After looking at the forwards, it’s time to turn our attention to what is probably the most important position in FPL midfielders. And there is a lot to like this season. At the very top, Bruno Fernandes is in a price bracket of his own at £12.0m.
Just below him, we have Saka and Palmer at £9.5m, while Mbeumo, Cunha, Semenyo and several others give us plenty of options without having to spend premium money. The £7.0m–£8.0m range is particularly interesting, with a mix of established FPL assets, new signings and players who could benefit from a change in role.
And then we get to the cheaper midfielders. This is where the new defensive contribution points can make a real difference. Players who may previously have been considered too defensive to own can now offer another route to points, while set pieces, penalties and, most importantly, regular minutes can turn a £5.5m midfielder into a very useful FPL asset.
So, just like with the forwards, I’ve gone from the highest price point to the lowest, looking at the players who stand out at each level and where I think the best value could be.
This blog is part of our price point analysis series written by @BakchodFpl (Do give him a follow!)
- Best FPL Defenders at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season
- Best FPL Midfielders at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season
- Best FPL Forwards at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season
Link to all our 2026/27 Pre-Season articles including all team pre-season friendly updates, best drafts, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, differentials, players to target, budget enablers and more. Completely free to access as well!
Best FPL Midfielders
£12.0m – Bruno Fernandes
There is only one player in this price bracket. Bruno Fernandes – £12.0m. And despite the enormous price rise, it is quite difficult to argue that Bruno doesn’t deserve to be here. He finished 2025/26 with 235 FPL points, just four behind Haaland, after scoring nine goals and providing 24 assists. That was enough to make him the second-highest scoring player in the game.
But the really interesting part of his season came after Michael Carrick took charge. A change in formation gave Bruno more freedom in the No.10 role, and his FPL output went through the roof. He produced 129 points across the final 17 Gameweeks, making him the highest-scoring player in the game during that period.
And that role is expected to continue from Gameweek 1. There is also no shortage of routes to points – penalties, set pieces, assists, goals and regular 90-minute appearances all work in his favour.
Then there are the opening fixtures. Manchester United begin with Hull and Ipswich, two promoted sides, in their first two Gameweeks. That immediately puts Bruno into the captaincy conversation alongside the likes of Haaland.
The problem, obviously, is the price. Buying both Haaland and Bruno costs £27.5m, leaving £72.5m for the other 13 players in your squad. That’s a significant commitment. But if you’re looking for one midfielder who can genuinely justify a premium price, Bruno is the obvious starting point.
Further Read: FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts, AI Team Rating, Formations, Pros, Cons and Key Notes
£9.5m–£10.0m FPL Midfielders – Saka & Palmer
This is where the decision becomes much more difficult. There are only two players in this bracket, but both have previously shown that they can produce premium-level FPL seasons.
Bukayo Saka – £9.5m
Saka is probably the classic “how much can we trust the minutes?” player. His 2025/26 season was disrupted by fitness issues, yet he still finished with 157 points. The interesting part is how good his output was whenever he was actually on the pitch.
Saka’s points per minute were excellent, and if you extrapolate his output to the sort of minutes played by the top midfielders, his total would have been considerably higher.
That’s the reason I don’t think we should read too much into last season’s overall ranking. The issue is whether Arsenal can keep him fit and whether they need to manage his minutes more carefully with greater depth across the squad. At £9.5m, that’s a legitimate concern.
But if Saka is fully fit and starting regularly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he quickly becomes one of the most popular midfielders in the game. He’s a player I’d rather wait on rather than rule out.
Fantasy Football Hub(FFHUB) Free AI Team Rating Tool
Cole Palmer – £9.5m
Palmer is probably the biggest bounce-back candidate in this entire midfield pool. His 2025/26 season was disappointing by his standards, with just 114 FPL points. But we shouldn’t forget what came before it.
