The impact of Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) on Chelsea’s attack has given Fantasy Premier League managers yet another big-hitting option in midfield.
Ziyech made his first Premier League start in Gameweek 7 but has already scored once and produced three assists in two appearances.
That has earned him hauls of 14 and 11 points against Burnley and Sheffield United respectively.
Ziyech's two assists v Sheff Utd
Ziyech’s rise to prominence comes at a point when owners of Son Heung-min (£9.6m) are considering a replacement due to Tottenham Hotspur’s tough schedule.
Indeed, Son has been transferred out by 128,000+ managers. That makes him the most-sold midfielder ahead of the Gameweek 9 deadline of 11:00 GMT on Saturday 21 November.
Conversely, Ziyech is the most-bought player for Gameweek 9, collecting 275,000+ new owners.
The underlying statistics back up his popularity.
He created four big chances over the last two Gameweeks, more than any other player in Fantasy.
GW9 transfer market*
| Most bought | Transfers in | Most sold | Transfers out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) | 275,155 | Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) | 173,788 |
| Bruno Fernandes (£10.5m) | 189,267 | Danny Ings (£8.4m) | 158,903 |
| Jack Grealish (£7.5m) | 169,702 | Romain Saiss (£5.2m) | 135,279 |
| Ben Chilwell (£6.0m) | 166,994 | Tyrick Mitchell (£4.1m) | 129,852 |
| Jannik Vestergaard (£4.7m) | 138,864 | Son Heung-min (£9.6m) | 128,898 |
*As of 09:00 GMT 10 November
Interestingly, the Moroccan’s impact also looks promising for the prospects of Timo Werner (£9.4m).
Ziyech set up the German’s goal at Burnley and also created a big chance for him against Sheff Utd.
Indeed, Werner has been provided with three big chances in the last two Gameweeks. He had only two in his first six matches.
Upcoming opponents
Chelsea are the top-scoring side in the Premier League, scoring 20 goals in the opening eight Gameweeks.
Frank Lampard’s men have found the net at least three times in six of those matches.
They now face Newcastle United, Spurs, Leeds United and Everton over the next four Gameweeks.
Ziyech has emerged as an enticing option for those fixtures and has improved the prospects of Werner, too.
Also in this series
Part 1: GW8 Lessons: Fixtures could force Kane and Son rethink
Part 2: Time to ditch Kane and Son? The FPL experts' verdict