Fantasy Premier League

Son the top pick as FPL managers replace Salah

By The Scout 5 Jan 2022
Son Heung-min, Spurs

The Scout on why Spurs winger is the go-to replacement for Liverpool’s AFCON-bound star

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The departure of Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Egypt has sparked a huge exodus in Fantasy Premier League.

The Liverpool winger has already been sold by over 745,000 FPL managers this Gameweek. 

He is set to miss Gameweeks 22 and 23 due to his participation in AFCON, while there is also a chance he could be absent for Gameweek 24, if Egypt make it to the last four of the tournament.

Top GW22 replacements for Salah
Player Total transfers in
Son Heung-min 303,000
Diogo Jota 287,000
Bukayo Saka 211,000
Jarrod Bowen 156,000
Kevin De Bruyne 154,000

Son Heung-min (£10.7m) emerged as the top choice as Salah's replacement, with more than 233,000 managers making the direct move to the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.

But the South Korean has since been ruled out with an injury for two weeks.

Salah’s team-mate Diogo Jota (£8.2m) has also risen in popularity ahead of matches against Brentford and Crystal Palace.

FPL managers should just be aware that Jota's success so far has come in a “false nine” role. And with Sadio Mane (£11.8m) also at AFCON with Salah, Jota is now likely to be moved to one of the flanks instead.

Enticing budget options

Arsenal wingers Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£5.4m), along with West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen (£6.7m), are among the best sub-£7.0m options.

Saka and Martinelli have scored four and three goals respectively over their last four matches, both producing 14 shots.

Indeed, Martinelli’s total of 12 shots in the box in his last four outings is identical to Salah's tally.

Bowen, meanwhile, has more Fantasy assists than any other player this term. His total of 12 is two more than second-placed Salah.

He also has a favourable upcoming schedule. From Gameweek 22 onwards, three of West Ham’s five matches score only two in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings.

Also in this series

Part 1: Lloris among top Mendy replacements in FPL

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