Palmer had produced back-to-back 200+ point seasons before last year’s downturn and was the highest-scoring player in FPL in 2023/24. The new season gives him a few reasons for optimism. Chelsea have no European football, Palmer should remain heavily involved in their attack and the arrival of Xabi Alonso provides a fresh tactical setup.
The price also makes a difference. At £9.5m, he’s £1.0m cheaper than his starting price last season. So you’re effectively being asked: Do you believe last season was the new Palmer, or was it simply a bad season? I’m leaning towards the latter. But I don’t think Palmer is essential from Gameweek 1, I am instead considering a Bruno Fernandes to Palmer transfer in GW4.
£8.0m–£8.5m FPL Midfielders – Mbeumo, Cunha, Semenyo & Gibbs-White
This is probably my favourite price bracket in midfield. There are four very different players here, and I can see all four becoming popular at different points of the season.
Further Read: FPL Chip Strategy Guide- Best Windows to Play Free Hit, Wildcard, Triple Captain and Bench Boost
Bryan Mbeumo – £8.0m
Mbeumo is my current favourite. The numbers from last season were very encouraging, particularly when you look beyond his final FPL points total. His non-penalty expected goal involvement was among the very best midfielders in the league, while his goal threat was also extremely strong. And then there is the Manchester United factor. Mbeumo has been used centrally during pre-season, which could be a major development from an FPL perspective.
If he gets a consistent run through the middle, rather than spending most of his time out wide, there is a very obvious route to increased goal involvement. The other attraction is the opening fixture run. Manchester United have Hull and Ipswich in the first two Gameweeks, so there is an immediate opportunity to attack those fixtures.
Manchester United Friendlies Summary: (Pre- Season Summary and Round up for all 20 Teams)
Mbeumo ⚽⚽⚽🅰️
Zirkzee ⚽⚽🅰️
Lacey ⚽🅰️
Amass ⚽🅰️
Maguire ⚽
Dorgu ⚽
Bruno 🅰️, Pen Miss
Amad 🅰️
Fletcher 🅰️
Collyer 🅰️
There is still competition for places, and I don’t think we should assume the pre-season role will automatically continue all season. But at £8.0m? Mbeumo is currently my favourite midfielder in this bracket.
Further Read: Ultimate DEFCON Analysis: Top Players & Best Opponents to Target
Matheus Cunha – £8.0m
Cunha gives us another route into the Manchester United attack. He scored 10 goals and provided four assists last season and has now reached double figures for Premier League goals in three consecutive campaigns. The interesting thing about Cunha is his versatility. He can play centrally, from the left or in a deeper attacking role, and that could work particularly well if Mbeumo is given the central role.
So while I currently prefer Mbeumo, I don’t think the gap is particularly large.
Antoine Semenyo – £8.5m
Semenyo comes off a season where he produced 17 goals and six assists, which is excellent output at any price. He had 202 FPL points last season. Now put him as a winger into a City attack under Maresca and the ceiling becomes very interesting. The problem is obvious – Manchester City minutes.
There are plenty of attacking options competing for places, and we don’t yet have enough evidence to know exactly how the preferred XI will look. Semenyo’s position is also worth monitoring.
If he is consistently playing in an advanced wide role and starting regularly, £8.5m could prove to be very good value. If rotation becomes an issue, however, the price becomes much harder to justify. High ceiling, but I want more certainty on minutes.
Pre-Season Update: Semenyo picked up five assists and played over 250 minutes in pre-season (Pre-season summary for all 20 teams)
Morgan Gibbs-White – £8.0m
Gibbs-White is another player I really like, but probably not immediately. He had a superb 2025/26 season, finishing with 15 goals and 188 FPL points. That put him among the highest-scoring midfielders in the game.
The problem is Forest’s fixture run. They start with Leeds, but then have Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Arsenal in the early part of the season. That’s enough to make me hold fire.
But I absolutely want him on the watchlist. If Forest’s attack looks good and the fixtures improve, Gibbs-White at £8.0m could become a very strong option.
