Fantasy Football

CHELSEA could be an decisive team for Dream Team managers in 2024/25.If the Blues are able to get past either Braga or Servette in the Conference League play-offs, they will reach the league phase of the reformatted continental competition.Europe’s tertiary competition is still relatively young but English teams have generally done well.Leicester and Aston Villa were semi-finalists in 2021/22 and 2023/24 respectively while West Ham lifted the trophy in 2022/23.As a result, the teams active in the Conference League have tended to provide more than their fair share of Dream Team points – hence the importance of Chelsea’s play-off.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!The all-important manCredit: RexIn the meantime, let’s analyse their top stars, bargain options and players to avoid ahead of Gameweek 1.TOP STARSChelsea were essentially a one-man team in Dream Team for much of 2024/25, such was Cole Palmer’s (£6m) dominance.In fact, the only other player within 100 points of the former Manchester City youngster was Conor Gallagher (£4m), who is expected to leave this summer.Most read in FootballPalmer benefited from a succession of penalties last season but he was anything but a one-trick pony – he scored 16 goals from open play (25 in total) and registered 18 assists in all competitions.A long-range equaliser against Spain in the final of Euro 2024 cemented his popularity and he’s set to start the new season as the most-selected player in Dream Team.Nkunku will hope his injury troubles are behind himCredit: Dream TeamChristopher Nkunku (£4m) is something of a question mark having been blighted by injuries since his move to Stamford Bridge but he has the talent to thrive.The Frenchman was Bundesliga Player of the Season in 2021/22 and top scorer the following year.Even last season, when he was limited to a handful of appearances, he averaged a goal every 146.3 minutes in the Premier League – if he could do the same over a longer period this coming campaign he will provide plentiful returns.Reece James (£4m) is suspended for the first three games of the season, hangover from the end of 2023/24, so Dream Team bosses should stay well clear throughout August.But come September he’ll be a player to monitor closely.The 24-year-old right-back may be deployed in an inverted role under Enzo Maresca, which would see him active in midfield areas.Obviously James’ injury record is a huge concern but he racks up points at a rapid rate when available.Dream Team bosses should be aware of James’ suspensionCredit: GettyBARGAIN OPTIONSIt remains to be seen if Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£3m) will be a regular starter for Chelsea but his relationship with Maresca should help his case.The pair enjoyed success together at Leicester where the creative midfielder scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists to guide the Foxes to the Championship title last season.The 25-year-old already has over 50 Premier League appearances to his name but this time he returns in his prime.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!Marc Cucurella (£3.5m) is probably a fraction too expensive to be considered a bargain but he has the potential to offer smart value for money.The Euro 2024 winner’s stock has never been higher after his impressive outings for Spain.Whether he’s able to transfer that form to club level is a question yet to be answered but more than a few gaffers are willing to take the gamble – only Palmer appears in more teams among Chelsea players currently.PLAYERS TO AVOIDMudryk is yet to settle at ChelseaCredit: AlamyIt’s looking less and less likely that Mykhailo Mudryk (£3m) will come good in West London.The Ukraine winger is quick and gets himself in promising positions but his decision-making and composure (lack thereof) make him a frustrating watch.READ MORE SUN STORIESMoises Caicedo (£3m) found his feet at the back end of last season, a fact amplified by his goal from the halfway line against Bournemouth in May.However, the ex-Brighton midfielder simply doesn’t offer enough in attack to justify a place in a competitive Dream Team. Dream Team New Season Explainer 2024-25 More

THERE are few rarer things in the world of Dream Team than a viable bargain option from Manchester City.No side has produced more points as a collective than Pep Guardiola’s troops in recent years and so it’s usually the case that their players are slapped with hefty price tags to reflect their pedigree.But ahead of the 2024/25 season, Oscar Bobb (£2m) may have broken the mould.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Could Bobb be a secret weapon at the start of the Dream Team season?Credit: Dream TeamThe 21-year-old Norwegian has used the Citizens’ pre-season tour to stake his claim for a significant role once the new campaign gets underway for real.With the summer squad depleted following the Euros and Copa America, Guardiola leaned heavily on the club’s youth players when fulfilling the recent stateside friendlies.Bobb capitalised with a goal and two assists against Celtic, another assist versus Milan, and an excellent goal against Chelsea.Such was the nature of his performances, there is now a clamour among fans for him to start against Manchester United in the Community Shield.Bobb played just over 800 minutes for Man City in 2023/24 but is expected to fulfil a more prominent role this seasonIf Bobb is given the nod at Wembley this Saturday and continues his fine form, the likelihood of him getting significant minutes at Stamford Bridge in Gameweek 1 would increase even further.Dream Team manager should therefore keep at least one eye on the Community Shield as it’s not everyday a viable City player is available for just £2million – such an eventuality would open some appealing doors.Most read in Dream TeamIt should go without saying that Bobb faces significant competition for a place in Guardiola’s first-choice XI.However, the decorated tactician has never been afraid to name the big stars on the bench if he feels that’s best for the team and with the likes of Bernardo Silva (£4.5m), Phil Foden (£6.5m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£6.5m) starting their pre-season preparations later than most, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Bobb momentarily topped the pecking order on the right flank.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!The Norway international is categorised as a forward in Dream Team but his cheap price surely negates that slight hindrance.For example, a front three of Haaland, Alexander Isak (£5m) and Bobb works out at £15.5m, which would leave plenty of budget for a star-studded midfield.Selecting Cole Palmer (£6m), Bukayo Saka (£6m), Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) and Eberechi Eze (£4.5m) would leave £13.5m for three defenders and a goalkeeper in a 3-4-3 formation – easily workable.Haaland also enjoyed his pre-season tour of AmericaCredit: GettyOf course, this strategy will only bear fruit if Bobb gets a decent run out at the start of the season.If Guardiola is generous, Dream Team bosses may get an indication of City’s team selection in the week leading up their meeting with Chelsea.With a current ownership of 0.6%, Bobb has the potential to be a real hidden gem if everything comes together.Dream Team New Season Explainer 2024-25 More

