Best FPL Value Defenders and GKs for the 2026/27 Season

In the previous two articles, we had covered the engine of your FPL team (midfielders) and had looked at the turbo boost that can take it from good to great (forwards). Now, it’s time to focus on the heart of the team – the defence (defenders & goalkeepers).

There is a famous footballing philosophy, often attributed to Sir Alex Ferguson: “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.”

And while FPL isn’t quite the same as football, there is plenty of truth in that philosophy when it comes to building a squad for a 38-game season. The flashy attackers might grab the headlines, but a reliable defence can quietly rack up points week after week – clean sheets, defensive contributions, saves, bonus points and the occasional attacking return.

More importantly, getting the defence right is what allows you to spend big elsewhere. A £4.5m defender/ goalkeeper who consistently delivers can be far more valuable to your squad in more ways than one by enabling another premium asset in your XI and at the same time keeping your points tally ticking.

With the deadline fast approaching, let’s complete our search for value by looking at the budget goalkeepers and defenders who could form the backbone of your FPL team this season.

So, hello and welcome to the last article of this series where we continue our search for value picks – this time, turning our attention to the defenders and goalkeepers. So, let’s start the article for this GW, sponsored by …. Well, nobody. We are poor, but you can help here if you want.

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!

Top Value Defenders and Goal Keepers to Target for 2026/27 season

Brighton Bravados

Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) – GKP, Brighton – 18.0% TSB

Verbruggenis a hot property sitting in 18% teams. And there’s solid reason for that.

He was the highest scoring GKP priced £4.5m or lower and faces Leeds and Coventry in the first 5 GWs. They also face Chelsea against who Brighton conceded just 1 goal and scored 6 in the two fixtures, the last being a Clean Sheet by Verbruggen.
Brighton also conceded the 3^rd least goals in the league last season. Verbruggen can well be your set and forget budget GKP for the season.

PS – I am aware of the community interest in Kinský. But I am not too convinced with Spurs defence – they conceded the most goals among the 17 non-relegated EPL teams. They’ve lost their rock Romero and not sure how Senesi and Van Hecke will link up with Micky and Porro/ Robertson.

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Luka Vušković (£5.0m) – DEF, Brighton – 2.7% TSB

Vuskovic could be one of those £5.0m defenders who makes a mockery of his price tag. His numbers from last season already make for interesting reading: a 63% DEFCON hit rate and 12.4 defensive contributions per start, alongside six attacking returns. So there is a fairly strong defensive floor, but what makes him particularly exciting is the potential at the other end.

Brighton’s set-piece threat could be the key. Against Roma, Vuskovic played just 45 minutes but still managed 6 DEFCON and an effort from a corner. More importantly, he was repeatedly getting on the end of Pascal Groß’s deliveries, suggesting that the attacking returns may not be merely theoretical. If he can establish himself as a regular target from corners, his combination of DEFCON and goal threat could make £5.0m look very cheap indeed.

The obvious – and rather significant – question is minutes. I want to see enough evidence that Vuskovic is nailed before putting him into my GW1 squad. If that box gets ticked, though, the fixtures make the proposition even more attractive: Leeds (H) in GW3 and Coventry (A) in GW4, followed by Sunderland (A) in GW6. Brighton also rotate beautifully with Manchester United, potentially giving you a very appealing defensive run by alternating Vuskovic with a United defender. If the minutes are secure, Vuskovic could be one of the most exciting £5.0m defenders to start the season.

Further Read: FPL Rotational Pairs & Combinations for the 2026/27 FPL Season

Manchester Magicians

Senne Lammens (£5.0m) – GKP, Man Utd – 19.7% TSB

Senne Lammens arrived at Manchester United last summer for just £18m, relatively unknown to most Premier League fans. Twelve months later, he has gone from an intriguing prospect to United’s undisputed No.1 – and his debut Premier League season was quite something. Lammens lost just four of 32 league games, prevented 6.5 goals, the most of any goalkeeper in the league, and was even named Premier League Signing of the Season.

For FPL, his numbers are equally encouraging. Lammens finished last season with 109 points at 3.4 points per game, while his 11 bonus points were bettered by only one goalkeeper, Roefs (12). That is particularly interesting for a goalkeeper who isn’t solely reliant on clean sheets to deliver points. His shot-stopping ability gives him a route to save points and bonus even when United fail to keep the opposition out.

And then there is the fixture list. Manchester United couldn’t have asked for a better start, facing Hull (A) and Ipswich (H) – the two promoted sides – in the opening two Gameweeks. With Lammens now firmly established as United’s first-choice goalkeeper and a kind opening schedule, he looks like a very strong option for managers looking for a £5.0m goalkeeper who can deliver both save-based points and clean-sheet potential.

The big question isn’t whether Lammens can perform. It’s whether United can give him enough clean sheets to turn those impressive individual numbers into elite FPL returns.

Further Read: 2026/2027 FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts & Ratings

Luke Shaw (£4.5m) – DEF, Man Utd – 24.3% TSB

If you’re looking for a £4.5m defender who can simply get on with the job, Luke Shaw is one of the safest places to start. He started all 38 Premier League games last season, a remarkable record given his previous struggles with fitness, and Michael Carrick’s faith in him is clearly evident. Unless United bring in another left-back, Shaw looks well placed to continue as a regular.

There is plenty to like about the team context too. Manchester United had the third-best expected goals conceded (xGC) in the league last season, behind only Arsenal and Liverpool, and they couldn’t have wished for a better opening: Hull (A) and Ipswich (H) in the first two Gameweeks. Shaw is also currently United’s second-most-owned player after Bruno Fernandes.

