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    Are 23% of Dream Team Euros managers making a mistake selecting Kyle Walker?

    KYLE WALKER (£4m) is currently the most-popular defender in Dream Team’s Euros fantasy game.The England right-back features in 23.4% of teams created at the time of writing and while there’s still time for the outlook to change before the Matchday 1 deadline on June 14th (7pm), it seems certain he’ll be among the most-selected players in his position once the action is underway.But is he truly worthy of such immense popularity?PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW – £50,000 PRIZE POT, FREE TO PLAY, GREAT FUN!Dream Team Euros’ most-selected defenderCredit: Dream TeamWalker is almost certain to start for the Three Lions against Serbia and so it’s understandable that gaffers who think Gareth Southgate’s side will go far this summer believe the speedy defender is a safe and smart choice.Even at 34 years old he remains among the fastest players in Europe and he has been a regular for Pep Guardiola during Manchester City’s trophy-laden years lately.However, Walker rarely provides much attacking threat for England.His goal against Ukraine in qualifying for Euro 2024 was his only one at international level in 82 caps and he’s provided just three assists in his last 41 outings.This is partially because he has often been tasked with playing as a right-sided centre-back who isn’t supposed to stray too far from John Stones (£4.5m).Walker is one of Southgate’s favourites but not optimally suited to Dream TeamCredit: GettyDream Team bosses don’t need all their defenders to offer a threat going forward but those who don’t should be strong clean sheet candidates, especially if they’re at the more expensive end of the price range.Most read in FootballIn this sense, each player is only as good as their team’s collective defensive ability.England have a wealth of attacking pedigree in the current squad with the expected front four of Jude Bellingham (£6m), Phil Foden (£6.5m), Bukayo Saka (£6.5m) and Harry Kane (£7.5m) all heading into the tournament in excellent form.But there are question marks at the back.Stones, Harry Maguire (£4.5m) and Luke Shaw (£4m) are all availability concerns at this stage with the latter’s potential absence creating a serious problem at left-back.No doubt this is why so many gaffers have put their faith in Walker, who is almost guaranteed to start, but surely there’s a chance England’s makeshift back four will be more vulnerable than usual?Southgate has problems to solve in defenceCredit: RexAt £4m Walker doesn’t come cheap and for that price a defender should either have some notable attacking attributes or likely to benefit from clean sheets (ideally both).It may be the case that England’s defence holds up fine but managers should at least consider alternative options from other top teams.To be clear, picking Walker is by no means a clanging error but whether he’s an optimum selection, worthy of appearing in nearly a quarter of all teams, is another matter entirely.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
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    Antoine Griezmann listed as midfielder in Dream Team Euros – is France’s tournament specialist a potential game-breaker?

    ANY Dream Team Euros manager worth their salt should be alert to any tricks that might yield plentiful points.For the latest edition of our EURO STAR series – which has previously featured musings on Cristiano Ronaldo’s prospects and analysis of Jamal Musiala’s talent – we’ve chosen to focus on Antoine Griezmann (£6.5m), who is classified as a midfielder in a Dream Team fantasy game for the first time ever.CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Only Kevin De Bruyne (£7m) costs more among Dream Team Euros midfieldersCredit: Dream TeamThe reason the 33-year-old is listed as a midfielder this time around is simply because he fulfils a deeper role for France these days.The matter is confused slightly by the fact he played predominantly as a centre-forward for Atletico Madrid this season, with great effect, but Didier Deschamps sees him more as a playmaker.Naturally, this change of position has resulted in a decrease in the number of goals he scores at international level.Since the start of 2022, Griezmann has scored just two goals in 25 appearances for Les Bleus.Contrast this with his record at club level and it’s night and day – he has scored 40 goals for Atletico across the last two seasons.However, while Griezmann is no longer primarily tasked with scoring goals for France, he remains a pivotal figure.Griezmann has been a key player for DeschampsCredit: GettyHe was the joint-top assist provider at the last World Cup and, for a player known for his attacking qualities, he gets through more than enough tackles – remember, players earn one point for every two tackles (per fixture) in Dream Team Euros.Most read in Dream TeamIf Griezmann was categorised as a forward then his recent scoring record at international level would be a big concern but as a midfielder he’s certainly viable.His creative output (big chances created, assists) plus his defensive contribution (tackles) means he has several routes to points even if he’s no longer a promising goal threat.Plus, he’s the sort of all-action player likely to collect his fair share of bonus points.More broadly, Griezmann always seems to turn up at major tournaments.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Griezmann was fantastic for Atletico Madrid this seasonCredit: GettyAt Euro 2016 he won the Golden Boot and was named Player of the Tournament.Two years later, he claimed the Silver Boot and Bronze Ball as France won the World Cup in Russia.Euro 2020 was an underwhelming campaign overall for Deschamps’ side but they reached the final at the 2022 World Cup and Griezmann was rightfully praised for his influential midfield role during that campaign.READ MORE SUN STORIESFrance will face Austria, Netherlands and Poland in Group D this summer and are fancied to do deep in the tournament once again.Griezmann is an expensive asset at £6.5m which is probably why he currently appears in just 9% of teams created but the prospect of selecting a front three of genuine strikers with France’s No7 in midfield is very appealing.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
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    Dream Team Euros goalkeepers: Premium options, bargains & ones to avoid