JUST ten players amassed 300+ points in Dream Team last season.Mohammed Kudus (£5m) was among that elite group and yet he currently features in just 5.5% of teams ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.Granted, there are several quality options in midfield but surely West Ham’s talisman deserves to be more popular?PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Is Kudus being overlooked?Credit: Dream TeamKudus averaged 6.7 points-per-game in 2023/24, a rate superior to that of Martin Odegaard (£5m), Anthony Gordon (£4.5m), Rodri (£4.5m) and several other widely-selected players in his position.Kudus scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions last term – an impressive return considering he missed some of the campaign due to AFCON commitments.But what made the Ghana star such a successful asset was his ability to earn bonus points.Kudus amassed 70 bonus points when all was said and done, a tally only bettered by Bruno Guimaraes (£4.5m) among all players.The primary reason for his mammoth total was his exceptional dribbling ability.Kudus is a serious talentCredit: GettyBonus points are determined by player performance marks which can be earned through several actions – read more about the scoring system here – with successful dribbles being one such avenue.Most read in FootballKudus registered a whopping 150 successful dribbles last season.To put that figure into perspective, Jeremy Doku (£4m) was the only other player to reach triple figures – the Manchester winger notched 132.To put it plainly, Kudus’ dribbling is off the charts, as the London Stadium faithful will gladly confirm.And that’s not all, the 24-year-old doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities either.Kudus made 94 tackles last season, the 13th highest tally among midfielders – that’s a great effort for somebody who is primarily a attack-minded threat.Goals, assists, bonus points, tackles… he ticks a lot of boxes.Unplayable on his dayCredit: gettyOne of the possible reasons Kudus’ ownership is relatively low is the Premier League fixture list.The Hammers are due to face Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City before the end of August in what appears to be a testing start to the campaign.That being said, Kudus produced healthy hauls against many of the top teams last season.West Ham won’t have European fixtures to bolster their schedule in 2024/25 which reduces the viability of their assets.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut that isn’t a factor until September, when the group stages of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League get underway.If approximately 95% of gaffers are set to go without Kudus as the Gameweek 1 deadline nears, he would be a hugely appealing differential option.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today! More

