New Brighton & Hove Albion recruit Pascal Gross could offer Fantasy Premier League managers a steady source of creativity in 2017/18.
Brighton's first signing for their inaugural Premier League campaign, Gross produced four goals and five assists in 33 appearances for Ingolstadt last season.
Despite his side's relegation from the Bundesliga the 25-year-old supplied more key passes than any other player in the division (98).
Gross's average of 27.9 minutes per chance created was identical to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, whose tally of 21 FPL assists ranked top in 2016/17.
Set-piece specialist Gross was also the Bundesliga’s top creative player in 2015/16, when he produced 95 key passes in 32 appearances during his first season in Germany's top flight.
His FPL appeal is further heightened by a considerable goal threat. He produced 121 shots across the last two campaigns, scoring five times.
Championship Player of the Year Anthony Knockaert has also emerged as an early FPL target from the Brighton ranks.
The midfielder registered 15 goals and eight assists in 45 appearances and was the main creator for the Seagulls.
But interestingly for Fantasy managers, Knockaert's total of 96 key passes at an average of 39.5 minutes per chance created trails behind new team-mate Gross.
The need for a new playmaker is compounded by the fact that Brighton's second-best creator in 2016/17, Jiri Skalak, produced a mere 39 key passes.
Brighton’s tactics will be key to assessing their Fantasy potential.
The Seagulls mainly used a 4-4-2 formation on their way to promotion via a second-place finish, but manager Chris Hughton has hinted at switching to 4-4-1-1 this season.
A lone-striker system would restrict the pitch time of last term’s preferred front two, Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock, and instead focus our attentions on the Brighton midfield.
With Knockaert set to retain his role on the right flank, Gross is the early favourite to take up a central support position behind one forward.
Having shone in an advanced berth for Ingolstadt in 2016/17, the new arrival could soon prove a prominent figure for the Seagulls and offer FPL managers value for money in a 3-5-2 formation.