    EVERY Dream Team Euros manager needs a reliable figure between the sticks, whether they’re a top star or a cheap alternative.With that in mind, let’s run through the premium goalkeepers, bargain differentials, and ones to avoid.CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Are Portugal in safe hands this summer?Credit: Dream TeamPREMIUM OPTIONSDiogo Costa (£4m) kept more clean sheets than any other keeper during Euro 2024 qualifying and while Portugal’s No1 benefited from a favourable group, he looks a strong bet for this summer’s tournament as well.Roberto Martinez’s side will face Czechia, Turkey then Georgia in Group F and will be expected to top the pile with relative ease.The 24-year-old heads to Germany having kept 17 clean sheets in all competitions for Porto this season.Mike Maignan (£4.5m) is the joint-most expensive keeper in the game and that’s a reflection of his status as France’s first-choice custodian.The Milan man conceded just two goals in six outings during qualifying and while he picked up an injury at the end of the domestic campaign, he’s expected to start for Didier Deschamps’ side against Austria in Matchday 1.Les Bleus have made the final in three of the last four major tournaments and are tipped to go deep again this time around.Most read in Dream TeamJordan Pickford (£4m) will be a popular choice for similar reasons with England currently the pre-tournament favourites with most bookies.Pickford currently features in 23.4% of teams createdCredit: GettyBARGAINSGaffers keen on stats might come to the conclusion that Martin Dubravka (£1.5m) is an absolute steal.The experienced Slovak saw plenty of action for Newcastle this season because of Nick Pope’s lengthy injury and only the aforementioned Costa kept more clean sheets during Euro qualifying.Remember, keepers earn one point for every two saves they make and Dubravka ranked highly in this metric in qualifying too.There’s a lot going for him on paper but it’s worth noting that Slovakia also qualified through the same relatively friendly group as Portugal – the step up might be too much.Much of the same applies to Romania’s Horatiu Moldovan (£1.5m).The Tricolorii impressed during qualifying to finish above Switzerland in an undefeated campaign during which they conceded just five goals in ten games.Dubravka did well in qualifyingCredit: GettyKoen Casteels (£3.5m) isn’t exactly a bargain but he potentially represents smart value for money.With Thibaut Courtois not called up to represent Belgium having missed most of the season with injury, the door remains open for Casteels to start for the Red Devils.Domenico Tedesco’s side have been gifted a favourable group on paper alongside Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine and their first-choice keeper for the summer is notably cheaper than his peers among the other fancied teams.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!ONES TO AVOIDAndriy Lunin (£2.5m) is likely to be relatively popular selection having played 31 games for Real Madrid in 2023/24.He started Ukraine’s crucial play-off fixtures but gaffers should be aware that Benfica’s Anatoily Trubin (£2.5m) was the preferred choice during qualifying.It’s not that Lunin is necessarily somebody to stay clear of but Dream Team bosses need to be certain their keeper is a guaranteed starter and the Ukraine hierarchy isn’t all that clear right now.Overrated?Credit: GettyThis might be a bit punchy but we’re not all that convinced about Gianluigi Donnarumma (£4m), who is currently the second-most selected asset in his position.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe giant Italian was fantastic at the last Euros but his performances for club and country have been put under the microscope in more recent times.Plus, Italy might be up against it in Group B against Albania, Spain and Croatia.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

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    Benjamin Sesko and other bargain strikers who could offer Dream Team Euros gaffers serious value for money

