Andre Onana (£5.0m) has the potential to be the top-scoring goalkeeper in 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League.
The Cameroonian is set to replace David De Gea as Manchester United’s new No 1 this season after joining from Internazionale Milano.
Pick Onana in your 2023/24 FPL squad
De Gea was the third top-scoring ‘keeper in Fantasy last season, with his total of 161 points just five points behind Brentford’s David Raya (£5.0m) at the summit.
A comparison between Onana and De Gea suggests the new signing can improve Erik ten Hag’s side.
Onana v De Gea league stats
| 2022/23 | Onana | De Gea |
| % of shots saved | 73.5 | 71.1 |
| Mins per goal against | 90 | 80 |
| % of passes completed | 81.3 | 71.1 |
Onana saved 73.5 per cent of the shots he faced in Serie A last season, conceding a goal every 90 minutes.
De Gea, by contrast, saved 71.1 per cent of the shots he faced in 2022/23 Fantasy and conceded a goal every 80 minutes.
Onana’s distribution is a key factor in his acquisition, having previously played under Ten Hag at Dutch side Ajax.
He completed 81.3 per cent of his passes, more than 10 per cent up on De Gea’s 71.1 per cent.
This lifts his potential in the Bonus Points System (BPS), which helps determine the bonus point allocation in any given match.
Whenever the Red Devils keep a clean sheet, then, Onana could earn additional Fantasy points.
Nonetheless, a breakdown of De Gea’s output compared with that of Raya shows why shutouts are only part of a ‘keeper’s appeal in Fantasy.
De Gea v Raya, 2022/23 Fantasy
| De Gea | Raya | |
| Total points | 161 | 166 |
| Clean sheets | 17 | 12 |
| Save points | 21 | 39 |
| Bonus points | 5 | 20 |
Although De Gea earned the Golden Glove award with 17 clean sheets, he produced just 26 of his 161 points (or 16.1 per cent) from saves and bonus.
By contrast, Raya earned 59 of his 166 points from saves and bonus, which equates to 35.5 per cent.
Having started at a cost of £4.5m last season, Raya was the top player in Fantasy in terms of value, returning 34.6 points per million spent.
Most-owned 'keepers in FPL*
| Player | Price | Ownership |
| Areola (WHU) | £4.0m | 29.6% |
| Ramsdale (ARS) | £5.0m | 27.4% |
| Pickford (EVE) | £4.5m | 16.3% |
| Ederson (MCI) | £5.5m | 14.7% |
| Pope (NEW) | £5.5m | 13.7% |
| Raya (BRE) | £5.0m | 10.9% |
| Leno (FUL) | £4.5m | 10.9% |
| Alisson (LIV) | £5.5m | 10.0% |
*Data correct as of 13:40 21 July
This shows why selecting a budget goalkeeper who offers multiple routes to returns can often be a better tactic, allowing managers to save funds to spend in attack.
There is no doubt that Onana looks a strong pick for managers who prefer to invest more money in goal and he may well end the campaign as the top-scoring goalkeeper in Fantasy.
But as Raya showed last season, picking a £4.5m-priced ‘keeper who can offer plenty of save and bonus points, as well as clean sheets, may prove more beneficial.
Also in this series
Part 1: Flekken can be Brentford’s No 1
Part 2: Advanced role will lift Mac Allister’s appeal
Part 3: Midfield role could lift Nkunku's appeal
Part 4: Kluivert can continue rapid improvement
Part 5: How new role can help Havertz thrive
Part 6: How Maddison compares with Spurs' attackers
Part 7: Can Mount rival Rashford and Fernandes?
Part 9: Diaby can rival Watkins as best Villa pick