Last updated on February 5th, 2025
Another transfer deadline day has been and gone, and the finishing line in the 2024-25 season will now be creeping into sight.
Teams will not be able to do anymore business until the end of the season, but that could already be too late for some clubs who may still be short in key areas.
The end of the January transfer window will raise questions for some, as it could be the perfect opportunity to bring in some players that weren’t given their chance to shine at former clubs.
Similar to making race picks in TwinSpires before a horse race like Kentucky Derby or Cheltenham, in football you also need to analyse player forms, injury records and more.
But, which players could point to a smart strategy for the upcoming rounds of matches when assessing your chances in Fantasy Premier League?
Tottenham Hold Renewed Hopes
Tottenham were one of the busiest clubs on Deadline Day this year, with the additions of Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso enhancing their options at both ends of the field.
The former could be a standout selection to replace Dominic Solanke, who has struggled to reach the same level of form as he did at Bournemouth last term. Despite sitting toward the bottom of the standings, it could be the perfect opportunity to include a couple of Spurs players during the break in play before the next round of matches.
Spurs host Man United when Premier League action resumes, while fixtures against Ipswich, Fulham and Southampton before mid-April will give the North London club an opportunity to climb the standings. Both new signings are likely to be thrown in immediately due to Ange Postecoglou’s injury issues, with Danso likely to be a mainstay against goal-shy teams such as Man United and Ipswich.
Utilizing the Chips in Double Gameweeks
Double gameweeks will become a more familiar sights over the coming weeks, meaning that there could be golden opportunities to come to use the Triple Captain and Bench Boost options.
That is an opportunity that a staggering 1.09 million players have already taken, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah selected for fixtures against Bournemouth and Everton.
The ability to treble your number of points for a round is a huge plus to players, and could be the difference to leap frog friends in fantasy leagues. If you have missed out on this opportunity, Salah is likely to be an option once again on Gameweek 25. Should Liverpool overcome Tottenham in their EFL Cup semi-final, the Reds will host Wolves on February 16, before travelling to Aston Villa three days later.
Avoiding Teams at the Bottom
The future looks bleak for the three newly promoted sides at this stage of the season, with Southampton’s recent win over Ipswich coupled with a win for Wolves over Aston Villa leaving the Tractor Boys with a mountain to climb.
In truth, Liam Delap has been a strong choice throughout the season, but most other players in teams across the bottom three sides have underperformed. Alex Palmer will be a cheap option for a back-up goalkeeper after his January move from West Brom, but the sheer number of goals that the Tractor Boys are conceding means that it is more likely that including the former Baggies stopper will result in more points being lost.
The matches also don’t get any easier for the bottom three sides, with Ipswich coming up against Tottenham at the end of the month, and Leicester and Southampton playing against Arsenal and Liverpool respectively before the middle of March.
Forgotten Stars Worth A Second Chance
The last couple of days of the winter transfer window saw some notable forgotten stars securing loan moves in the hope of resurrecting their careers. Marcus Rashford is notable player worth considering.
The Man United outcast will largely play a prominent role for Unai Emery, especially considering that Jhon Duran has departed Villa Park. It has been a forgettable season to this point for the England international, as he has averaged just 3.6 points per gameweek. Villa also moved for two other stars that had fallen out of favour at their respective clubs, including former Real Madrid star Marco Asensio.
But, defensive injuries could mean that Axel Disasi is their most important signing, as the central defender could be used alongside Pau Torres. Villa’s excellent defensive record ensures that clean sheets could be prominent for the defender in the second half of the season. Chelsea also off-loaded Ben Chilwell on deadline day, with Crystal Palace getting the loan deal over the line.
The Eagles have been hitting their stride in recent weeks, and Chilwell could be deployed at either centre back in a back three, or in the wing-back position in favour of Tyrick Mitchell. Both could see him stand an excellent chance of getting his career back on track for a Palace side that look set to make their charge up the league standings in the second half of the campaign.