    WHO doesn’t love a bargain?With the likes of Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m) and Harry Kane (£7.5m) requiring serious investment, a cheap striker might bring it all together for Dream Team Euros managers ahead of the Matchday 1 deadline.Let’s analyse the viability of five value-for-money options.CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!It could be a big summer for Benjamin SeskoCredit: Dream TeamBenjamin Sesko (£2.5m)The Slovenia forward is currently being linked with a big-money move to the Premier League and a bright showing in Germany this summer would only raise his stock further.Sesko is a tall, rangy striker with a few skills in his locker and he’s a confident shooter with both feet too.Having just turned 21 years old, it’s clear that RB Leipzig may have a tough time holding onto their prize asset, especially if he lights up Euro 2024.Slovenia will compete against Denmark, Serbia and England in Group C and their chances of progressing to the knockouts hinge on Sesko, who has scored ten goals in his last 16 outings at international level.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m)Most read in FootballTalent to burnCredit: GettySimilarly, Georgia’s hopes of making waves this summer rest on the shoulders of their superstar forward.Napoli may have followed up their historic title win with a bitterly underwhelming campaign just passed but Kvaratskhelia remains one of Serie A’s most exciting talents – he registered 11 goals and eight assists in the league this term.The 23-year-old has scored ten goals and provided four assists in his last 16 appearances for Georgia at the time of writing.Kvaratskhelia should also earn his fair share of bonus points as he’s a natural dribbler and tends to draw a lot of fouls.Predominately a left winger at club level, he’s been deployed as a centre-forward for Georgia recently with fruitful results.Artem Dovbyk (£3m)La Liga’s top scorerCredit: ReutersThe Girona poacher heads to Germany having just outscored everyone else in La Liga this season.Dovbyk claimed the Pichichi with a hat-trick in his last game of the campaign to finish above the likes of Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann.He scored 24 league goals in total, propelling his side to Champions League qualification.Focuses now switches to Ukraine, who were dealt a relatively favourable group draw in the form of Belgium, Slovakia and Romania.Serhiy Rebrov’s side qualified through the play-offs but they actually finished level on points with Italy during qualifying in a group that also featured England.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Gianluca Scamacca (£3m)Scamacca scored against England in qualifyingCredit: GettyIt’s not all that clear who will lead the line for Italy but if the former West Ham target man gets the nod then he would have to be considered very affordable.Scamacca finished the season in fine form for Atalanta and was a key contributor to the club’s Europa League triumph – his brace against Liverpool at Anfield being the highlight.Generally, he’s been unable to transfer his club form to the international stage having scored just once in 15 caps to date but his main rival up top, Giacomo Raspadori (£3.5m), hasn’t scored all that many goals either of late.If the Atalanta version of Scamacca shows up this summer then Luciano Spalletti will be delighted but that’s no sure thing.Dream Team Euros bosses should perhaps file this one under: wait and see.Andrej Kramaric (£3m) Croatia should never be underestimated at major tournamentsCredit: GettyThe 32-year-old has not always been the most prolific finisher but he’s turned up for Croatia since the most recent World Cup with six goals in his last 11 outings.And his record for Hoffenheim across the last eight and a half years is more than respectable.Kramaric doesn’t always play as an out-and-out striker but he’s no less effective in a more withdrawn role and he has a good understanding with his country’s other long-serving stars.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt will be interesting to see how Zlatko Dalic sees things come Matchday 1 as Ante Budimir (£3m) scored 17 La Liga goals with Osasuna this season but Kramaric is an expected starter.More broadly, while Croatia are generally a team that saves their best performances for major tournaments, they’ve been dealt a tough hand in Group B alongside Spain, Albania and Italy.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

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    Bruno Fernandes, Romelu Lukaku and other players who thrived during Euros qualifying