Gibbs White in pre-season: 🅰️🅰️🅰️
£7.5m FPL Midfielders – Wirtz, Rice, Cherki & Rogers
This is another price point where there are several interesting options, but for completely different reasons.
Florian Wirtz – £7.5m
Wirtz is probably my favourite £7.5m midfielder. His first season at Liverpool wasn’t spectacular by his standards. He finished with five goals and four assists from 27 starts, which is fine but not what you would expect from a player of his reputation.
The interesting part is what happens next. With a new manager and Salah no longer at Liverpool, Wirtz could have a much more important role in the attack. If he is used centrally and consistently gets into the areas where he can influence goals, I think there is plenty of room for improvement.
And the price helps. He started 2025/26 at £8.5m and is now available for £7.5m, so the market is already pricing in a significant drop in expectations. For me, this is exactly the sort of player worth taking a calculated gamble on. Wirtz is my £7.5m pick.
Further Read: FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Declan Rice – £7.5m
Rice is the safer option. He doesn’t have the explosive attacking ceiling of Wirtz, but his FPL profile is much more about accumulating points from several different sources. He finished 2025/26 with 184 points, helped by four goals, nine assists and his ability to pick up defensive contribution points.
That makes him particularly interesting at £7.5m. The main issue is fitness. If he comes into the season fully fit and remains a regular starter, Rice can be one of those players who quietly keeps ticking along without needing huge hauls. But if I’m spending £7.5m on a midfielder, I would probably prefer a little more attacking upside.
Pre-Season Update: Rice played only 45 minutes vs Man City in Community shield and might not start GW1. So wait and watch for few weeks before jumping on him.
Further Read: Eight Simple FPL Tips to Secure a High Rank | 26/27 Season
Rayan Cherki – £7.5m
Cherki is one of the more exciting City options. He managed four goals and 13 assists from only 19 starts last season, so the creative potential is obvious. The problem is the same one we have with Semenyo – minutes. With Foden, Semenyo, Doku(currently injured) and several other attacking players competing for minutes, it’s difficult to project Cherki’s starts with confidence.
That’s particularly important at £7.5m. If he becomes a regular starter, I’d be very interested. Until then, watchlist.
Manchester City Friendlies Summary: (Pre- Season Summary and Round up for all 20 Teams)
Semenyo 🅰️🅰️🅰️🅰️🅰️
Ait Nouri ⚽⚽
Marmoush ⚽⚽
Reijnders ⚽🅰️ (Left City)
Cherki was available only for the Community Shield game and came on as a sub to play 30 minutes so he is not very likely to start GW1(But with Doku injury we never know).
Further Read: FPL Fixture Analysis for 2026/27 Season- Teams with Best and Worst fixtures
Morgan Rogers – £7.5m
Rogers has quietly become one of the most interesting mid-priced midfielders. He produced 10 goals and eight assists last season and has shown good availability over the last couple of campaigns. Now he gets a fresh challenge at Chelsea. The obvious attraction is playing alongside Palmer.
If Alonso can get Rogers into advanced positions regularly, there is enough attacking quality here to make £7.5m look very reasonable. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rogers becomes one of those players who starts the season under the radar and ends up in a lot of teams.
Rogers in pre-season: ⚽(Only available for final pre-season, Started and played 62 mins)
Fantasy Football Hub(FFHUB) Free AI Team Rating Tool
£7.0m FPL Midfielders – Szoboszlai, Foden, Enzo, Gakpo & Bruno Guimarães
This is another price point with plenty of potential.
Dominik Szoboszlai – £7.0m
This is probably my favourite £7.0m midfielder. Szoboszlai started 36 of Liverpool’s 38 league matches last season, which is a huge attraction at this price. He finished with six goals and seven assists, while also collecting defensive contribution points. Add in set-piece involvement and the potential for regular 90-minute appearances and you have a midfielder with several different ways of returning.
