How Many Premium Players Should You Own in FPL 2026/27?

How many premium players should you own?

Premium players can win your Fantasy Premier League mini-league. They can also destroy the balance of your squad.

Erling Haaland now costs a record £15.5m. Bruno Fernandes is £12.0m, while Cole Palmer costs £9.5m, Alexander Isak £9.0m and Arsenal defender Gabriel £8.0m. Trying to own too many can leave you relying on cheap starters, a weak bench and players whose minutes are far from secure.

Ignoring the best premium players can be just as damaging. Haaland led the entire game with 239 points last season. Fernandes finished only four points behind on 235, while Gabriel produced an extraordinary 209 points from defence.

For most FPL managers, the best starting structure is two core premium players supported by one or two upper-mid-priced assets. Our preferred premium pairing is currently Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes.

A third expensive player such as Gabriel, Palmer or Isak can fit, but only when the rest of the squad still contains eleven reliable starters, at least two useful substitutes, no obvious minutes risks, more than one transfer route and enough captaincy options to justify the spending.

Before committing to a premium-heavy draft, compare the budget trade-off with our budget forwards guide, budget midfielders guide and Rate My FPL Team guide.

What counts as a premium FPL player?

FPL does not have an official definition of a premium player. For this guide, we use the following categories:

The definition matters because not all expensive players create the same budget problem. Haaland costs £15.5m; owning him is completely different from selecting an £8.0m defender. It is more useful to ask how many large chunks of your budget you can afford.

The current premium-player landscape

Haaland and Fernandes are the only true super-premiums in the current game. Saka and Palmer have both dropped below £10.0m, while no forward other than Haaland costs more than £9.0m. The debate is therefore whether to combine Haaland and Fernandes, then how much more budget to commit to Gabriel, Palmer, Isak or other upper-priced assets.

FPL Assistant’s recommended structure

Haaland plus Bruno Fernandes

Combined price: £27.5m

This is the safest premium structure for Gameweek 1. Haaland has finished the opening six Gameweeks as FPL’s leading scorer in each of his four Manchester City seasons, averaging nine goals and 61.3 points by the end of Gameweek 6 across those starts.

Fernandes finished last season on 235 points after recording nine goals and 24 assists. From Michael Carrick’s arrival in Gameweek 22, he led every FPL player with 129 points across the final 17 Gameweeks. Manchester United also begin against promoted Hull City and Ipswich Town, giving him immediate captaincy potential.

Together, the pair provide two reliable captains, penalty duties, secure minutes, proven 200-point potential and easy access to the two most expensive players. The current game contains enough cheaper starters to make the structure workable: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is £6.5m, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and William Osula are £6.0m, and Bobby Thomas and Charlie Hughes are available at £4.0m.

Advantages: Two outstanding captain options, strong opening fixtures, easy routes to other premiums and less fear when either has a favourable fixture.

Disadvantages: £27.5m is tied up in two players, a third premium becomes difficult, and at least two successful budget picks are required.

Verdict: The best starting point for most managers. Build around Haaland and Bruno first, then decide whether the rest of the squad can support a third premium.

How the premium structures compare

These averages include every remaining position and bench place. They show the pressure each structure places on the budget rather than recommending a complete squad.

Option 1: One super-premium

Haaland without Bruno

Selecting Haaland as your only super-premium gives you £84.5m for the remaining 14 players. You can afford a premium defender, Palmer or Saka, Isak or another upper-priced forward, a stronger goalkeeper and a deeper bench.

The weakness is Fernandes. He was only four points behind Haaland last season and finished the campaign in better form than any other player. Leaving him out before matches against Hull and Ipswich is a genuine risk.

Best for: managers who value squad depth, do not trust Manchester United, want Gabriel and another premium attacker, or dislike a thin bench.

Verdict: A sensible alternative, but not our preferred structure for the opening two Gameweeks.

Option 2: Haaland and Bruno

This is the FPL Assistant default. It does not provide the strongest possible player in every position, but it gives you the game’s two highest scorers from last season and two obvious captaincy choices.

The structure works when you make disciplined decisions elsewhere. That may mean a £4.5m goalkeeper rather than Raya, one £4.0m defender, a £6.0m budget forward, one midfielder around £6.0m–£6.5m and only one additional player above £8.0m.

The mistake is not owning Haaland and Fernandes. The mistake is owning both, then trying to select every other expensive player you like.

Best for: cautious Gameweek 1 managers, managers who prioritise captaincy, and teams containing proven budget starters.

Verdict: The sweet spot between premium firepower and squad balance.

Option 3: Three premiums

Haaland, Bruno and Gabriel

Combined cost: £35.5m

This is the most realistic triple-premium structure. Gabriel costs less than Palmer or Isak while offering extraordinary consistency: 209 points last season, three goals, five assists, 18 clean sheets and 22 DefCon returns.

The problem is that Gabriel costs £3.5m more than a £4.5m defender. That money could upgrade a £6.0m midfielder to Palmer, strengthen two bench places, move a budget forward towards Isak or replace a risky starter with a proven player.

Verdict: Viable, but only when every cheap player has secure minutes. Our £4.5m defenders guide can help you compare the opportunity cost of spending £8.0m at the back.

Haaland, Bruno and Palmer

Combined cost: £37.0m

Palmer has dropped to £9.5m after scoring 114 points last season, but his previous consecutive 200-point campaigns make him a potential value premium. Selecting him alongside Haaland and Fernandes leaves £63.0m for 12 players—an average of only £5.25m per place.

