FPL Gameweek 12 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold, & Sell

Football’s not just a game — the international break reminded us of just how dramatic the sport can be and why it is larger than life for many of us. In a week full of World Cup-qualifying chaos, a handful of massive stories broke through:

• Curaçao made history, becoming the smallest-ever nation (by population) to qualify for a World Cup.
• Haiti also punched their ticket to 2026, pulling off a 2–0 win over Nicaragua — despite playing “home” games away from their country due to political conflict.
• In Europe, Scotland pulled off a wild 4–2 win over Denmark, sealed by a stoppage-time screamer from Kenny McLean, sparking celebrations like the old days.
• And in Africa, Tunisia booked their place thanks to a 94th-minute winner — a truly last-gasp moment to send them to the showpiece.

These stories remind us: anything can happen when nations are playing for more than just pride. There’s drama, heartbreak and pure elation.

But while the world watched those qualifiers, us FPL managers were glued to a different kind of drama: injuries, personal news, and shifting form — all of which have serious implications for Gameweek 12.

• Gabriel is now carrying an adductor injury, raising real doubts for his owners(Ruled out for “weeks”)
• Semenyo, after causing some early FPL jitters, revealed he’s proposed to his partner — perhaps a sign of more off-field stability, which could translate to more guaranteed minutes. However, Iraola confirmed that he is still a doubt for GW12.
• Meanwhile, Liverpool assets (defenders and midfielders) are coming back into sharper focus thanks to a run of favourable fixtures.

So, as we head into Gameweek 12, these wider narratives — on and off the pitch — matter. Here are my Buy / Hold / Sell picks for this week, based on how these storylines intersect with form, risk, and opportunity.

So, let’s start with our BUY-HOLD-SELL article for this GW, sponsored by …. Well, nobody. We are poor, but you can help here if you want 😊

Link to all our FPL GW12 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, best forwards, and more. Completely free to access as well!

FPL GW12 Transfer Tips: Two Players to BUY

PS – I am assuming everyone has Haaland in their teams. If not, he is your priority buy

Virgil van Dijk (£5.9m) – DEF, Liverpool – 24.2% TSB

With the uncertainty surrounding defensive options this week — particularly Gabriel’s injury — Virgil van Dijk emerges as one of the safest and smartest picks in the game. He offers the perfect blend of defensive reliability and attacking upside, thanks to his dominance on set pieces and ability to rack up bonus points through clearances and aerial duels.

Top Defenders for DEFCON this season:

• Senesi- 137
• Van Dijk- 117
• Richards- 116
• Lacroix- 115
• Tarkowski- 114

Liverpool’s upcoming run of fixtures is extremely favourable, and with clean-sheet potential rising, locking in the Dutchman now feels like a textbook FPL move. While others scramble to fix their injured defenders, managers who move early for Van Dijk can stabilise their backline with a premium pick who rarely disappoints.

Goals Scored Rank and xG Rank of Liverpool’s upcoming opponents:

• GW12 vs NFO(H)- 19th and 10th
• GW13 vs WHU(A)- 14th and 13th
• GW14 vs SUN(H)- 12th and 17th
• GW15 vs LEE(A)- 19th and 14th

Further Read: Top FPL GW12 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of GW12 Deadline

Daniel Muñoz (£5.8m) – DEF, Crystal Palace – 17.1% TSB

Muñoz is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing under-the-radar options in FPL as his counterpart Guéhi is sitting at almost double the ownership. However, the Columbian’s form has been trending upward, and the eye test has been even more encouraging — he’s pushing higher up the pitch, linking play well, and getting into increasingly dangerous positions. At his price point, finding a defender with both minutes security and attacking potential isn’t easy, which is why Muñoz stands out as a smart differential ahead of Gameweek 12.

Munoz Attack Rank among Defenders this season:

• Shots- Joint 3rd
• Shots on Target- Joint 1st
• xGI- 1st
• Goal Involvements- 1st
• FPL Points- 5th

Palace is ranked 3^rd for goals conceded and 2^nd for Clean Sheets. While Muñoz is not the most in demand defender (not in the Top 5 most owned defender), acting early on rising players like him is often what separates aggressive managers from the pack. If his trajectory continues, he could become one of the value success stories of this phase of the season given Palace’s form and fixtures.

Further Read: FPL GW12 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis and Matchups

FPL GW12 Transfer Tips: Two Players to HOLD

Semenyo (£8.1m) – MID, Bournemouth – 62.3% TSB

Despite all the buzz around Semenyo throughout the week, Semenyo remains a decent hold for FPL managers. His place in the team is secure, his minutes are stable, and Bournemouth’s fixtures suggest there’s still room for further returns.