The big question is his exact role. With Wirtz around, Szoboszlai could spend more time deeper in midfield. But Liverpool’s opening fixtures are excellent. And at £7.0m, I don’t need Szoboszlai to become an explosive midfielder. If he keeps starting every week, he can simply be a very good FPL asset.
Liverpool Friendlies Summary: (Pre- Season Summary and Round up for all 20 Teams)
Szoboszlai ⚽🅰️🅰️
Wirtz ⚽⚽
Gakpo ⚽🅰️
Isak ⚽🅰️
Jacquet ⚽
Koumas ⚽
Ngumoha ⚽
Chiesa ⚽
Kerkez 🅰️
Frimpong 🅰️🅰️
Gravenberch 🅰️
Elliott 🅰️
Ramsay 🅰️
Further Read: Best FPL GW1 Drafts for the 26/27 FPL Season with Pros & Cons
Phil Foden – £7.0m
Foden at £7.0m feels strange.
Three seasons ago, he scored 19 Premier League goals and 8 assists. Last season, he managed 7 goals and 5 assists. That’s the kind of difference that makes him one of the biggest potential value picks in the game. If Foden gets a consistent run of starts, £7.0m could prove to be an enormous bargain.
The obvious issue is, once again like all Manchester City players, minutes. City have enough attacking talent to make almost every midfielder in their squad a rotation risk. So I’m interested in Foden. I’m just not prepared to assume that a cheap price automatically means nailed minutes. He is one of the biggest upside picks in this price bracket though.
Foden had a full pre-season playing more than 250+ minutes but didn’t get a single goal contribution
Further Read: FPL Chip Strategy Guide- Best Windows to Play Free Hit, Wildcard, Triple Captain and Bench Boost
Enzo Fernández – £7.0m
Enzo could have probably been the more reliable Chelsea option, but will he stay at Chelsea or move to Manchester City – that’s the key question. He finished 2025/26 with 157 FPL points and was Chelsea’s highest-scoring midfielder. His underlying numbers were also strong. At £7.0m, that makes him interesting.
The question is how Alonso uses him if he stays at Chelsea or how Maresca will use him, should he move to Manchester City. If he plays further forward, the appeal increases considerably. If he drops deeper, his ceiling falls. So this is another one where role and team structure (wherever he does end up playing) matters almost as much as the player.
Further Read: Ultimate DEFCON Analysis: Top Players & Best Opponents to Target
Cody Gakpo – £7.0m
Gakpo is an interesting option simply because of what he has already shown in the Premier League. He can play through the middle or from the left and has demonstrated that he can contribute goals and assists. But Liverpool’s attacking structure is changing and there remains some uncertainty around his exact role. There are also rumours of him moving to Tottenham. For now, I wouldn’t make him a priority. But if the role becomes clearer, £7.0m could be a very attractive price.
Bruno Guimarães – £7.0m
Bruno Guimarães is another player whose FPL appeal depends heavily on his role. He comes off a season where he produced nine goals and seven assists for Newcastle despite playing only 26 matches.
Now at Arsenal, there is plenty of talent around him. The question is whether that helps or hurts his FPL prospects. If he’s given a more attacking role, there is obvious appeal. If he becomes another deeper midfielder in the Arsenal system, I’d rather look elsewhere. One to monitor rather than buy blindly.
Fantasy Football Hub(FFHUB) Free AI Team Rating Tool
£6.5m FPL Midfielders – Tzolis, Sarr, Wilson, Anderson & Dewsbury-Hall
This could be one of the most important price points for squad structure. There are several players here who can potentially give you premium-level returns without premium-level prices.
Christos Tzolis – £6.5m
Tzolis is probably the biggest differential and my favourite pick in this bucket. He arrives with an excellent record from Belgium and has looked very good during pre-season. The most important question is whether Arsenal actually give him enough minutes.
If he starts Gameweek 1 and the role looks secure, I think the interest will be immediate. At £6.5m, you don’t need him to become Saka. You just need him to be an attacking midfielder playing regularly for Arsenal. If the minutes are there, I’m interested.