You will probably require a £4.5m goalkeeper, two £4.0m defenders, a cheap fifth midfielder, at least one £6.0m forward and a lightweight bench.

Verdict: Too restrictive for most opening squads unless you are confident in the budget options and planning an early Wildcard.

Option 4: Four expensive stars

Haaland, Bruno, Palmer and Gabriel cost £45.0m. That is 45 per cent of the full budget while filling only four of the 15 positions. You then have £55.0m for two goalkeepers, four more defenders, four more midfielders and two more forwards—an average of £5.0m per remaining place.

The structure offers four elite assets and excellent captaincy coverage, but it almost certainly requires multiple minimum-price players and several assets in the £5.5m–£6.0m range. One failed cheap selection creates an immediate problem, and it becomes difficult to reach emerging mid-priced players.

Verdict: Avoid unless you deliberately plan an early Wildcard and every budget starter has been confirmed.

Option 5: Going without Haaland

Leaving out Haaland releases £15.5m. That saving can fund Bruno Fernandes, Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak, Gabriel, a premium goalkeeper, several strong mid-priced attackers and a full playing bench.

The problem is not necessarily Haaland’s raw points. It is his captaincy. When Haaland scores 12 points and is heavily captained, owners receive 24. A non-owner needs several upgrades to compensate for that single decision. Haaland has also led FPL scoring after six Gameweeks in each of his four Manchester City seasons.

Best for: aggressive managers with a clear captaincy plan, those who believe Fernandes can cover captaincy, and managers willing to accept major rank swings.

Verdict: Viable, but unnecessarily dangerous for most Gameweek 1 squads.

Which premium players are most important?

1. Erling Haaland

Haaland is the best captaincy asset and the hardest player to buy after the season begins. Moving to him may require two or three transfers and a major squad restructure. FPL Assistant verdict: start with him.

2. Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes provides goals, assists, penalties, corners, free kicks and defensive-contribution potential. His opening fixtures make the £12.0m price easier to accept. FPL Assistant verdict: the best second premium.

3. Gabriel

Gabriel is more than a clean-sheet defender. His set-piece threat, assists, DefCon and bonus points produced one of the best defender seasons in FPL history. FPL Assistant verdict: best third premium, but not mandatory.

4. Cole Palmer

Palmer is the potential value premium. At £9.5m, he does not need to match Haaland or Fernandes; he only needs to outperform similarly priced midfielders. Verdict: strong option, but difficult alongside both Haaland and Bruno.

5. Alexander Isak

Isak’s £9.0m price reflects his ceiling when fit, but his minutes and fitness need confirming. Verdict: high potential, but not yet a safe structural pick.

Captaincy should determine your premium spending

A premium player is easier to justify when you plan to captain them. Suppose two players have similar expected points: one costs £12.0m and will be captained six times, while the other costs £9.5m and will never receive the armband. The first may justify the extra cost because captaincy doubles their best returns.

This is why Haaland and Bruno work together. Both can realistically receive the armband. The third premium is harder to justify when you will almost always captain one of the first two.

Before spending £9.5m or £8.0m on another star, ask: how often will this player actually be my captain? When the answer is “almost never”, compare them with a cheaper alternative and consider how the saving improves the rest of your squad.

Do not destroy your bench or transfer flexibility

A playing bench protects you against unexpected rotation, minor injuries, late team news, European fatigue, postponements and failed budget selections. You do not need 15 premium players, but you do need 13 or 14 players with a realistic chance of appearing.

A triple-premium structure is acceptable when the bench contains reliable starters such as a playing £4.0m defender and a dependable budget midfielder. It becomes dangerous when substitutes consist of a reserve goalkeeper, uncertain defenders and a midfielder receiving ten-minute cameos.

Premiums also create price flexibility: starting with Haaland makes it easy to reach other forwards, while starting with Bruno makes it easy to reach Palmer, Saka or almost any midfielder. The best structure balances expensive players who can be downgraded, mid-priced players who can move sideways and budget players with secure minutes.

For current budget options, compare the midfielders, forwards and goalkeepers guides before finalising your structure.

Common premium-player mistakes

• Counting ownership as a reason to buy: ownership explains risk; it does not replace judgement.
• Owning expensive players you will never captain: premium pricing partly reflects captaincy potential.
• Selecting too many unproven enablers: one budget punt is manageable; four can destroy the squad.
• Ignoring the bench: substitutes do not need to be expensive, but they must have a chance of appearing.
• Building with no route to Haaland: a no-Haaland squad needs a clear plan for buying him.
• Forcing Gabriel into every draft: judge whether the £8.0m improves the full squad, not just one position.

For a final pre-season checklist, read our Gameweek 1 mistakes guide.

Which premium structure suits you?

Start with Haaland and Bruno if you want the safest structure. Add a third premium only when the remaining 12 squad places still contain reliable starters and a functional bench.

Final FPL Assistant verdict

Start with Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes. They were the two highest-scoring players in FPL last season, offer immediate captaincy potential and are difficult to buy without restructuring your squad.

After selecting them, stop. Build the rest of the team before deciding whether you can afford Gabriel, Palmer or Isak. When the squad still has reliable starters, a functional bench and clear transfer routes, add a third premium. When adding that player forces several minutes risks, do not do it.

The strongest FPL team is not the one containing the most expensive names. It is the team that produces the most points across all 15 positions.

Review this structure after final pre-season fixtures, injuries, press conferences, price changes and any change to your captaincy plan.