    DREAM TEAM managers currently tinkering with their Euros fantasy XI should consider which players thrived during qualifying for this summer’s tournament.We understand that many gaffers don’t have the time or patience to seek out spreadsheets and bar graphs so we’ve assembled all the headline stats here in one convenient location.CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Romelu Lukaku scored 14 goals to help Belgium qualifyCredit: EPAFirst up, let’s take a look at the top goalscorers during Euro 2024 qualifying.MOST GOALS
    14 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m)
    10 – Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m)
    9 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
    8 – Harry Kane (£7.5m)
    7 – Scott McTominay (£2.5m), Rasmus Hojlund (£4m)
    Belgium’s target man particularly enjoyed himself against the likes of Estonia and Azerbaijan but a hat-trick away to Sweden plus goals in both fixtures against group runners-up Austria meant he was no flat-track bully.When things go wrong for Lukaku they tend to go spectacularly wrong but that shouldn’t obscure the fact he’s a potent threat when everything clicks – he’s scored 83 goals in 114 caps in international football.How about McTominay rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in world football?The Manchester United midfielder has been talismanic for Scotland lately and may well prove to be a smart differential option in Dream Team Euros if Steve Clarke’s side continue to punch above their weight this summer.Most read in FootballMOST ASSISTS
    8 – Bruno Fernandes (£6m)
    5 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m), Denzel Dumfries (£4.5m), Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m)
    4 – Bernardo Silva (£4.5m), Dusan Tadic (£3m), Jeremy Doku (£5m) Nicolo Barella (£4m)
    Ronaldo will always be Portugal’s megastar as long as he’s playing for them but Fernandes is the true driving force of the current side.The 29-year-old finished the regular season in fine style and averaged nearly nine points-per-game for Man United after the turn of the year.Portugal’s main manCredit: Dream TeamMbappe is not only an elite goalscorer but a prolific creative force too – no wonder he’s the joint-most expensive player in the game.Dumfries is a notable inclusion in this list as the Dutchman is categorised as a defender – wing-backs who provide an attacking threat can be worth their weight in gold.As a side note, we’ve left out Teemu Pukki and Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson (five assists each) plus Harry Wilson and Olimpiu Morutan (four each) because we’re only really interested in players that will be present in Germany.GOALS + ASSISTS PER 90 MINUTES
    2.28 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m)
    1.92 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
    1.50 – Bruno Fernandes (£6m)
    1.49 – Harry Kane (£7.5m)
    1.46 – Marcel Sabizter (£3m)
    Erling Haaland (1.48) has been omitted here as Norway didn’t qualify but otherwise it’s more of the same names.This stat highlights Fernandes’ dual threat – he scored six goals on top of his eight assists – and cements him as a top-tier Dream Team Euros asset.Sabitzer’s inclusion is interesting as he started just three of Austria’s eight qualifiers – what sort of impact could he have if allowed more minutes on the pitch?Mbappe boasted impressive numbers throughout qualifyingCredit: GettyTOTAL SHOTS
    46 – Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m)
    38 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
    34 – Robert Lewandowski (£5m)
    32 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (3m)
    29 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m), Nicolae Stanciu (£2m)
    Total shots gives a sense of which players are presented with plentiful chances and those most hungry for goals.It’s hardly surprising to see the five-time Ballon d’Or winner so far clear at the top as Portugal were gifted a relatively favourable group and dominated almost every qualifying fixture – not to diminish the appeal of Ronaldo and Fernandes as assets.However, total shots only tells us a fraction of the story; additional context changes the outlook quite dramatically.For example, Georgia’s superstar Kvaratskhelia is an entertaining talent but only five of his 32 shots in qualifying were registered as on target – compare that ratio to Lukaku’s (62.1% of shots on target) and it’s night and day.Greece’s Anastasios Bakasetas (32) and Luxembourg’s Gerson Rodrigues (30) have been removed.Kvaratskhelia struggled to hit the targetCredit: Kenny RamsaySHOTS ON TARGET PER 90 MINUTES
    2.74 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m)
    2.37 – Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m)
    2.33 – Andrej Kramaric (£3m)
    2.26 – Michael Gregoritsch (£2.5m)
    2.21 – Zeki Amdouni (£2.5m)
    Remember, shots on target are worth one point each in our Euros fantasy game and boiling stats down to per 90 minutes gives a clearer indication of what players do with their time on the pitch.It’s interesting that big names like Mbappe and Kane are absent from the top end of this metric but strikers from Croatia, Austria and Swizterland make the cut.TACKLES
    22 – Joao Palhinha (£3.5m)
    21 – Milos Kerkez (£2.5m)
    19 – Antoine Griezmann (£6.5m)
    18 – Andrej Duda (£2m)
    17 – Jaka Bijol (£2m)
    We’ve had to remove plenty of players here as naturally many of the productive tacklers during qualifying represented smaller teams that weren’t afforded much possession.It’s no surprise to see Palhinha come out on top of the revised ranking as he was in a league of his own for tackles in our regular season game.The Fulham and Portugal midfielder takes no prisoners in the middle of park and is fully capable of earning four or five Dream Team points in one game from tackles alone when in the mood – although he gets his fair share of yellow cards too.Modern football’s tackle machineCredit: GettyFurther evidence here of why Griezmann has been categorised as a midfielder in Dream Team Euros.He may not score the same volume of goals at international level as he once did but he does pretty much everything else in a deeper role.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!CLEAN SHEETS
    6 – Diogo Costa (£4m)
    5 – Martin Dubravka (£1.5m), Dominik Livakovic (£3.5m), Mike Maignan (£4.5m)
    4 – Angus Gunn (£2m), Jan Oblak (£3m), Jordan Pickford (£4m), Wojciech Szczesny (£2.5m)
    Portugal’s favourable group also allowed their first-choice goalkeeper to top the charts for clean sheets in qualifying.Costa is currently the fourth-most popular asset in his position among gaffers but it wouldn’t be a shock if he cracked the top three before the Matchday 1 deadline.Dubravka’s price suddenly looks very reasonable although it’s worth noting that Slovakia play Belgium in their opening game.Is Dubravka good value at £1.5m?Credit: GettySAVES
    35 – Giorgi Mamardashvili (£2m)
    27 – Martin Dubravka (£1.5m)
    25 – Horatiu Moldovan (£1.5m)
    22 – Denes Dibusz (£2.5m)
    21 – Dominik Livakovic (£3.5m), Anatoliy Trubin (£2.5m)
    Clean sheets are like goals to keepers but with one point earned for every two saves completed it’s worth considering each individual’s workload too.Andre Onana finished as the top goalkeeper in our regular season game, mostly because he was forced to make a huge volume of saves over the course of the campaign.Again, we’ve omitted those who failed to qualify and Georgia’s No1 tops the pile as a result – the Valencia keeper is highly rated by those in the know.The stats suggest Dubravka ticks both boxes in terms of clean sheets and saves but it’s worth noting Slovakia finished runners-up to Portugal in that favourable qualifying group – Luxembourg finished third for context.READ MORE SUN STORIESDream Team will be on hand with plenty more tips, tricks, stats and facts as the tournament draws near.If you haven’t yet selected an XI, even as a first draft, what are you waiting for?Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