Ismaïla Sarr – £6.5m
Sarr is the sort of midfielder who can quietly become very useful. He scored nine goals last season and also had a very strong big-chance profile despite not playing as many minutes as some of the other players around him. His positioning is particularly interesting.
He was often operating closer to Mateta rather than simply hugging the touchline, which gives him more goal threat. Palace’s fixtures also improve after the opening couple of Gameweeks. So Sarr could be one of those players where the Gameweek 1 decision isn’t obvious, but the Gameweek 3 decision is. Palace play FUL (A), IPS (H) and LEE (A) from GW3-5.
Further Read: FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts, AI Team Rating, Formations, Pros, Cons and Key Notes
Harry Wilson – £6.5m
Wilson is one of my favourite options in this price range. He produced 10 goals and nine assists for Fulham last season and finished with 168 FPL points. Now he gets a move to Leeds, where the early fixture run is very appealing. Leeds don’t face one of last season’s big six until Gameweek 6, and there are three home matches among the first five.
The obvious concern is regression. His underlying numbers weren’t quite as strong as the final output suggests. But at £6.5m, I don’t need him to repeat 19 attacking returns. If he starts regularly, he has a very good chance of being one of the best-value midfielders in the opening Gameweeks.
Further Read: Top Forwards at every price point for the 2026/27 FPL Season
Elliot Anderson – £6.5m
Anderson is a fascinating example of how defensive contribution points have changed the midfield landscape. He scored only four goals and provided five assists last season. Yet he still finished with 180 FPL points. How? Defensive contributions. 52 DC points last season. He was among the best midfielders in the game for these points at Forest.
The challenge is that he now plays for Manchester City. City dominate possession, so he won’t get the same volume of defensive actions that he had at Forest. That makes his new role absolutely crucial. If he’s playing regularly, he’s interesting. But I wouldn’t buy him expecting last season’s defensive numbers to simply repeat themselves.
Further Read: Best £6m Forwards Comparison for the 2026/27 FPL Season
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £6.5m
Dewsbury-Hall is probably the least exciting but safest option in this bracket. He produced eight goals and seven assists for Everton last season and was extremely reliable for minutes. He also has some set-piece involvement and can pick up defensive contribution points. Everton’s early fixtures are favourable too. He may not give you many explosive hauls. But at £6.5m, he could simply keep ticking along.
Everton Friendlies Summary: (Pre- Season Summary and Round up for all 20 Teams)
Barry ⚽⚽⚽🅰️ (£5.5 FWD)
Dewsbury Hall 🅰️🅰️🅰️
Ndiaye ⚽⚽
Armstrong 🅰️🅰️
Beto ⚽
George ⚽
Rohl ⚽
McNeil ⚽ (Moved to Palace)
Alcaraz 🅰️
£6.0m FPL Midfielders – Schade, Le Fée, Tavernier & Kluivert
This is where I start getting very interested.
Kevin Schade – £6.0m
Schade’s numbers are probably too good for us to ignore. He finished with eight goals and five assists, but his underlying numbers suggest that there could be more to come. His xG was the highest among midfielders in this price range, while he also ranked extremely highly for big chances and shots inside the box.
And then look at the opening fixtures: Spurs (H), Leeds (A), Sunderland (H), Bournemouth (A).
That’s a very appealing start. The issue is minutes. Schade was regularly substituted last season, so even when he starts, he isn’t necessarily guaranteed a full 90. Still, at £6.0m, he’s one of the more exciting budget midfielders.
