The short answer
This £99.5m GW2 model squad keeps Haaland and Bruno, adds Palmer-era Chelsea exposure through João Pedro, backs Liverpool's new penalty evidence with Szoboszlai and uses cheap players who gained real GW1 starting evidence.
This is a fresh-build model, not a recommendation to Wildcard your existing team.
Final £99.5m squad
| Pos | Player | Club | Price | GW2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Tzolakis | Hull | £4.5m | Coventry (A) |
| GK | Dúbravka | Spurs | £4.0m | Newcastle (H) |
| DEF | Riccardo Calafiori | Arsenal | £5.5m | Aston Villa (A) |
| DEF | Michael Kayode | Brentford | £4.5m | Leeds (A) |
| DEF | Maxim De Cuyper | Brighton | £4.5m | Chelsea (A) |
| DEF | Bobby Thomas | Coventry | £4.0m | Hull (H) |
| DEF | Luke O'Nien | Sunderland | £4.0m | Fulham (H) |
| MID | Bruno Fernandes | Man Utd | £12.0m | Ipswich (H) |
| MID | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | £9.5m | Aston Villa (A) |
| MID | Dominik Szoboszlai | Liverpool | £7.0m | Nott'm Forest (H) |
| MID | Mamadou Sangaré | Brentford | £5.5m | Leeds (A) |
| MID | Anton Stach | Leeds | £6.0m | Brentford (H) |
| FWD | Erling Haaland | Man City | £15.5m | Crystal Palace (A) |
| FWD | João Pedro | Chelsea | £7.5m | Brighton (H) |
| FWD | Emersonn | Ipswich | £5.5m | Man Utd (A) |
Total: £99.5m Bank: £0.5m
Recheck live prices before copying the squad. FPL prices now update daily at 00:00 UK time.
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Suggested GW2 XI
Tzolakis
Calafiori — Kayode — Bobby Thomas
Bruno (C) — Saka — Szoboszlai — Sangaré — Stach
Haaland (VC) — João Pedro
Bench: Dúbravka; Emersonn; De Cuyper; O'Nien.
Why Bruno is captain
Manchester United's 2-0 loss at Hull was ugly, but Bruno still has the role managers paid £12.0m for. Ipswich at home is the fixture to back rather than the previous score.
Palmer would be a serious alternative if the squad structure included him. See the dedicated GW2 captain guide.
Why Szoboszlai makes the team
Liverpool host Forest and then visit Ipswich. The decisive new information from GW1 is that Szoboszlai took and scored a penalty with other major attackers on the pitch.
At £7.0m, that can shift his value dramatically if the responsibility holds.
Why João Pedro stays
The £7.5m forward scored and assisted at Fulham while starting in Chelsea's main attacking unit. That is much better evidence than a preseason haul.
Why De Cuyper is benched in GW2
The Brighton defender's huge GW1 return makes him tempting, but the next opponent is Chelsea away. This squad keeps the asset for medium-term value without chasing the previous score into a bad fixture.
Why Emersonn is on the bench
Ipswich's £5.5m forward started centrally and scored in GW1, which is excellent role evidence. Manchester United away is not the fixture to force him into the XI ahead of stronger options.
The biggest weakness
The second goalkeeper is a £4.0m budget slot, not a player this squad is relying on for regular starts. If a new starting £4.0m goalkeeper emerges, switch immediately. Otherwise, managers who value two playing keepers should use the £0.5m bank or downgrade elsewhere.
With-Haaland vs without-Haaland
Removing Haaland creates enough money for Palmer or another premium plus defensive upgrades. But City's GW3 home match with Coventry means the no-Haaland structure takes on immediate captaincy risk.
OneFPL preference: keep Haaland for now.
How existing managers should use this team
Do not Wildcard just to copy it.
Compare your current 15 with this squad and ask:
- Which roles did GW1 prove wrong?
- Do I have an injury/suspension?
- Can I reach the player I want with one free transfer?
- Would rolling be more powerful for GW3?
OneFPL verdict
This draft deliberately leaves money in the bank and avoids squeezing every GW1 hauler into the XI. Role + fixture + price flexibility is a better GW2 strategy than optimising for last week's points.
FAQ
How much does the GW2 squad cost?
£99.5m at the listed prices, leaving £0.5m in the bank before any overnight price changes.
Who is captain?
Bruno Fernandes at home to Ipswich, with Haaland vice-captain.
Should I Wildcard to this team?
No. It is a model squad. Existing managers should normally use free transfers unless their current structure has several genuine problems.
