Transfer recommendations for Gameweek 14: Bargain defenders or premium midfielders?

THERE’S barely time for Dream Team managers to catch their breath with Gameweek 14 fast approaching.

The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are all set to resume in the week after a full round of Premier League fixtures which means the seven teams active in Europe are set to pull double duty.

We refuse to patronise you by listing obvious names such as Mohamed Salah (£7.4m), Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) and Erling Haaland (£8.6m) as transfer recommendations (because of course they are) but allow us to present some other suggestions ahead of Saturday’s 11am deadline.

Dream Team

Confirm your transfers before Saturday’s 11am deadline[/caption]

Joe Gomez (£3.1m)

Liverpool may have shipped three goals to Newcastle on Wednesday night but their defence has generally been a reliable source of points this season.

Ibrahima Konate (£4.8m) is expected to be sidelined until the new year and so Gomez is likely to get plenty of minutes – he started against Manchester City and the Magpies for a return of nine points in Gameweek 13.

The Reds have a much more favourable double header in Gameweek 14 in the form of Everton and Girona.

The Toffees will be motivated to hinder their neighbours’ title charge but they are among the lowest scorers in the top flight while the Spanish outfit have not quite rekindled the magic of 2023/24 – they’re eighth in La Liga at present.

Arne Slot will be hopeful of at least one clean sheet in the coming days and Gomez could provide a cheap route to the points on offer.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) is anything but cheap as the most expensive defender in the game but he averages a mighty 6.9 points-per-game in 2024/25 and is therefore well set for a double-digit haul in Gameweek 14.

The creative right-back banked 16 points across his outings against Man City and Newcastle via two assists to remind Dream Team bosses of his pedigree upon return from injury.

Getty

A formidable combination[/caption]

Martin Odegaard (£5.2m)

The aforementioned Saka is Dream Team’s most in-form player at the time of writing and should probably be considered a must-have asset.

Furthermore, it might be worth doubling up on Arsenal midfielders for the festive period as their fixtures appear rather favourable.

The Gunners’ captain has produced three assists and a goal in the space of three Gameweeks since his return to the starting line-up.

Odegaard’s numbers are impressive but, crucially, he’s also passed the eye test with flying colours since the end of the November international break.

Arsenal mustered one goal in three games immediately before the break and it’s no coincidence they’ve bagged 16 in five games since the Norwegian playmaker regained full fitness.

Class is permanentReuters

Kevin De Bruyne (£5.8m)

If Odegaard doesn’t float your boat then how about another premium midfielder?

City’s brilliant Belgian helped his side stop the rot in midweek with a goal and assist at the heart of a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

De Bruyne also earned three bonus points to finish with an overall haul of 18 when he went off midway through the second half (20 total for the Gameweek including two points against Liverpool).

The 33 year-old playmaker has been limited to just 548 minutes this season but with Pep Guardiola in need of his big guns in the wake of a rare downturn in form, De Bruyne will surely be unleashed upon Crystal Palace and Juventus in Gameweek 14.

You don’t need to be convinced of KDB’s abilities but it’s rare that such an elite talent has an ownership as low as 4.8%.

Don’t write them off just yet…Getty

Morgan Rogers (£2.7m) or Youri Tielemans (£3.9m)

Many gaffers will have gone cold on Aston Villa players recently but Gameweek 14 looks primed for points on paper, especially after Unai Emery’s men returned to winnings ways against Brentford in midweek.

The Villains host 20th-placed Southampton on Saturday before travelling to RB Leipzig on Tuesday – it’s a good time to play the Bundesliga side as they’ve lost five of their last seven games in all competitions.

Ollie Watkins (£5.3m) produced 19 points in Gameweek 13 but he comes at a steep cost and continues to be substituted in the second half of games.

Rogers and Tielemans are more relatively affordable midfield options, both coming off the back of double-digit hauls.

The Belgium international has earned 30 bonus points this season – the joint-highest tally among all players, alongside Ryan Gravenberch (£3.8m).

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