EPL Supercoach | Best Budget Forward Picks

I’ve already covered the best value defenders and midfielders in the game. This week we’re moving on to forwards, and I’ve kept the net at anyone under £6m.

With Haaland and Isak locked into most squads already, your third forward is shaping up as one of the biggest differentiators in the game.

Here’s the full rundown, in order of how many squads they’re already in.

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Alexander Isak (£4.79m) – Newcastle – 49.9% owned

Lock him in. Ekitike is out of the picture, and unlike last season, Isak is actually training through preseason.

He scored a goal and an assist in the friendly against Monaco, then backed it up with 84 minutes in the most recent one.

I’m considering him in FPL at twice this price. In Supercoach, he’s ridiculous value.

Gabriel Martinelli (£3.9m) – Arsenal – 16.4% owned

Huge avoid. He wasn’t even picked in the Community Shield squad, and that tells you everything you need to know about where he sits in the pecking order this season.

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Yoane Wissa (£3.9m) – Newcastle – 8.5% owned

Woltemade, Wissa and Osula look like they’re fighting it out for two spots at Newcastle.

I’m a big Wissa fan from his Brentford days, and outside of the Liverpool game in week 1, his fixtures through to week 11 are as good as it gets.

The problem is I’m not convinced I want a minutes-risk player from a club I’m not that bullish on.

Could easily be a great pick. Watch and wait.

Brian Brobbey (£4.85m) – Sunderland – 5.0% owned

The moment his latest goal got shared in our Discord (join up if you haven’t already), he was out of my squad. He’s locked in for minutes at Sunderland, and he’s a bargain price, no arguments there.

But he either scores 2 or 11, and last year there were a lot more 2s than 11s, even once he was getting better minutes.

Would I be surprised if he becomes a Lukaku-type player one day? Maybe. But I want attackers who shoot often from attacking-minded teams, and I’m not convinced Brobbey and Sunderland are that.

Watch him dominate and ruin my season the way Igor Thiago did last year.

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Christos Tzolis (£5.5m) – Arsenal – 3.9% owned

Why isn’t everyone all over a player who had 40 attacking returns last season (17 goals, 23 assists), playing solid minutes at left wing for the reigning champions, who then chipped in two assists in the Community Shield?

He hasn’t appeared in a single one of my drafts, and as a die-hard Arsenal fan, I couldn’t tell you why.

I expect Eze to take some of his minutes, though I doubt Martinelli will. He won’t rack up goals, and he’s not a captain option, but the assists will come.

Would I be surprised if he finishes with similar numbers to Wirtz, who hasn’t left my team all preseason? Not at all. Coventry in game one should be a battering.

I’m tempted enough that I’m weighing up moving Joao Pedro’s money into Tzolis if it gives me a genuine upgrade elsewhere.

He’s the pick that might cost you some sleep checking teamsheets, but I’m talking myself into him.

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Rio Ngumoha (£3.9m) – Liverpool – 3.0% owned

A £3.9m Liverpool winger who started their recent friendly is tempting on paper. He’s naturally a left winger or left mid, but he’s being deployed on the right wing, and the fans I’ve been hearing from don’t sound convinced he’s suited there.

My worry is minutes consistency. He was subbed off at 62 minutes against Como, and I haven’t watched enough of him to trust it yet.

Not a pick for me right now, but one I’m monitoring closely.

Thierno Barry (£4.81m) – Everton – 0.6% owned

Looks to have locked down Everton’s number one striker spot, and he averaged 7.42 whenever he played 80+ minutes last season.

Their first six weeks are excellent too, with United the only genuinely tough fixture in there.

The one thing holding me back is penalties. If Ndiaye leaves and Barry becomes the guaranteed taker, I’ll be a lot more interested. As it stands, I think Ndiaye takes them over him. Solid option to consider.

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Gonzalo García (£4.5m) – Fulham – 0.6% owned

I don’t love Fulham without Harry Wilson and Marco Silva. But picking up a young striker straight from Real Madrid can’t be a bad shout.

I think he’s locked in for minutes and could see him hitting 10 goals this season. Not someone I’m starting myself, but his ownership is criminally low for what he offers. Get him on your watchlist.

The Verdict

Isak is the standout, full stop. From there it’s a tough call: stay cheap with Tzolis, Wissa or Barry, or spend up to Mbeumo, Joao Pedro or Semenyo instead.

Martinelli’s the one clear avoid. Everything else here is a watchlist name until the teamsheets confirm it.