Brentford Friendlies Summary:
Thiago ⚽⚽⚽🅰️
Schade ⚽⚽🅰️🅰️
Wilson ⚽⚽🅰️🅰️
Ouattara ⚽⚽🅰️🅰️ (£6.5 MID)
Anthony ⚽🅰️🅰️
Damsagaard ⚽🅰️🅰️
Lewis Potter ⚽⚽
Jensen 🅰️🅰️
Janelt 🅰️🅰️
Sangare ⚽ (£5.5 MID)
Pinnock ⚽
Furo ⚽
Henry ⚽
Kayode 🅰️
Collins 🅰️
Further Read: Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £6.0 Million) | 26/27 FPL Season
Enzo Le Fée – £6.0m
Le Fée is another player I really like. He had six goals and six assists last season, while also adding defensive contribution points. He’s involved in set pieces and could have some responsibility from penalties. Most importantly, he looks like the sort of player who can play a lot of minutes.
Sunderland’s opening run is also attractive – Ipswich, Fulham and Brentford are the first three. At £6.0m, that’s enough to make him one of my favourite budget picks.
Sunderland Friendlies Summary:
Le Fee ⚽⚽⚽ (£6.0 MID)
Hume ⚽⚽🅰️ (£4.5 DEF)
Rigg ⚽🅰️🅰️
Brobbey ⚽🅰️
Mukiele ⚽
Isidor ⚽
Reinildo 🅰️
Talbi 🅰️
Further Read: Best Value for Money Defenders and GKs for 2026/27 FPL season
Marcus Tavernier & Justin Kluivert – £6.0m
Bournemouth’s midfield options are interesting, but I’m not rushing into them. Kluivert has already provided a reminder of his goal threat during pre-season, while Tavernier offers another route through set pieces and attacking involvement.
The big question is penalties. If one of them becomes the clear penalty taker, the equation changes. But with Bournemouth’s opening fixtures being less attractive, I’d rather monitor the situation. Kluivert is the one I’d keep the closest eye on.
Update: Kluivert has taken two penalties in pre-season
Bournemouth Friendlies Summary:
Evanilson ⚽⚽⚽🅰️🅰️
Kluivert ⚽⚽⚽🅰️ (£6.0 MID)
Tavernier ⚽⚽🅰️🅰️ (£6.0 MID)
Unal ⚽⚽⚽
Doak ⚽⚽🅰️
Toth ⚽🅰️🅰️
Scott ⚽⚽
Truffert 🅰️🅰️
Brooks ⚽
Diakite ⚽
Adli 🅰️
Christie 🅰️
Smith 🅰️
Silva 🅰️
Further Read: Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
£5.5m FPL Midfielders – Groß, Sangaré, Ampadu & Xhaka
This is where the defensive contribution points become particularly useful.
Pascal Groß – £5.5m
Groß is probably the first name I’d look at. He returned to Brighton midway through last season and immediately became a regular, with excellent minutes. He brings set pieces, creativity and defensive contributions.
But the biggest question is penalties. If Groß takes them following Welbeck’s departure, £5.5m starts looking very attractive. The only concerns are his age and the additional European schedule. For now though, he’s firmly on my shortlist.
Update: Brighton have also signed Promise David on loan, the Canadian striker has taken 12 penalties in his career and converted 10 of them, it remains to be seen if he becomes the 1st choice penalty taker right away.
Fantasy Football Hub(FFHUB) Free AI Team Rating Tool
Mamadou Sangaré – £5.5m
Sangaré is the more aggressive punt. You’re not buying him because you expect 10 goals. You’re buying him because he could collect a lot of defensive contribution points. His defensive numbers were excellent last season, and he also chipped in with some attacking returns.
The challenge is translating that into the Premier League. If he is nailed, however, he could be exactly the type of £5.5m midfielder that helps make an expensive squad structure work.
Ethan Ampadu – £5.5m
Ampadu is another reliable option. He started 35 matches last season and frequently hit the defensive contribution threshold. The attacking upside isn’t huge, but that isn’t really the point. At £5.5m, if he is starting every week and regularly picking up defensive contribution points, he can do a job. A boring FPL pick can sometimes be a very good FPL pick.
