging when taking into account that the other players mentioned play for teams who dominate possession, and are therefore much more likely to get touches in the opposition box.

The most exciting aspect of Munoz’ game however is yet to be unlocked by new manager Glasner. What I am referring to is of course Munoz’s surprising goal record prior to joining Palace last season. The Colombian scored 5 goals in 17 games for previous club Genk in 23/24, and averaged 0.21xG/90, which, is higher than any Premier League Defender managed last season (only including players to play over 1500 minutes). While his goal return has decreased since his move to Palace, his creativity numbers, (xAssistedGoals, Key Passes, Assists) have all increased, making up for his lack of goals.

As mentioned in our Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season post, Palace have great fixtures to start the season, coupled with a great defensive record. Palace had the 5th best defensive record last season both in terms of goals conceded and in expected goals conceded, meaning that their defensive solidity was no fluke! They play promoted Leicester at home, and only 2 of last season’s top 6 in their first 8 GWs; as mentioned in our Fixture analysis post, they have one of the better runs of fixtures at the beginning of the season, and thus their players should be targeted for GW1.

---

---

Ian Maatsen (£5.0m)

Another player who I think is being severely overlooked is Aston Villa’s Ian Maatsen, recently signed from Chelsea after playing the second half of last season on loan at Dortmund. Maatsen is priced at just 5.0m, 0.5m more than his, currently, very popular teammate Ezri Konza. Maatsen is a bit of unknown quantity at the moment, having played Left Back for Burnely in 22/23 in the Championship and for Dortmund last season, but as more of an attacking midfielder come winger for Chelsea during pre-season last year. He may be used either as a LB or as winger by Emery, but either way he’s an enticing option.

The Netherlands international played just 1200 minutes for Dortmund last year, but produced 2 goals and 2 assists in the league during that time, which is amazing considering Dortmund’s lackluster Bundesliga campaign. Maatsen averaged 0.19xA+xG/90, on par with players like Gvardiol, Porro and Udogie, who were all essential FPL assets at one point last season.

The main problem with Maatsen, which is the reason many managers are sticking with Konsa, is that we don’t know how nailed he is, or in which position he will play. His flexibility, as mentioned, allows him to be deployed in a number of roles, which is of course in advantage in some ways, but may result in him being unable to lock down a starting role/position in the team.

With neither Moreno nor Digne able to cement themselves as the starting LB last season, due to poor performances, form and injury, I see Maatsen as the solution to the LB conundrum that Emery is facing, and therefore think he’s a great option, offering more attacking threat than Konsa. Villa play two promoted sides in their first 6 GWs, and only face 1 team from last season’s top 6, Arsenal, who they in fact beat Home and Away last season. While there are questions around his minutes and position, the fixtures look good, the price looks good; at 5.0m he could be a steal!

Further Read: Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £5.5 Million) | 24/25 FPL Season

Pedro Porro

As mentioned, Porro was an FPL fan favourite last season, providing 3 goals and 7 assists over the course of the Premier League season. His 1.54 shots/90 and 3.12 Shot Creating Actions per 90 illustrate just how attacking he was in 23/24, and how great a pick he is this time round. His 0.2 Assists/90 is fantastic for a defender, and his xA/90 of 0.17 proves that his form is replicable.

Porro is top of the leaderboard of points scored last season for players priced between 5 and 5.5 million this season, clearing 2nd placed Branthwaite by 12 points, and clearing his fullback partner Destiny Udogie by almost 50. Speaking of Udogie (priced at 5.0m), the Italian averaged 0.08xA, far lower than Porro’s 0.21xA/90, and took only 0.34 Shots/90, far below Porro’s exceptional 1.54 – out of the two, Porro is a much better option for FPL.

With regards to fixtures, Spurs don’t have a great fixture run, playing 2 of last season’s top 6 and only 1 promoted side, along with tricky away games to Old Trafford and the Amex. While their fixtures aren’t bad, Spurs shipped 5 goals against both Newcastle and Arsenal in 23/24, so clean sheets may be hard to come by. Having said this, Porro kept only 7 clean sheets last season, but finished as the 4th highest scoring defender, behind only the Red Wall of Saliba, Gabriel and White, his attacking output is more important than his CS potential.

Unfortunately, Porro may be a hard sell to many, with some difficult fixtures to begin the season, and some great options at 5.0m (see above), and decent picks at 6.0m (Gvardiol, Saliba etc), but his attacking potential should not be underestimated.

Further Read: Best FPL Drafts with Salah + Haaland with Pros/Cons and Key Notes

---

---

Manchester City Defenders

Despite their less than ideal fixtures, and their history of starting the season slowly under Pep, Manchester City’s 5.5m options must be mentioned. Walker, Akanji, Ake, Stones and Dias are all priced at 5.5m this season, with Gvardiol the only likely starter priced more expensive at 6.0m.

While there are a number of issues with City defenders, for example: risk of rotation, fixtures, lack of attacking potential, it cannot be ignored that they were arguably the best team in the world last season, and are favourites to go on and win the league again. Walker was the highest scorer of the 5.5m players last season, managing 123 points, the same total as the pricier Gvardiol. This being said, my preference would be one of the other CBs (Ake, Akanji, Stones or Dias), as they are likely to be more nailed; pre-season will be vital in determining this.

