When it comes to signing FPL budget midfielders, the task becomes trickier because more than selecting players for your team, it is confusing whom not to pick. There are way too many potentially good budget options in midfield compared to defense and forward.
But since it is compulsory to sign 5 midfielders in the team, and going heavy in an attacking position like this is a high priority, we are going to set the maximum value of a budget midfielder at £5.5m.
Currently, there are more than 100 midfield options that come at a price of £5.5m and under. At least 50 of them are worth considering to sign for your team.
However, you have to choose one or two of them, depending on which positions you want to invest heavily in—either the midfield or the forward line.
Below is a list of our top recommended budget midfielders. The list will be updated throughout the season.
Best Budget Midfielders FPL (23/24 Season)
1. Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City)
- Price: £4.7m
Two seasons ago, Mateo Kovacic was the top-scoring midfielder in the league during the opening 8 games. His value increased from 5.0 to 5.3, but then he missed the games between game weeks 9 and 18 due to injury, and his value went back to £5m.
Last season, right from the beginning, he was not a part of the Chelsea starting 11, but later in the season, he got more playing time.
Now that he is at Manchester City, Kovacic, priced at 4.7m, can prove to be super cheap. Considering his ability to join the attack, he could be the bargain of the season.
He scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists in the 2021-22 season and scored 1 goal and provided 2 assists in the last season.
These numbers are not impressive but they also don’t reflect the potential Kovacic can show in the games to come. Under Pep Guardiola he’ll either be one of the best in the league or a full time bench warmer.
If he plays consistently, Kovacic for sure can prove to be one of the best budget midfielders.
2. Casemiro (Manchester United)
- Price: £5.3m
Casemiro in his prime form is a player and a half. He can be a risky option because he tends to receive yellow and red cards, but he is also well capable of scoring and assisting goals.
If you’re considering adding him to your team, it’s essential to be selective about when to play him. It’s best to use him in matches with lower intensity, as he tends to lose his composure in high-intensity games.
But the thing is it will also be a high risk high reward situation. In Real Madrid, Casemiro was more than comfortable to play big games which he is yet to do at Man United.
If the team starts performing well, there is a high chance Casemiro will be one of the main players in it.
For now, on a normal day, in an easy fixture, Casemiro is a significant threat when it comes to scoring goals and providing assists.
He’s got all the flair of a Brazilian player, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he scores a hat trick on a random game week, even though he has never done this in a top flight game in England and Spain.
Some people thought he came to England for money, but the energy he puts into games shows otherwise.
3. Rodrigo Hernandez (Manchester City)
- Price: £5.6m
If you’re concerned about Casemiro’s riskiness and prefer a safer option, Rodrigo would be your best choice.
Rodrigo offers a higher level of stability and consistency, which is characteristic of players under Pep Guardiola’s management.
As one of the key components in Guardiola’s system, Rodri consistently delivers solid performances, and his playing time is rarely in question.
Heading into his fifth season, Rodri has shown the ability to contribute both with goals and assists on important occasions, making him a well-rounded budget option for your FPL team.
With Kovacic in team he is going forward more often so potentially this will be his best season to date in terms of goals and assists.
4. Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Price: £5.4m
Declan Rice is performing really well. He has scored 3 crucial goals and provided 2 assists in the Premier League this season for Arsenal.
He is an exciting player and has a more influential role in Arsenal setup compared to West Ham United.
Despite his starting position as a defensive midfielder, Declan Rice possesses a range of abilities that extend beyond defensive duties.
Joining Arsenal provides him with the perfect platform to showcase those skills.
5. Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa)
- Price: £5.4m
Douglas Luiz’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) performance has been improving each season.
In the previous season, he scored an impressive 142 points, which is particularly notable considering his value as a player.
Aston Villa will only face two challenging fixtures until gameweek 13, making it a favorable time to consider adding Luiz to your team as a budget midfielder during that period.
During the last season, Luiz scored 6 goals and provided 7 assists while playing a total of 2,922 minutes, so his playing time is not a concern either.
Furthermore, he is responsible for free kick duties and is also the second-choice penalty taker behind Ollie Watkins. These are additional reasons to consider him for your FPL team.
