FPL 2021-22: Top 5 Budget Midfielders

With less than a week to go before the start of the new PL season, FPL managers must be scrambling away, tinkering with their Gameweek 1 FPL drafts.

The expensive pricing of top FPL midfielders has made many managers tinker with their formation. Midfielders have the highest points ceiling in the game, and securing some budget FPL midfielders will both save cost and add another route to points in an FPL team.

Despite the price hike for players like Bruno Fernandes (MUN) (MID) (£12.0 m), some FPL midfielders offer good value for their price. This could enable better flexibility, free up funds, and add more balance to any FPL team.

So without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 budget FPL midfielders ahead of the start of next season.

Note: Given the plethora of viable FPL options costing £6.5 m and above, only players costing £6.0 m or less have been considered as budget midfielders.

5 Best budget midfield options for the 2021-22 FPL season

#5 Bryan Mbeumo (BRE) (MID) (£5.5 m)

Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo is an exciting FPL budget midfielder who doubles up as an enticing differential at the start of the season. Mbeumo scored eight goals and provided ten assists last season in the Championship and looks set to play out of position as a striker if Thomas Frank deploys a 3-5-2 system.

While Ivan Toney should be the spearhead of Brentford's attack, Mbeumo's versatility and set-piece duties make him a decent budget FPL option, especially at £5.5 m. With the abundance of FPL forwards in the £6.5- £8.0 m category, not everyone can get Toney in their teams, and Mbeumo offers a cut-price route into the Bees' attack.

With none of the FPL managers knowing what to expect from Brentford, it might be wise to wait before investing in players other than Toney. However, with the potential to play out of position as a striker, Bryan Mbeumo could be a decent punt as an FPL budget midfielder.

#4 Ismaila Sarr (WAT) (MID) (£6.0 million)

Watford's Ismaila Sarr should be a budget FPL option to keep an eye on this season. While he was best known mostly for his goals in Watford's 3-0 win over Liverpool in the 2019-20 season, he had a promising debut campaign with seven goals and five assists.

After Watford's relegation, Sarr was linked to several PL clubs, but chose to stay with the Hornets. He top-scored for them in the Championship, with 13 goals and four assists in 39 appearances. He's likely to be their key player in attack this season, and at £6.0 m, set to become a prominent FPL budget midfielder.

Watford scored the least number of goals of the three promoted sides, with their focus shifting to the back on Xisco Munoz's arrival. Nevertheless, Sarr's high involvement in Watford's goals should see him get some FPL hauls this season.

However, as is the norm with promoted clubs, it's better to wait before taking riskier punts. Once they settle into the Premier League, Sarr could be an explosive FPL budget midfielder.

#3 Said Benrahma (WHU) (MID) (£6.0 m)

Said Benrahma has whipped the Hammers' fans into a frenzy after his electric displays in West Ham's largely successful pre-season. While he started as a central attacking midfielder, the Algerian was more successful on the left-hand side in a 4-2-3-1. He finished with one goal and six assists in fourteen starts while making a couple of impactful performances as a substitute.

Benrahma has two goals and three assists this pre-season and seems set to occupy Jesse Lingard's role in the second half of last season. While he's not yet nailed-on, he should get regular starts and get a chance to cement his place in the team.

West Ham should have a busy season, switching between the PL and the Europa League, and an impact player like Benrahma should prove pivotal. With good goal threat, assist potential, partial set-piece duties, and a budget-friendly FPL price of £6.0 m, it's hard not to see Benrahma emerging as a top FPL budget midfielder sometime this season.

#2 Emile Smith Rowe (ARS) (MID) (£5.5 million)

Smith Rowe will wear the No. 10 at Arsenal this season.

With Arsenal yet to secure another attacking midfielder, Emile Smith Rowe could step up and take the mantle as he did in the second half of last season. While many claim that the 20-year-old is too young to shoulder the responsibility, both Arteta and the club seem to have placed their faith in him after giving him the No. 10 shirt this season.

Smith-Rowe has been unlucky not to get more attacking returns, often providing the assist to the assister. His tally of two goals and five assists in eighteen starts was impressive for a £4.5 m midfielder, and he should undoubtedly better that stat this season.

A regular starter in an attacking position from one of the top clubs at £5.5 m is too sweet an FPL deal to refuse. While he still isn't a guaranteed starter, we can expect him to get more game-time than he did last season. He's one of the best budget FPL midfielders in the game and should see his FPL ownership rise as the season progresses.

#1 Jack Harrison (LEE) (MID) (£6.0 m)

Leeds United's Jack Harrison is undoubtedly the best budget FPL midfielder. After finishing last season as the 7th highest points-scoring midfielder, it was surprising to see him priced kindly at £6.0 m. He completed a move to sign permanently for Leeds from Manchester City after spending last season out on loan.

Harrison played an important role in Leeds' success last season, scoring eight goals and providing ten assists. He had an xGI/90 (Expected goal involvement per 90 minutes) of 0.44, and that number could rise this season.

Leeds was one of the top attacking sides last season, and an FPL midfielder priced £6.0 m is good news for FPL managers. While there's an argument to be made that Raphinha (LEE) (MID) (£6.5 m) offers better value at £0.5 m extra, there's no denying that Harrison is the best budget FPL midfielder.

Edited by Parimal

FPL 2021-22: Top 5 Budget Midfielders | FPL Tips