At £4.5m, therefore, Shaw is a very straightforward proposition: regular minutes, a strong defence and excellent opening fixtures. His fitness will obviously need monitoring after his recent knock, but if he is fit and United don’t add another left-back, he looks like a very useful budget enabler.

However, I have a slightly different view if you can find an extra £0.5m.

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Harry Maguire (£5.0m) – DEF, Man Utd – 9.7% TSB

If you can stretch to £5.0m, I’d rather have Maguire.

The numbers make a surprisingly strong case. Despite starting just 19 games last season compared with Shaw’s 38, Maguire returned 90 FPL points, while Shaw managed 113. On a per-start basis, that’s a very different story.

Maguire averaged 8.21 defensive contributions per 90, compared with Shaw’s 6.24, and offered considerably more attacking threat: 0.60 shots per 90 versus Shaw’s 0.17. In those 19 starts, Maguire registered 1 goal and 2 assists, while Shaw’s 38 starts produced just 1 goal and 1 assist.

The biggest difference could come from set pieces. Maguire is a considerably more imposing target at corners and has genuine goal threat from dead-ball situations, while his defensive contribution gives him another route to points. He also looked back to his best under Carrick last season, suggesting that his FPL potential isn’t purely theoretical.

The opening fixtures are identical, of course – Hull (A) and Ipswich (H) – and Maguire’s absence against Leeds in pre-season was simply load management rather than an injury concern.

So, my verdict is fairly straightforward: Shaw is the better £4.5m enabler. Maguire is the better £5.0m defender.

If you’re absolutely squeezing every penny to accommodate your premium attackers, Shaw makes perfect sense. But if you can find the extra £0.5m, I’d personally upgrade Shaw to Maguire. The combination of higher defensive involvement, greater set-piece threat and stronger attacking numbers makes that extra half-million look very well spent.

Further Read: Premier League Penalty & Set Piece Takers | 2026/27 PL Season

Trai Hume (£4.5m) – DEF, Sunderland – 4.8% TSB

Trai Hume is exactly the kind of player you want to discover when looking for a £4.5m defender: a defender who might not actually be defending much.

Hume was already a reliable starter last season, featuring 3,032 Premier League minutes across 34 starts and finishing with 110 FPL points, 2 goals, an assist and 9 Clean Sheets. But what has really pushed him onto the FPL radar is his role in pre-season. Hume has been deployed at right wing in each of his last four friendlies, rather than his usual right-back role, and has already produced a goal and an assist in that spell. He also scored against Lens while playing further forward.

That positional change could be huge. A £4.5m defender playing as a winger gets access to considerably more attacking situations than your average budget defender, while still retaining the possibility of clean-sheet points. Hume’s numbers already hint at some attacking intent, with 34 shots and 87 crosses last season, and he has shown that he can contribute when pushed further forward.

The obvious caveat is that the winger position isn’t guaranteed. Sunderland are still looking for a natural right winger, and if they bring one in before the deadline, Hume could return to right-back. But if no signing arrives, he has a genuine chance of starting the season in an advanced role – and that makes him extremely difficult to ignore at £4.5m.

The fixtures make the punt even more appealing: Ipswich (A), Fulham (H) and Brentford (A) in the opening three Gameweeks.

At 4.8% ownership, Hume is already attracting attention, but I’m not ready to lock him into my GW1 team just yet. If he continues to start on the right wing, though, he could become one of the standout budget defenders of the season. This is definitely one to monitor right up until the deadline.

Further Read: Best FPL Forwards at Each Price Point for the 2026/27 Season

Neco Williams (£5.0m) – DEF, Nott’m Forest – 4.3% TSB

Neco Williams is one of the defenders I’m particularly interested in at £5.0m, and the reason goes beyond the usual clean-sheet potential. No defender registered more shots in the Premier League last season than Williams, with 46, while he finished with 2 goals, 3 assists and 9 Clean Sheets across the campaign. For a defender, that’s a very healthy attacking profile – and there could be considerably more to come this season.

Top Defenders for Shots last season:

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The arrival of Oliver Glasner is what really catches my eye. Based on what we’ve seen in pre-season, Williams could be used as a very advanced wing-back, potentially playing a role similar to the one Daniel Muñoz enjoyed under Glasner at Crystal Palace. Muñoz returned 142 FPL points from 37 starts in 2024/25 and another 136 from just 29 starts in 2025/26, demonstrating just how valuable Glasner’s system can be for an attack-minded defender. Williams has already been taking corners in pre-season too, while his 150 open-play crosses last season underline his willingness to get forward and deliver.

The fixtures make him even more appealing. Forest face Leeds (H) in GW1, followed by Spurs (H) and Coventry (H) within the first five Gameweeks. The GW1 fixture against Leeds is particularly attractive if you’re looking for an early attacking return, while his price also makes him an interesting option for managers considering a GW1 Bench Boost.

There is always some uncertainty when a new manager changes a team’s shape, but if Williams is indeed the beneficiary of Glasner’s system and operates as the high wing-back we’ve seen in pre-season, £5.0m could prove to be an absolute bargain. With DEFCON potential, attacking numbers and now the possibility of set-piece involvement, Williams has the profile of a defender who can score points at both ends of the pitch.

Neco Williams also rotates well with Van Ewijk(4.0 Coventry Defender) as highlighted in our FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations article. Van Ewijk covers up Williams’s tough fixtures vs Liverpool, Villa, Arsenal and Man City really well as seen below.

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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