Further Read: FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Granit Xhaka – £5.5m
Xhaka offers a similar profile. He is likely to get plenty of minutes, contributes defensively and can provide the occasional goal or assist. The opening Sunderland fixtures are also favourable. I don’t expect many 12-point hauls. But if you’re looking for a midfielder who can sit on your bench or rotate into your XI without worrying about minutes, Xhaka makes sense.
Further Read: Best £5.0-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
£5.0m FPL Midfielders – Diego Gómez & Christian Nørgaard
There aren’t many obvious £5.0m options. But two names stand out.
Diego Gómez – £5.0m
Gómez is the more exciting option and my favourite pick from this bucket. He scored five goals and added an assist last season while also producing good defensive numbers. The big attraction is the possibility of him getting a regular attacking role.
If Brighton give him a consistent starting position, £5.0m becomes very difficult to ignore. One to monitor closely before Gameweek 1.
He has registered 1 assist in pre-season. Gómez started on the wing in Brighton’s most recent pre-season friendly and looked like a strong candidate to start Gameweek 1, particularly with Mitoma and Minteh dealing with fitness and injury concerns.
However, there is now a slight concern over Gómez himself. He was substituted in that most recent friendly and was seen limping down the tunnel, so this is definitely a situation we need to monitor over the next few days. Before that, I thought Gómez was probably the front-runner from the £5.0m midfielders, purely because he looked like he could offer both attacking potential and regular minutes
Further Read: Best Premium Defenders for 2026/27 season based on Stats and Fixtures
Christian Nørgaard – £5.0m
Nørgaard is a very different option. His appeal comes almost entirely from minutes and his ability to pick up points through multiple routes. His numbers in Brentford in 2024-25 included five goals and four assists, alongside a decent defensive contribution record. He moved to Arsenal last season but played only 106 minutes, which is probably why he decided to move to Everton this season. If Everton make him a regular starter, he could comfortably outperform his £5.0m price. One to watch for as he has not started friendlies so far.
Further Read: Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders for 2026/27 FPL Season
£4.5m – The Enablers
And finally, we get to the £4.5m midfielders. This is where I don’t think we need to force an answer yet. The main thing we’re looking for here is a player who starts regularly.
Slater is one of the safer options from a minutes perspective. Matt Crooks offers a little more attacking potential. Yates is another player whose defensive contribution numbers make him interesting.
There are others who could emerge as the season gets closer. But at this price, I would rather wait for the team sheets than pick someone simply because he’s cheap. If one of these players nails down a starting role, that’s when the calculation changes. For now, there isn’t a clear £4.5m midfielder I want to lock into my squad.
Further Read: Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target based on Stats and Fixtures
My Current Favourite FPL Midfielder at Each Price Point
If I had to pick one midfielder from each bracket right now, my shortlist would look like this:
- £12.0m – Bruno Fernandes
- £9.5m – Palmer
- £8.5m – Antoine Semenyo
- £8.0m – Bryan Mbeumo
- £7.5m – Florian Wirtz
- £7.0m – Dominik Szoboszlai
- £6.5m – Christos Tzolis
- £6.0m – Enzo Le Fée
- £5.5m – Pascal Groß
- £5.0m – Diego Gómez
- £4.5m – No clear standout yet
Conclusion
The midfield position is probably where we will see the biggest difference between FPL squads this season.
At the top, Bruno Fernandes is expensive, but there is a reason for it. He finished just four points behind Haaland last season and then became the highest-scoring player in the game after Carrick took over. Add penalties, set pieces and the opening fixtures, and there is a very strong case for him despite the £12.0m price tag.
Then things get much more interesting. Saka and Palmer both have the pedigree to justify £9.5m, but both come with different questions after difficult 2025/26 campaigns. At £8.0m, I currently prefer Mbeumo, particularly because of his potential central role at Manchester United and their excellent opening fixtures. But Cunha is right there, while Semenyo at £8.5m gives us an intriguing route into Manchester City’s attack.