SHOTS on target are worth one point each again in Dream Team this coming season.One point may not seem like much but they soon add up and it goes without saying that shots on target correlate with goals so gaffers should monitor this metric as the campaign progresses.With that in mind, let’s recap which players registered the most shots on target in all competitions last season.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah registered more shots on target than Darwin Nunez last seasonCredit: Dream TeamMOST SHOTS ON TARGET 2023/24:Erling Haaland – 88Mohamed Salah – 72Darwin Nunez – 69Phil Foden – 65Cole Palmer – 65Ollie Watkins – 58Bruno Fernandes – 55Julian Alvarez – 55Alexander Isak – 51Nicolas Jackson – 49As is often the case with attacking statistics, Haaland and Salah lead the field – there’s a reason they are the two most-expensive players in the game ahead of 2024/25.Both Manchester City’s No9 and Liverpool’s Egyptian hero missed a portion of last season through injury (the latter also had AFCON commitments) but they’re such potent threats in the final third that still nobody overhauled them.Nunez scored 18 goals in 2023/24 which is a more than useful tally but the Anfield faithful will be the first to admit he squandered more than his fair share of chances too.The enigmatic Uruguayan can be a frustrating Dream Team asset to own as he’s equally capable of the sublime as the ridiculous.Most read in FootballIf he can improve his efficiency in front of goal even a fraction, as he has done in international football of late, his returns will skyrocket.So much more than just penaltiesCredit: PANothing separates Foden and Palmer, the first two midfielders in the list.The latter is particularly notable as he racked up his total without European fixtures to bolster his schedule.If Chelsea qualify for the Europa Conference League group stage as expected, Palmer could feast in the coming months.Speaking of the Blues, Jackson is a somewhat surprising inclusion in tenth.The Senegal international is similar to Nunez in that he can look out of his depth one moment and a real handful the next.After a slow start, the ex-Villarreal forward ended his first campaign on English shores with 17 goals to his name.It will be interesting to see how Jackson fares this coming season under Enzo Maresca.Jackson found his scoring touch at the back end of 2023/24Credit: GettyDream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!Gaffers should constantly be on the look out for defenders who provide a threat in the final third with shots on target being a strong indicator.MOST SHOTS ON TARGET AMONG DEFENDERS 2023/24:Matty Cash – 18Virgil van Dijk – 17Josko Gvardiol – 15Lewis Dunk – 14Pedro Porro – 13Fabian Schar – 13Trent Alexander-Arnold – 11Ruben Dias – 11Gabriel – 11Aston Villa’s attack-minded right-back topped the pile but it’s worth noting that he slipped down the pecking order as the campaign progressed – he’s by no means a guaranteed starter at this stage.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s no surprise to see the likes of Gvardiol, Alexander-Arnold and Porro present – all three are excellent options ahead of the new season.Van Dijk, Dunk, Schar, Dias and Gabriel were persistent aerial threats at set-pieces – always a nice bonus for Dream Team gaffers.Dream Team New Season Explainer 2024-25 More

MANCHESTER CITY players have provided more Dream Team points than any other team over the last five years.However, Pep Guardiola’s starting line-ups are difficult to predict and so it’s not always that easy for gaffers to capitalise.With the Citizens aiming to win a fourth consecutive Premier League title, let’s analyse their top stars, bargain options and players to avoid ahead of the new campaign.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Gvardiol averaged 5.7 points-per-game last seasonCredit: Dream TeamTOP STARSErling Haaland (£8.5m) is the most-expensive player in the game for a reason.The Norwegian poacher has plundered 90 goals in 98 games in all competitions since joining City – including NINE hat-tricks!In defence, Josko Gvardiol (£4.5m) is the standout option having finished last season in sparkling form.Previously seen as a resolute centre-back, the Croatia international is in the process of developing into a left-back capable of playing a decisive hand in the final third.He enjoyed a rare scoring streak during the run-in to help secure City another league crown and, more recently, he produced a De Bruyne-esque assist against Barcelona in pre-season.Most read in FootballThe joint most-expensive midfielders in the gameCredit: GettyElsewhere, Phil Foden (£6.5m) amassed 392 points to top the rankings last season and so he has to be considered a top-tier option.The 24-year-old notched 26 goals and 13 assists in 2023/24 but Dream Team bosses should be aware that his workload may be managed across the first few Gameweeks following the Euros.Kevin De Bruyne (£6.5m) has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League but it now appears he’ll stick around for another season.The brilliant Belgian playmaker has long been a phenomenal Dream Team asset – last season he registered more assists than any other player despite the fact he missed approximately half of the campaign through injury.BARGAIN OPTIONSGiven that Man City are the team to beat, it stands to reason that their players come at a significant cost.But while there are no outright bargains, there are some assets who could offer value-for-money in the mid range.Grealish is a game-changer on his dayCredit: AlamyTake Jack Grealish (£3.5m) for example.The 28-year-old played a subsidiary role last season, partly because he suffered a succession of ill-timed injury niggles.However, if he gets the nod from Guardiola then his price could look rather generous come September.Gaffers know what Grealish is capable of when everything clicks.We wouldn’t recommend backing Rico Lewis (£3m) from the get-go but there’s every chance the 19-year-old improves his place in the pecking order this season.Meanwhile, Oscar Bobb (£2m) has looked lively in pre-season and it would be classic Guardiola to suddenly install the young Norway international as a regular starter in the front three.But again, gaffers should be patient.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!PLAYERS TO AVOIDNot only did Julian Alvarez (£4.5m) go the distance with Argentina at Copa America, he’s representing his country at the Olympics in Paris.He won’t have had much of a break at all by the time the new Premier League campaign gets underway, which isn’t ideal.Plus, his minutes are limited when both Haaland and De Bruyne are fit.Alvarez has been a busy man this summerCredit: GettyFinally, Dream Team bosses should be wary of City defenders not named Gvardiol.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere’s not much between Ruben Dias (£4.5m), John Stones (£4.5m), Manuel Akanji (£4.5m), Nathan Ake (£4.5m) and Kyle Walker (£4m) and some will inevitably start on the bench.It’s generally wise to wait for a clearer indication of Guardiola’s pecking order.Watch moment Donkey from Shrek admires Jack Grealish’s calves before telling him he looks like film character More