The other issue with City defenders is that they take up one of three our precious City spots, which could go to another more attack minded player. What’s more, many managers have already settled on Gvardiol (who is only marginally more expensive), and a defensive double up seems like an improbable strategy with City’s attack being a much more enticing option than their defence.

Problems aside, City had the 2nd best defensive record in the league last season, so for those who are unable to make the jump up to Gvardiol, one of the aforementioned City CBs could be a great differential for GW1.

Further Read: Premier League Penalty & Set Piece Takers | 2024/25 PL Season

Alternative £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders to Target

• Timber £5.5m: If he can secure a starting spot in the quasi-impenetrable Arsenal defense, then Timber could be a great option. Arsenal spent a lot of money on him last summer, and he looked to be a key part of Arteta’s plans. Similarly, if Califiori is priced between £5-5.5, he could also be a great option.
• Shaw £5.0m: If fit, Shaw is an awesome FPL pick, as he proved a couple of seasons ago. He should be fit, but United’s fixtures aren’t great for the start of the season, so maybe hold off on picking him in GW1. I would suggest waiting to see how United start the season, but if Shaw is playing and the fixtures look good, he’s a must have!
• Konate £5.0m: Slot had a great defensive record with Feyenoord last season, conceding only 26 goals in 34 matches. If Konate is VVD’s partner, then he’s a good option for the start of the season, as Liverpool have a great fixture run from GW1-8.

Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW1 of the 2024/25 FPL Season

FPL Gameweek 1 Articles:
Top FPL GW1 Differential Picks(<10% TSB) To Target Ahead Of GW1 Deadline
FPL GW1 Scout Selection- Top Picks for GW1 with Stats and Analysis
Best FPL Drafts with Salah + Haaland with Pros/Cons and Key Notes
AllAboutFPL FPL GW1 Team Reveal with Key Notes
Top FPL Gameweek 1 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL Team Structure Analysis with Drafts and Ratings
FPL GW1 Tips- Best Formations & Structure, Haaland + Mo?, More

Must Read articles:
Premier League Penalty & Set Piece Takers | 2024/25 PL Season
2024/25 Pre-Season Summary of All 20 Premier League Teams
Best FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2024/25 FPL Season
Best FPL Budget Enablers For The 2024-25 FPL Season
List of Free to Join Prize FPL Mini Leagues Ahead of 24/25 Season
List of Creative FPL Team Names for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £6.5m FPL Midfielders Comparison For 2024/25 FPL Season
Team wise Best FPL Differentials(<10% TSB) for the 2024/25 Season
Best Liverpool FPL Assets to Target for FPL GW1
2024/25 FPL Season – Teams & Players to Target | Fixture Analysis
Best FPL Picks Outside Top 6 Teams | 2024/25 FPL Season
2024/25 FPL Season- New Rules & Changes | What’s New in FPL?
Players to Avoid in FPL GW1 Drafts
Underpriced FPL Assets from Traditional Big 6 Teams
Ultimate 2024/25 FPL Pre-Season Guide: Tips, Preview & More

GW1 Drafts and Analysis:
AllAboutFPL FPL GW1 Team Reveal with Key Notes
204/25 Season FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts & Ratings
Best FPL Drafts with Salah + Haaland with Pros/Cons and Key Notes
Initial FPL GW1 Drafts for the 24/25 FPL Season with Pros & Cons

Position-Wise Analysis:
Defenders and Goal Keepers series:
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target For The 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders For The 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best Premium FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season(>=6.0 million)

Midfielders Series:
Best Premium FPL Midfielders (£8.0 – £12.5 Million) | 24/25 Season
Best Mid-Priced FPL Midfielders (£6.5 -£7.5 Million) | 24/25 Season
£4.5 Million FPL Midfielders Watchlist for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best Budget FPL Midfielders (£5.0 -£6.0 Million) | 24/25 Season

Forwards Series:
Best Premium FPL Forwards Analysis Ahead Of 2024/25 Season
Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £5.5 Million) | 24/25 FPL Season
Best FPL Mid Priced Forwards (£6 – £7 Million) | 24-25 Season
Best FPL Mid Priced Forwards (£7.5 – £8 Million) | 24-25 Season

If you’re new to FPL, here is a link to all our FPL Beginners Guide including FPL Beginner’s Guide- How to play?, Bench boost, Team value, Triple captain, Effective ownership, Price Changes, Free Hit, Bonus Points, and more.

Link to all our 2024/25 Pre-Season articles including all position-wise analysis, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, and more. Completely free to access as well!

Thanks for reading the ‘Best 5.0 & 5.5 Million FPL Defenders for 2024/25 season‘ blog. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for regular blogs and updates. Also, follow our  110,000+ community on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on regular Posts and FPL updates throughout the pre-season.

What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 1 of the 2024/25 FPL Season?

We’ll be covering team previews for all 20 teams, FPL team structures, must-own players, player comparisons, differential picks, fixture analysis, captaincy metrics, multiple FPL drafts with pros and cons, chip strategy, rules guide, beginners guide, FPL tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs and subscribe to our free newsletter through the link below. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook keep our notification ON.

Our content is always free and if you like our content do drop a comment, follow, subscribe, and support us. Your love is what keeps us going:)