New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16. Richards, Johnson, Okazaki, Wijnaldum

New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16. Richards, Johnson, Okazaki, Wijnaldum

Newton’s 3rd law of Fantasy Football. For every expensive player you have there is an equal and opposite cheap player. Like it or not, FPL managers are going to have to fill out their squad with some pretty unfashionable players. For every Eden Hazard there must be a Graham Dorrans. Spent £7m on Ivanovic? Here, have this bench warming Reece Oxford. You’re welcome. It’s buy one get one cheap. Balancing the budget is one of the most frustrating, yet ultimately fascinating aspects of the game. So roll up, and take a gander at today’s car boot sale featuring Micah Richards, Glen Johnson, Shinji Okazaki and Georginio Wijnaldum. Offer ends August 8th.

Micah Richards (Aston Villa 4.5m)
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[/three_fourth]In 2006 an 18 year-old Micah became England’s youngest ever defender. The following year, he became Manchester City’s youngest ever captain against his future employees Aston Villa. Manager Stuart Pearce declared Richards the future of the club and no-one had any reason to dispute it. So it is one of football’s great mysteries that Gary Neville’s heir apparent made only 13 international appearances. In fact his record of 189 club games in the last decade, latterly in the shadow of Pablo Zabaleta, gives him a hugely undeserving CV. One can only imagine how his career may have progressed away from the Etihad, given a fair run in the Premier League. Lest we need to be reminded, the powerful right-back not only has the physique of a welterweight, but also the nous to provide from advanced areas. His 5 assists in 2011-12 were the most of any Premier League defender. This is a good thing, of course, as few will be relying on Tim Sherwood’s Villa for clean sheets.[divider_1px]

Glen Johnson (Stoke City – 5.0m)
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Unlike Richards, Glen Johnson has had little trouble holding down his right-back position at club and international level. However, last year saw many of Liverpool’s players have their least inspired in a red shirt to date and Johnson was no exception. Quickly becoming a scapegoat for frustrated Kopites, he’s found himself usurped both domestically and internationally by Nathaniel Clyne. And so on to Stoke, a club evolving quickly under Mark Hughes. The aerial bombardments have been replaced by calculated possession, and Stoke fans no longer arrive at the Britannia in World War 2-era helmets, but adorning top hats to doff in confused admiration. That being said, they still have an 8 foot beanpole up front, so if Glen can launch a few towards Crouchy, all the better for FPL managers.

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Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City – 6.0m)
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His 27 goals in 65 Bundesliga appearances made him the most prolific Japanese player in the history of Germany’s top flight. He also arrives at Leicester with an impressive international pedigree, netting 43 times in 93 games for the Samurai Blue. Okazaki’s 12 goals last season with Mainz were all inside the area, so if Claudio Ranieri’s men can supply the 5ft 8 poacher with decent service, he could prove to be a bona fide ‘Fox’ in the box for Leicester. With Vardy, Ulloa and Kramaric for company, competition for the frontline will be fierce, but Okazaki can also play wide and in the ‘False 9’ slot. Aged 29 and costing the club £7m, the former Shimizu S-Pulse star has clearly been brought in to make an immediate impact, and one would expect him to get a fair crack at the Premier League this season.

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Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle United – 7.0m)
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After winning a transfer tug-of-war with their Mackem rivals, it’s the Newcastle fans who welcome PSV’s Eredivisie winning captain to the North-East. The 24 year-old followed an injury ravaged 2013-14 with an impressive 14 goals and 2 assists in last season’s 32 appearances. These figures naturally pale in comparison with those of compatriot Memphis Depay, another leaving Eindhoven for Premier League shores, but then most players’ stats do. In Wijnaldum, Mclaren has brought in a young yet experienced Dutch international who has all the credentials needed to slot into England’s top tier. How this translates to FPL may well depend on those around him, but having already impressed in his first training session, the Geordies have a class act on their hands.

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Thanks for reading New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16. Richards, Johnson, Okazaki, Wijnaldum. This article was written by Bryan Munich

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