Who are the best budget picks as FPL managers rush to Haaland?

Erling Haaland’s (£15.1m) hat-trick against Ipswich Town has helped him become the most-owned player in 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League.

The Manchester City forward’s record-breaking price tag is proving no deterrent for managers, with over 392,000 snapping the Norwegian up on the back of his 17-point haul on Saturday. 

Haaland can now be found in over 58 per cent of squads ahead of his visit to West Ham United in Gameweek 3.

His huge price tag means that his owners are turning to the budget price bracket right across the outfield positions in Fantasy - defenders, midfielders and forwards - to free up the funds necessary to buy Haaland. 

Who are managers buying?

Fulham midfielder Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m) is the most-bought player in the Gameweek, earning 503,000+ transfers in for his trip to Ipswich. He is selected by 21 per cent of managers after scoring and collecting 10 points against Leicester City last weekend. 

Smith Rowe's goal v Leicester

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Danny Welbeck (£5.6m) is the most-bought forward, with 423,000 snapping him up on the back of two goals, an assist and 21 points over the first two Gameweeks. 

Meanwhile, Leicester's Wout Faes is staking a claim as the go-to £4.0m defender, with his Gameweek 2 goal against Fulham earning him 288,000 new owners, more than any other player in his position in Fantasy.

But are these popular players necessarily the best ones for managers to target? Does the data suggest they will maintain their good form, or does it show that there are perhaps better options at the cheap end of the price scale? Let's have a look at some underlying statistics.

Budget midfielders' underlying stats

When we look below the surface, it’s fair to say that Smith Rowe fares poorly when compared with his fellow budget midfielders.

He has had just two shots in his two matches and has scored with his only shot in the box, against Leicester last weekend.

By contrast, West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek (£5.0m) and AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo (£5.5m) have turned in some eye-catching displays.

Soucek’s eight shots in the box are more than any other midfielder in Fantasy. The Czech has a goal and assist to his name already and could be a great budget option when his schedule turns kinder in Gameweek 4. 

Soucek's goal v Palace

Semenyo’s 12 shots place joint-top with Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze (£7.0m), while his seven shots in the box rank joint-second with Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Diogo Jota (£7.6m). 

Bournemouth’s schedule is generally tough until Gameweek 11, but managers should keep an eye on Semenyo for Gameweeks 6-7, when he faces promoted pair Southampton and Leicester.

Top budget midfielders for goal threat, GW1-2

In terms of creativity and the potential for assists, Smith Rowe’s numbers are even less convincing – he has failed to make a single key pass over 132 minutes for the Cottagers.

On the other hand, his team-mate Andreas Pereira (£5.5m) has made 13 key passes – at least six more than any other midfielder in Fantasy.

Pereira is selected by a mere three per cent of managers, compared with the 21 per cent of Smith Rowe, and could be a great differential. According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), three of Fulham’s next four matches score only two.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier (both £5.5m) and Everton’s Dwight McNeil (£5.4m) sit joint-second among midfielders on seven key passes each, further highlighting the value on offer for assist potential.

Top budget midfielders for key passes, GW1-2

Budget forwards' underlying stats

Up front, Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m) has had nine shots in the box – even knocking Haaland’s eight into second spot overall. 

Welbeck fares well here, too. His five shots in the box are joint-second in the sub-£6.0m category. He has matched Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak (£8.5m) for that statistic, with both also recording five shots and one big chance. 

Although Brighton's schedule is somewhat mixed, Welbeck could be a great short-term pick in Gameweek 4 when his side offer back-to-back home encounters with Ipswich and Nott’m Forest. 

In terms of big chances, Nott’m Forest’s Chris Wood (£6.1m) and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.5m) have enjoyed a strong start to the season – their totals of three apiece are second only to the four of Haaland among forwards. 

Whereas Wolves have a tough upcoming schedule, Nott’m Forest’s run of opponents indicate Wood can be a big success for many Gameweeks to come. According to the FDR, six of their next eight matches score a mere two.

Top budget forwards for goal threat, GW1-2

Budget defenders' underlying stats

In defence, Faes has boasted a decent goal threat. His three shots in the box have been bettered by only Everton’s James Tarkowski (£4.9m) and Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero (£5.0m).

Nott’s Forest duo Neco Williams and Nikola Milenkovic (both £4.5m) are also among the standouts in the sub-£5.0m category. 

Williams’ total of six shots is more than any other defender, while Milenkovic’s three shots in the box and two big chances are all the more impressive bearing in mind that he made his first appearance of the season in Gameweek 2. 

Top budget defenders for goal threat, GW1-2

West Ham’s Max Kilman (£4.5m) is another budget defender to impress. The summer signing from Wolves has made three key passes – more than any rival priced under £5.0m in Fantasy.

Kilman collected 12 points against Crystal Palace last weekend thanks to an assist and a clean sheet. Reunited with Lopetegui following their time together at Wolves, the centre-back could prove a great source of value from Gameweek 4.