FPL Budget Picks: The Best MID Under £9.0

Midfielders under £9.0m: who's actually worth your money

Seventy-two midfielders qualify under £9.0m this week. Most of them are traps. Here's the dozen that aren't — in order of preference, which you should respect more than your gut.

Mbeumo (MUN, £8.0m) — the top pick, and not by accident. Starts every week, projects around 31 points over the next six, and the run is lovely, starting with Ipswich at home. About 4 in 10 already own him, so you're late rather than clever, but late still counts.

Szoboszlai (LIV, £7.0m) — nailed, about 26 points in him over six, though the fixtures are only average. Nearly 4 in 10 own him. Fine. Unexciting. That's a compliment from me.

Rogers (CHE, £7.5m) — quietly the highest projected haul on this list (~32 over six) with a very kind run, Brighton at home first. Only about 2-3 in 10 own him. This is the value pick.

Ndiaye (EVE, £6.0m) — starts, ~26 points over six at £6.0m. Average fixtures, but the price is doing real work here.

Cunha (MUN, £8.0m) — same club, same kind fixtures as Mbeumo, but the model prefers Mbeumo and so do I. Don't pay £8.0m for the second banana.

Rice (ARS, £7.5m) — nailed, kind fixtures, ~27 points over six. Villa away first isn't a gift, but he never blanks his minutes.

Gakpo (LIV, £7.0m) — starter, hardly anyone owns him (~1 in 2 out of 10... call it 1 in 20), but average fixtures and the lowest Liverpool option here. Pass.

Dewsbury-Hall (EVE, £6.5m) — honest, starts, ~23 over six. Ndiaye is the Everton pick at £6.0m though.

Schade (BRE, £6.0m) — sneaky. Starts, very kind run, ~25 points over six, and basically nobody owns him. Genuine cheap punt.

Groß (BHA, £5.5m) — the enabler with a pulse. £5.5m, starts, kind fixtures, ~26 over six. Best pure budget play here.

Semenyo (MCI, £8.5m) — starts and the run is kind, but ~21 over six at £8.5m is thin. Mbeumo does more for less.

Tzolis (ARS, £6.5m) — expected to start, but unproven at this level and the lowest projection on the list. A quarter of managers own him. Let them sweat.

The call: Mbeumo is the buy — starts, kind run, best blend of points and reliability at £8.0m. Best alternative: Rogers at £7.5m, same projection territory, fewer owners, Brighton at home to start. If you're skint, Groß. Nobody ever got relegated in their mini-league buying the man who plays 90 every week.