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    Only 3.4% of Dream Team Euros gaffers have selected La Liga’s top scorer – is Artem Dovbyk a secret weapon worth having?

    EVEN the more lackadaisical Dream Team managers should start immersing themselves in our Euros fantasy game this week.The tournament itself kicks off on June 14th with Germany v Scotland and so it’s high time we started highlighting some underrated players who may be flying under the radar.How about Artem Dovbyk (£3m) for starters?CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Unfairly overlooked?Credit: Dream TeamThe Ukraine striker heads into this summer’s international tournament having lit up La Liga throughout the domestic season.As the spearhead for a valiant Girona side that punched well above their weight to claim third, Dovbyk finished as the top flight’s leading goalscorer.He claimed the Pichichi with a hat-trick against Granada on the final day of the campaign to take his tally to 24 league goals.This flourish was the culmination of an extraordinary end to the campaign that saw him score ten goals in nine games.Antoine Griezmann, Robert Lewandowski and Jude Bellingham were just some of names left trailing in Dovbyk’s wake in regards to La Liga goals in 2023/24.It’s simply a fact that very few players will head to Germany in better form than the 26-year-old so why has been selected by just 3.4% of Dream Team Euros managers at the time of writing?Most read in FootballDovbyk fired Girona to Champions League qualificationCredit: EPAThe fact he doesn’t represent one of the tournament’s stronger teams is undoubtedly a factor – Ukraine qualified for Euro 2024 via the play-offs (by virtue of their performance in the Nations League) after finishing third in their group.Although it should be noted that Serhiy Rebrov’s side finished level on points with Italy during qualifying, in the same group as England – they drew with the Three Lions back in September.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Dovbyk and company were dealt a difficult qualifying group but they won’t mind their draw for the actual tournament as they’re in Group E alongside Belgium, Slovakia and Romania.In fact, most bookies reckon they’ll qualify for the round of 16.Ukraine start their campaign against Romania in Matchday 1 and don’t have to play group favourites Belgium until Matchday 3.With all this in mind, surely Dovbyk deserves to be more popular among Dream Team Euros bosses?Ukraine fans are hoping Dovbyk translates his club form to the international stageCredit: ReutersHe’s reasonably priced at £3million and could helpfully offset the cost of other more expensive forwards, such as Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m) and Harry Kane (£7.5m).At present, Dovbyk, who previously plundered plenty of goals for Dnipro-1, is only 0.1% more popular than Ollie Watkins (£3.5m), who is almost certain to start on the bench for England throughout the summer.READ MORE SUN STORIESUkraine face Germany in a friendly this evening and will later take on Poland and Moldova so gaffers may be able to get a better read on Dovbyk’s prospects before the Matchday 1 deadline.He should certainly be considered a viable option.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

