Is your Dream Team budget tight as the season nears its climax?
In need of a value-for-money midfielder?
Look no further, here are the seven best midfield assets (based on total points) this season currently available for £4million or cheaper.
James Ward-Prowse (£3.8m)
The Premier League’s reigning free-kick king has proved himself to be a reliably consistent performer in Dream Team across the last three years.
Southampton will do well to avoid relegation this season and almost every Dream Team manager will know to stay clear of their defenders but it’s worth noting their skipper has scored nine goals in all competitions – a great effort for someone in his position in a struggling team.
The England international needs just one more point to bring up his century and at the time of writing he’s an eight-point swing away from joining the top ten midfielders overall.
Ward-Prowse is Saints’ first-choice penalty taker as well, which is always a bonus, although he’s almost more comfortable shooting from 25 yards than the spot.
Miguel Almiron (£3.6m)
Anybody who claims they predicted the Paraguayan winger’s upsurge is a liar.
Prior to 2022/23, he’d scored nine Premier League goals in three and a half seasons with Newcastle and now he’s bagged eleven this campaign alone.
The primary issue right now is that Almiron is nursing a thigh injury that may mean he’s unavailable for another three or four weeks – if that’s the case then obviously his backers will have to identify a replacement for the short term at least.
How much more the 29-year-old has to offer this term remains to be seen but he deserves huge credit for registering 106 points to date – over double what was expected of him prior to Game Week 1.
Rodri (£3.8m)
Defensive midfielders aren’t supposed to reach triple figures year after year in the realm of Dream Team but Man City’s fulcrum (currently on 106 points) is simply a different breed.
His metronomic passing and invaluable defensive work means he earns plenty of 7+ ratings.
In fact, WhoScored reckon he’s been the seventh-best player in the top flight this season – he’s bagged three Star Man awards for his efforts too.
Rodri also provides more goal involvements than the average player tasked with a similar role, he’s registered eight in all competitions so far this season and with Pep Guardiola’s side still active in the FA Cup and the Champions League it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Spaniard reach double figures once again.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£3.4m)
Our aversion to defensive midfielders caused us to doubt the combative Dane’s long-term viability but we’re happy to hold our hands up and admit he’s proved us wrong.
It’ll be April by the time the next fixtures get underway and Hojbjerg’s tally of 107 points puts him joint-tenth in his position.
Harry Kane (£8.1m) aside, there can’t be too many Spurs assets jumping out at gaffers right now with the north London club suffering a fairly miserable March.
But Hojbjerg has punched above his weight from the get-go this season with five goals, five assists and three Star Man gongs to his name.
Jarrod Bowen (£3.9m)
It’s easy to forget that West Ham are one of a handful of clubs with more than just Premier League commitments in the schedule.
The Hammers will face Gent over two legs in the Europa Conference League after the international break, giving them nine fixtures to fulfil in April.
Granted, David Moyes’ side have been below par this season but Bowen’s tally of 107 points is more than respectable and if he’s going to be among the busiest assets next month then he could well be worth a punt.
He currently features in just 6.1% of teams as well so he’s something of a differential option.
Casemiro (£3.4m)
There’s no point waxing lyrical about the Brazilian at this juncture since he’s serving a four-game suspension for his second red card of the season.
The five-time Champions League winner has been brilliant when available and Dream Team bosses may think he’s capable of further returns once he’s back amongst the action but his viability will depend on Man United’s progress in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Casemiro has 110 points.
Martin Odegaard (£3.7m)
It’s frankly astonishing that the Norwegian playmaker is available for such a reasonable price.
Arsenal’s captain has claimed five Star Man awards, scored ten goals, and provided six assists in what has been a talismanic campaign.
Odegaard, who appears in 37.9% of teams, has amassed 130 points so far, a total bettered by only five midfielders, all of whom are considerably more expensive.
The Gunners have just ten league fixtures left to fulfil but their brilliant form means their assets are rightfully in high demand.