Then we have the £7.5m–£7.0m range. Wirtz and Szoboszlai are the two players I’m most interested in here. Wirtz is a bet on a new role and improved output at Liverpool, while Szoboszlai offers something slightly different – regular minutes, set pieces and defensive contribution points.
And then comes the value. Wilson, Tzolis, Schade and Le Fée all have genuine potential to outperform their prices. That is probably the biggest theme I’ve taken from going through the midfielders.
You don’t necessarily need to find the next Palmer. You need to find players who have enough different ways of scoring FPL points to justify their price.
A midfielder with penalties is valuable. A midfielder on set pieces is valuable. A midfielder who plays 90 minutes every week is valuable. And now, a midfielder who regularly hits the defensive contribution threshold can be valuable too.
That’s why I wouldn’t simply rank these players by goals and assists from last season.
Look at role, minutes, fixtures and routes to points.
Because in a season where Haaland and Bruno alone can cost you £27.5m, finding the right value in midfield could be the difference between a squad that feels impossible to build and one that has genuine depth across all 15 players.
Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW1 of the 2026/27 FPL Season
FPL Basics:
2026/27 FPL Season – New Rules & Changes | What’s New in FPL?
Best & Funny FPL Team Names for 2026/27 PL Season
GW1 Articles:
FPL GW1 Scout Selection based on Stats, Fixtures and Matchups
Top FPL GW1 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of GW1 Deadline
2026/27 PL Season: Predicted GW1 Lineups of All 20 PL Teams
FPL Gameweek 1 Bench Boost Drafts- BB1 vs BB2 vs BB Later Analysis
2026/27 Pre-Season Summary of All 20 Premier League Teams
2026/27 Premier League Penalty and Set Piece Takers for all 20 Teams
Top FPL Gameweek 1 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics | 26/27 Season
Must Read Articles:
FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts, AI Team Rating, Formations, Pros, Cons and Key Notes
2026/27 Premier League Penalty and Set Piece Takers for all 20 Teams
Best FPL GW1 Drafts for the 26/27 FPL Season with Pros & Cons
FPL Chip Strategy Guide- Best Windows to Play Free Hit, Wildcard, Triple Captain and Bench Boost
Ultimate DEFCON Analysis: Top Players & Best Opponents to Target
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Eight Simple FPL Tips to Secure a High Rank | 26/27 Season
2026/27 Pre-Season Summary of All 20 Premier League Teams
FPL Fixture Analysis for 2026/27 Season- Teams with Best and Worst fixtures
Five Must Own Players in GW1 for FPL 2026/27 season
AK FPL’s Final GW1 Draft & Team Reveal | 3x Top 5K Finishes
How Chelsea could line-up under Xabi Alonso for 2026/27 season
FPL Players To Avoid in Your GW1 Drafts | 2026/27 FPL Season
Position Analysis:
GKs and Defenders Series:
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target based on Stats and Fixtures
Best FPL Defenders at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season
Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders for 2026/27 FPL Season
Best Premium Defenders for 2026/27 season based on Stats and Fixtures
Best £5.0-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
Best Value for Money Defenders and GKs for 2026/27 FPL season
Midfielders Series:
Best FPL Premium Midfielders(8.0-12.0) for 2026/27 FPL season
Best FPL Midfielders at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season
Best Mid-Price FPL Midfielders for the 26/27 Season | £6.5 to 7.5M
Best Budget FPL Midfielders for 26/27 Season | £4.5m to £6.0m
Best Value for Money Midfielders for 2026/27 season
Forwards Series:
Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £6.0 Million) | 26/27 FPL Season
Best £6m Forwards Comparison for the 2026/27 FPL Season
Best FPL Premium and Mid-Priced Forwards (6.5 million and above) for 2026/27 season
Top Forwards at every price point for the 2026/27 FPL 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 2026/27 Pre-Season articles including all position-wise analysis, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, and more. Completely free to access as well!
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What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 1 of the 2026/27 FPL Season?
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