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    Dream Team Euros: France’s top stars, bargain options & players to avoid

    FRANCE have made it to the final in three of the last four major international tournaments, with their World Cup triumph in 2018 being their crowning glory of recent times.With a squad rich in talent and depth, it’s generally expected that Les Bleus are serious contenders on the big stage and Euro 2024 is no different.Most bookies have Didier Deschamps’ side as close second favourites (behind England) this summer and Dream Team Euros managers will therefore be hopeful of bountiful points from their players – but who to select?Here we detail their top stars, bargain options and players to avoid.CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Mbappe leads from the front in more ways than oneCredit: Dream TeamTOP STARSLet’s not pretend Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m) is anything other than the standout superstar in the player list.The electric forward is in the prime of his career at 25 years old and heads to Germany having plundered 44 goals from 48 games in his farewell season at PSG.He claimed the Golden Boot at the last World Cup with a dramatic hat-trick in the final and he’s scored a further ten goals in 11 appearances since then having been awarded the captain’s armband.Mbappe is the joint-most expensive player in the game but that hasn’t put gaffers off as he’s currently the only player who features in the majority of teams created (54.5% ownership).Most read in FootballNo defender costs more than Theo Hernandez (£5m) in our Euros fantasy game, which is a reflection of both France’s overall prospects and his individual quality .Only Portugal conceded fewer goals in qualifying than France and the 26-year-old played the full 90 minutes in all eight fixtures.The Milan left-back contributed five goals and 11 assists at club level in 2023/24 and many Dream Team bosses will remember his attacking contributions at the most recent World Cup – he even scored in the semi-final.Hernandez was among France’s best players in QatarCredit: GettyAntoine Griezmann (£6.5m) is arguably the player most emblematic of the Deschamps era and somebody who always seems to save his best form for major tournaments.The 33-year-old generally played as a striker for Atletico Madrid this season but he’s operated in a deeper role at international level for quite a while now, hence why we’ve categorised him as a midfielder.Naturally, he doesn’t score as many goals as he used to for France (just two in his last 26 caps) but he does pretty much everything else – it wouldn’t be a surprise if he earned more than his fair share of bonus points.BARGAIN OPTIONSSuch is France’s strength and depth, none of their players are priced below £3million and so there’s no outright bargain in the truest sense but there are some value-for-money options to mull over.Some gaffers may be surprised to learn that Adrien Rabiot (£3.5m) is now considered among Deschamps’ favourites and he is expected to get plenty of minutes in Germany.In terms of ability-to-cost ratio, Eduardo Camavinga (£3.5m) has to considered decent value in the mid range, especially with Real Madrid team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni (£3.5m) an injury doubt.The 21-year-old offers minimal attacking threat but it’s feasible he could tick over at a respectable rate through tackles and bonus points.EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOR FREE – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Camavinga may have a big role to fulfil this summerCredit: AFPOne other thing to keep an eye on is the possibility of Marcus Thuram (£4m) usurping Olivier Giroud (£4.5m) to become first-choice striker.The 26-year-old contributed 29 goal involvements to Inter’s successful campaign and he’s featured in each of France’s last eight games in some capacity.Both Griezmann and Mbappe like to play with Giroud but the experienced target man is 37 years old and the last time he played 90 minutes at international level was against England in the World Cup quarter-final.It’s not unthinkable Thuram might jump up the pecking order, in which case his price tag of £4m would suddenly look very affordable.PLAYERS TO AVOIDAs we’ve made clear, France boast a strong squad and so there aren’t any perilous trapdoors that need signposting.However, Ousmane Dembele’s (£4.5m) ownership of 10.2% feels rather high.Dembele has bags of talent but his end product remains a concernCredit: GettyThe two-footed winger is capable of delivering massive returns if everything clicks but he can be frustrating player to watch at times – a return of three league goals this season for a player in his position at PSG is underwhelming.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe’s not assured of substantial minutes either as Kingsley Coman (£4.5m) and Randal Kolo Muani (£4m) are competitive options on the right wing.Elsewhere, 8.8% of Dream Team bosses have picked Benjamin Pavard (£3.5m) at the time of writing but the defender isn’t the lock he once was under Deschamps – he started just two of the qualifiers.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

