FPL GOAT’s Ones To Watch Ahead Of GW1 – Episode 1

By FPL GOAT

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So FPL 2025–26 season doesn’t have an official launch date yet, but based on historical trends and some forecasting on X, here’s what I predict:

1. FPL typically goes live 30-35 days before the start of GW1.

2. GW1 for the new season kicks off on August 15th.

3. That indicates FPL could likely launch mid July somewhere between July 12-16.

4. The prices reveal could start a week earlier than the launch date so around July 7-10.

NOTE: The prices I have used for the 3 players are just my predictions for the upcoming season and are not official prices.

 

🛡️ DEFENDER 🛡️

👕 Rayan Ait-Nouri (DEF, £6m): Despite Wolves keeping just 7 clean sheets last season Ait-Nouri was ranked 11th among Defenders with his attacking stats carrying him.

• Goals scored: 4 (2nd best amongst defenders)

• Assists: 7 (2nd best)

• Total goal involvements: 11 (top amongst defenders)

• Shots in the box: 31 (3rd best)

• Most defensive stats were dominated by one guy “Josko Gvardiol” now Ait-Nouri’s teammate and it looks like Ait-Nouri could take Gvardiol’s LB spot in the team. Now of course he is joining to a Pep Guardiola team which means no player is guaranteed a place in the starting XI and it’s always game by game. But, he has been exceptional since his first Man City game and has had a good Club World Cup.
• Pep Guardiola on Ait-Nouri during the FIFA Club World Cup : “He has a lot of talent. Defensively, he can play outside, play inside, in the final third.” This is really promising for the initial set of Premier League fixtures. Judging by the comments Pep Guardiola could even use him out wide at times.

 

⚽️ MIDFIELDER ⚽️

⚒️ Jarrod Bowen (MID, £8.5m): There’s a reason Bowen remains one of the most overlooked yet consistent FPL assets every season he delivers. And after yet another strong individual campaign, he looks primed to be a key pick for GW1 next season.

Despite West Ham’s awful season under Julen Lopetegui, Bowen managed to hit double digits in both goals and assists once again.

• Goals: 13 (joint 5th among midfielders)

• Assists: 11

• Goal Involvements: 24 (8th among all midfielders

• Shots in the Box: 58 (6th among mids)

• Big Chances: 16

• What makes Bowen standout is his versatility. He can play wide right, centrally as a false nine, or even as a second striker. Under Lopetegui, he was often given license to drift centrally, and with no major striker signing confirmed yet, Bowen could continue getting minutes up top.
• He’s also absolutely nailed to start every week. He started 34 out of 38 league games last season and is West Ham’s key man in transition, set-pieces, and final third link-ups.

Why Bowen could make my FPL team in GW1:

• A high floor, consistent performer.
• Great early fixtures (3 of first 5 vs newly promoted or bottom half sides).
• Proven goal threat even against top 6 sides.
• Strong underlying metrics: xG, shots on target, and chance creation all top 10 among mids.
• Under Potter he reached new heights.
• When Graham Potter took over in GW20, Bowen exploded in form.
• Scored 8 goals and added 5 assists in just 15 matches.
• Averaged 6.9 points per game, nearly matching Salah’s 7.1 PPG over the same period.

 

👟 FORWARD 👟

⚪️ Dominic Solanke (FWD, £7.5m): He had a pretty average last season and Spurs had the worst season in their history in the league. Despite how bad they were Solanke looked promising at the start with 5 goals and an assist in his first top league games. His season was halted with an injury suffered during January of this year and that was the start of his bad run which just went worse

But there’s a new coach Thomas Frank and the Spurs team I think is tailor made for his style of play. Thomas Frank is known to elevate strikers and take them to another level during his time and the stats speak for itself:

2018-19: Maupay scored 25 glaldsy, Watkins scored 10.

2019-20: Watkins scored 25 goals.

2020-21: Ivant Toney scored a whopping 31 goals.

2021-22: The duo of Toney and Wissa scored 19 goals between the0m.

2022-23: Ivan Toney scored 21 and Wissa scored 7.

2023-24: Mbeumo, Wissa and Maupay scored 27 goals between them.

2024-25: Wissa scored 19 and Mbeumo scored 20, that’s a record.

Looking at those insane numbers there are chances Thomas Frank plays Solanke as a target man.

If Solanke is expected to come at £7.5m he would be insane value and even more of a differential as most will ignore him judging Spurs based on their abysmal performance last season. Spurs also have one of the best fixtures to start the season which could give Solanke a much needed headstart.

 

 

Last updated: 07/06

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