As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Bukayo Saka (ARS) £6.5m
The winger's displays for England at UEFA EURO 2020 have made an impact on many opening Fantasy squads.
Saka is the ninth most-selected midfielder, owned by 15.2 per cent of managers.
Arsenal's early schedule boosts Saka's chances of making a strong start to 2021/22.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), three of their first five matches score only two.
That includes meetings with promoted teams Brentford and Norwich City.
Arsenal’s first five Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | BRE (A) | 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | CHE (H) | 4 |
| 3 | MCI (A) | 5 |
| 4 | NOR (H) | 2 |
| 5 | BUR (A) | 2 |
Saka emerged as a key figure in Mikel Arteta's first full season in charge.
The 19-year-old played 2,554 minutes, more than any other outfield player for Arsenal.
He finished as their joint highest-scoring midfielder in FPL, matching Nicolas Pepe's (£7.5m) 114 points thanks to five goals and five assists.
Saka's 2020/21 goals and assists
The underlying numbers highlight Saka's growing influence on Arsenal's attack.
His 61 shots and 38 chances created last season were both team-leading totals.
Furthermore, his 46 shots in the box ranked second, only two behind the 48 of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.0m).
Those numbers also fare well when assessed against similarly-priced midfielders in Fantasy.
Indeed, among midfielders priced at £8.0m and under, only West Ham United's Tomas Soucek (£6.0m) and Manchester United's Mason Greenwood (£7.5m) had more shots in the box, with 52 and 47 respectively.
Saka's potential for goals and assists can secure his place as the go-to Arsenal player in 2021/22, offering managers a big source of value in midfield.