Iraola revealed in his press conference that Semenyo is still a doubt for GW12.

Semenyo has not had to do too much management of his ankle issue – it appeared before the Villa game and into the break, it’s not a muscle injury. It will depend on how he is feeling on it at training later as to whether he plays, Iraola says he hopes he can feature. (Via AlexSmithEcho)

Even though it’s a 50/50 call on whether he plays this week, the above quote seems be slightly on the positive side in our opinion.

Semenyo continues to get into good shooting positions and carries a direct goal threat that makes him worth keeping for at least another week(Good fixture). Unless you absolutely need funds elsewhere, moving him on now feels premature. There’s more value to be extracted from him in the short term.

West Ham Defense Rank this season:

• Goals Conceded- 19th
• xGC- 19th
• Big Chances Conceded- Joint 20th

Further Read: FPL GW12 – Fixtures & Players to Target for Gameweek 12

Mo Salah (£14.2m) – MID, Liverpool – 23.8% TSB

Almost 100,000 managers have already sold Mohamed Salah this week — a surprising exodus considering the brilliant fixture run Liverpool are about to enter. This feels like classic overthinking. Salah is, and has been for years, the undisputed king of FPL. Even in what many call his “leanest patch,” he still sits second among all midfielders for goal involvements, quietly ticking along while others blow hot and cold.

Selling him now, right before a favourable stretch, is the kind of move that can backfire spectacularly. If you’ve held him through the tougher weeks, you might as well keep him for a few weeks more before AFCON. Otherwise, it’s like digging all the way for a diamond and stopping just an inch before finding it. Keep him — the rewards are still very much on the horizon.

Further Read: Best Defenders/Gabriel Replacements for FPL GW12 & Beyond

FPL GW12 Transfer Tips: Two Players to SELL

Gabriel (£6.6m) – DEF, Arsenal – 39.9% TSB

Gabriel’s injury situation is now serious enough to demand action. What was initially described as “groin discomfort” has escalated, with initial scans suggesting he could be out for 1–2 months. Even David Ornstein has reported that there are real concerns Gabriel may miss an extended period after the injury he picked up while playing for Brazil.

Arteta on Gabriel Magalhães: “Yeah, Gabriel unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazilian national team, and he’s going to be out for weeks. We need to have another scan. I think it’s next Wednesday, and we’ll have the timeline probably much more clear than we have at the moment.

Nothing is official yet, but we know that he’s out for “weeks” – He becomes an easy, almost unavoidable sell.

Holding an injured premium defender during a period is rarely a winning FPL strategy. Moving him on not only helps you avoid blanks but also frees up funds for immediate upgrades. With reliable options like Virgil van Dijk offering stability and set-piece threat, and Gvardiol emerging as another strong alternative thanks to his attacking involvement and secure minutes under Guardiola, this is the right moment to act. Unless Arsenal deliver unexpectedly positive medical updates, selling Gabriel this week is the pragmatic, low-risk call.

Further Read: FPL GW12 Transfer Targets & Watchlist Based on Eye Test & Stats

Mo Kudus (£6.5m) – MID, Spurs – 20.1% TSB

Kudus is a great player to watch, but in FPL terms he simply hasn’t lived up to expectations. His returns have been inconsistent. To make matters worse, he’s now yellow-flagged with a knock, adding uncertainty to both his fitness and minutes.

Even if he recovers in time, the fixtures don’t help — Spurs face Arsenal and Newcastle in the next three gameweeks, both tough matchups for attackers. Combine that with the fact that Spurs have only one win in their last four matches, reducing the overall appeal of Kudus, and it becomes even harder to justify holding.

With other midfielders in the same price bracket outperforming him and offering better value, this feels like the right moment to cut ties. Selling Kudus gives you the flexibility to move onto form players instead of being stuck with a slot that isn’t delivering.

Further Reads from ALLABOUTFPL Ahead of FPL GW12

Premier League Players who will miss PL due to AFCON 2025
Top FPL Gameweek 12 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL Gameweek 12 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold, & Sell
Top FPL GW12 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of GW12 Deadline
FPL GW12 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis and Matchups
FPL GW12 – Fixtures & Players to Target for Gameweek 12
Best Defenders/Gabriel Replacements for FPL GW12 & Beyond
FPL GW12 Transfer Targets & Watchlist Based on Eye Test & Stats
Best GWs to Use Your Free Hit & Triple Captain Chips (GW12–19)
FPL GW12 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More

Link to all our FPL GW12 blogs, including buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!

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