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    Jamal Musiala possesses all tools needed to become Dream Team Euros cheat code this summer

    WITH two weeks to go until Dream Team’s Euros fantasy game gets underway, it’s time to highlight some players we expect to be pivotal figures.We kicked off our EURO STAR series yesterday with a look at Cristiano Ronaldo and whether or not the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s goalscoring pedigree will prevail over his ageing legs.At 21 years old, today’s subject is at the complete opposite end of his career on a dramatic upward curve and so the question must be asked: will this be the summer of Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)?PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW – £50,000 PRIZE POT, FREE TO PLAY, GREAT FUN!Germany’s X-FactorCredit: Dream TeamAt the time of writing, the Germany midfielder appears in 21.7% of teams created, making him the third-most popular player in his position.The outlook is likely to change as more and more managers sign-up to play our Euros fantasy game across the next fortnight but it seems reasonable to assume Musiala will be among the most-selected players heading into Matchday 1.On the surface, this may seem a tad curious as he’s scored just two goals in 27 caps in senior international football.However, it should be taken into account that 20 of his appearances came as a teenager, when he was still finding his feet at the top level; similarly Jude Bellingham (£6m) has three goals in 29 caps for England on a similar trajectory.What’s really telling is that Germany’s coaches have felt that Musiala is a talent worthy of so many caps at such a young age.And there are signs he’s flicked the switch from promising youngster to a player one could build a team around.Most read in FootballMusiala produced some impressive performances in the Champions League this seasonCredit: PAHe scored ten goals and provided six assists in 24 Bundesliga outings for Bayern Munich this season (that number restricted due to injuries) which boils down further to a goal involvement every 110.4 minutes.Needless to say, these are the stats Dream Team bosses should be seeking from their midfielders, especially with goals and assists worth six and three points each this summer.It’s worth noting too that Musiala shone brightly in Germany’s friendly wins over France and Netherlands in March, providing an assist in each fixture.Those victories over strong opposition boosted morale among fans of Die Mannschaft after some worrying results in 2023 that led to Hansi Flick’s departure.Musiala’s potential to supply goal involvements is only one element of what makes him such an appealing option in Dream Team Euros.PLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE – FREE TO PLAY, IPHONE 15 PRO MAX TOP PRIZE!Musiala represented England at youth level before declaring for GermanyCredit: ReutersAs gaffers who played our regular season game will know, talented dribblers tend to earn their fair share of bonus points.This is because each successful dribble (and foul won) counts as a player performance park (PPM), which determine how bonus points are distributed – click here for further details about our scoring system.Despite the fact Musiala missed ten league games this term, only Leroy Sane (£5.5m) completed more successful dribbles in the top flight.Such stats only serve to reinforce what anyone who has watched him play has observed – the kid is a natural.It’s unclear whether Sane will start for Germany this summerCredit: GettyIn terms of pure talent, Germany’s midfield crop is certainly in the top tier among this summer’s trophy hopefuls.Florian Wirtz (£4.5m), Ilkay Gundogan (£4.4m), Toni Kroos (£3.5m) and the aforementioned Sane all boast impressive attributes but it’s notable that Musiala, who is capable of playing centrally or on either wing, is the most popular of the lot among Dream Team bosses at present.Many Germany fans are imploring Julian Nagelsmann to start both Musiala and Wirtz in tandem, offset with the experience of Kroos and Gundogan.It’s not unthinkable that Sane will initially be deployed as an impact substitute – he was suspended for those morale-boosting wins over France and Netherlands when Germany looked mightily improved.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe hosts face Scotland in the opening fixture of Euro 2024, with Switzerland and Hungary completing Group A, and it will be interesting to discover which stars Nagelsmann prioritises.But what’s clear from a Dream Team perspective is that Musiala’s attacking threat, coupled with his dribbling ability, makes him a seriously tempting option.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More