ENGLAND players will be immensely popular in Dream Team’s Euros fantasy game this summer.
Optimistic supporters of the Three Lions are backing their boys to end the 58 years of hurt and even level-headed neutrals will admit Gareth Southgate has an arsenal of attacking talent available to him at present.
One way or the other, England’s first game against Serbia will have a huge impact on Dream Team Euros and so gaffers need to make sure they give themselves the best chance of healthy returns.
With that in mind, let’s run through the top stars, bargain options and players to avoid.
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TOP STARS
Harry Kane (£7.5m) is the joint most-expensive player in the game alongside Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m) and with good reason.
Germany will feel like a second home to the 30-year-old after he plundered 44 goals during his first season with Bayern Munich – 36 league goals earned him the European Golden Shoe.
The ex-Tottenham striker is his country’s captain and first-choice penalty taker – his record of 62 goals from 89 caps speaks for itself.
Jude Bellingham (£6m) is set to start Matchday 1 as the most-popular midfielder in the game after his remarkable campaign with Real Madrid.
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It remains to be seen how Southgate will use the 20-year-old superstar but his tally of 23 club goals in 2023/24 (with the Champions League final still to come) suggests he’ll be encouraged to influence the game in the final third.
Kyle Walker (£4m) is currently the most-selected defender but John Stones (£4.5m) is the man most assured of his spot in the starting line-up – injury niggles not withstanding.
The Manchester City centre-back has been a central figure throughout the Southgate reign and he’s gone to another level since Pep Guardiola created a hybrid role for him.
BARGAIN OPTIONS
As pre-tournament favourites, cheap England players are a rarity but that doesn’t mean there aren’t value-for-money options to consider.
Declan Rice (£3m) is one of the first names on the team sheet and should therefore be considered very affordable.
The likes of Kane, Bellingham, Bukayo Saka (£6.5m) and Phil Foden (£6.5m) will be expected to hog the goal involvements but the Arsenal midfielder is not to be underestimated in the attacking department – he notched seven goals and ten assists for the Gunners this term.
Even if the defensive midfielder holds deep and sticks to the dirty work, he could tick over nicely through bonus points and tackles.
At £3m Rice could be a key that unlocks greater returns elsewhere while still pulling his own weight.
With Luke Shaw (£4m) said to be a serious doubt, Dream Team bosses should take note of who Southgate is lining up to start at left-back if the Manchester United man doesn’t pull through.
Joe Gomez is among the potential candidates and he will be added to the game at a reasonable price that would suddenly look very inviting if he were to become a starter.
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PLAYERS TO AVOID
Many fans are calling for Southgate to unleash a swarm of attacking players in Germany but the 53-year-old generally prefers a more pragmatic approach, especially at major tournaments.
While the idea of a Rice-Bellingham double pivot behind three ambitious talents (and Kane) may sound appealing, the reality is that the Arsenal man will probably be paired with a more conservative midfielder.
This would probably mean Cole Palmer will have to settle for a place on the bench, at least initially.
Chelsea’s wonderkid lit up the regular Dream Team campaign with 25 goals and 18 assists but, at this stage, Saka, Bellingham and Foden are likely to get the nod in the three positions behind Kane.
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The likes of Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, James Maddison, Jack Grealish, Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen all have their merits too but it’s rarely been more difficult to establish oneself as a starter for the Three Lions in the attacking positions.
Dream Team bosses should be selecting players guaranteed the majority of minutes and, as good as he’s been of late, that doesn’t apply to Palmer right now.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
