There are some exciting new features in 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League that could change your strategies. The Scout's panel of experts reveal what this may mean for FPL managers, and how it could also alter their approach to the game.
Pranil Sheth (@lateriser12)
The biggest - and welcome - change in FPL this season is the ability to roll up to five free transfers, which will benefit everyone. All the planners can be more patient and target major fixture shifts, which in turn gives the aggressive opportunists a chance to take punts that the "patient" Fantasy manager might not take.
For those that have busy lives, they can even manage their FPL teams once in three or four weeks and not have their season impacted significantly. All in all, a lovely change that benefits all!
Holly Shand (@HollyShand)
My early season strategy will remain similar to before, jumping on and off key trends and a possible early Wildcard. The banked transfers will come in useful when we get into the core of the season to respond to fixture swings across multiple players.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL)
There have been many instances in the past where I have ruined a perfectly good team just because I was worried about burning a transfer. The fact that I can roll up to five now means that I can be patient and look to triple up on a team when they have a good run of fixtures.
The Bonus Points System (BPS) favours attackers over defenders and, given the paucity of clean sheets last season, I think spending less in defence is the way to go.
See: How the Bonus Points System works
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
The "Mystery Chip" is already living up to its name and adding some unpredictability to this season's Fantasy game. As a manager who loves to plan ahead, this is a little outside my comfort zone because I can't prepare for this. I still live in hope of a return for the "All Out Attack Chip", or maybe with the pricing this season, a "Limitless Chip".
The five transfers really excites me. I like rolling transfers and found myself burning a few last season, or changing my £4.0m defender just to do something. Knowing that I can save up transfers, so that after a Wildcard or Bench Boost I can move a lot of the money off of the bench and into the starting XI, is a really exciting change to the strategy.
Ben Crabtree (@FC_CrabDogg)
I don't think the transfers will make too much difference as five weeks without a transfer is a long time. However, on the few occasions where I have burned a transfer or made an unnecessary transfer, it'll be nice to know I can bank these to really reduce the number of hits.
I'm glad for the fewer Double Gameweeks as this simplifies the planning. The BPS change won't affect my thinking from the start, but I'll monitor how this goes. Goals, assists and clean sheets are still the way to get points.
Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice)
We’ve got some really welcome features to FPL this season, and being able to roll five free transfers is arguably the most notable. This will make the game more strategic and will benefit those who sometimes forget to do their team. It will also be a great addition for those more engaged managers that like to plan ahead.
My initial reaction is that we might need slightly stronger bench options. If, for example, a player is dropped, injured or suspended, we might not want to sell them immediately if we are trying to accrue free transfers. Having a good first sub to come in would be beneficial.
I’ve always been a big fan of the BPS and the 32 metrics have always been transparent. The four new metrics will make the BPS even more interesting and will reward attacking players like Phil Foden (£9.5m) even more.
Pras (@Pras_FPL)
I am very happy with the changes, especially the ability to roll up to five free transfers. I think it adds some strategic planning element to the game especially as these can now be rolled into the Wildcard and Free Hit chip as well. It also rewards those that may miss a few deadlines and want to catch up. Overall this is good for the game.
Harry Daniels (@FPL_Harry)
The biggest change I am focusing on is the rolling of up to five transfers. This should encourage managers to do more planning and predict fixture swings and be able to make mass changes to their squad without having to take hits. However, it will mean you need the self-restraint of not making a transfer for several weeks, which might be hard!
Oscar (@FPLFocal)
The tweaks to the BPS reduce the appeal of defenders slightly for me, and bump the appeal of attackers, who now pick up BPS for winning fouls and shots on target.
Five free transfers is a great addition, though I'm not sure I'll realistically ever find myself with five in the bank! I can see the extra free transfers being very valuable around Doubles and Blanks, now that the Wildcard and Free Hit chips don't wipe free transfers.
Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
I have mixed feelings about the changes to the BPS. I can see how attacking players benefit, particularly those that draw plenty of fouls and have shots on target, such as Foden. However, goalkeepers and defenders don't tend to be involved with those in-game actions, and they are now penalised heavier when conceding goals. I may dedicate more of my FPL budget in attack and less in defence.