Erling Haaland has been priced at £15.5m for the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League season.
That makes the Manchester City forward the most expensive player in FPL history.
Selecting him uses more than 15 per cent of the total £100.0m squad budget, so managers must decide whether his goals and captaincy potential justify the compromises required elsewhere.
Why is Haaland so expensive?
Haaland finished last season as the highest-scoring player in FPL.
He produced:
239 FPL points
27 Premier League goals
Eight assists
Frequent captaincy returns
Consistent early-season performances
His combination of goals, minutes and captaincy appeal makes him different from most forwards.
Managers are not paying only for his expected points. They are also paying for access to one of the most reliable captaincy options in the game.
What does owning Haaland cost your squad?
After selecting Haaland, managers have £84.5m remaining for the other 14 players.
Haaland does not need to outscore every cheaper player individually. He needs to provide enough points and captaincy value to justify the players you cannot afford because of him.
Why could Haaland be worth £15.5m?
Reliable captaincy
Captaining Haaland doubles his points.
If he scores regularly in favourable fixtures, the value of owning him becomes much greater than his normal total alone.
Strong early-season history
Haaland has repeatedly started Premier League seasons quickly.
He has been the top-scoring FPL player across the first six Gameweeks in each of his Manchester City campaigns.
Goal involvement
Manchester City create a high number of scoring opportunities, and Haaland remains the main central finisher.
Favourable home fixtures
City face promoted opponents at home during the opening seven Gameweeks, creating potential captaincy and Triple Captain opportunities.
Ownership protection
If Haaland becomes highly owned and heavily captained, a major score can cause significant rank damage to managers who do not own him.
What are the arguments against selecting him?
The opportunity cost
£15.5m can be spread across several positions.
A no-Haaland squad may contain stronger midfielders, defenders and substitutes.
A new managerial period
Manchester City are entering a different tactical phase. Pre-season should provide evidence about how the team will attack and how frequently Haaland will receive high-quality chances.
World Cup involvement
Haaland participated in the World Cup and may return to club preparation later than players who had a full summer break.
Managers should monitor his fitness and pre-season minutes.
Captaincy alternatives
Bruno Fernandes and other premium players may offer strong captaincy options in favourable fixtures.
If another premium player matches Haaland’s output at a lower price, a balanced squad may become more valuable.
Haaland versus Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes costs £12.0m, which is £3.5m less than Haaland.
Fernandes starts with favourable fixtures against promoted opponents and finished only four points behind Haaland last season.
The decision is not necessarily Haaland or Fernandes. Managers may attempt to own both.
However, combining two expensive premiums requires even greater compromises across the rest of the squad.
Haaland versus a balanced squad
A balanced squad may replace Haaland with:
A mid-priced forward
A premium midfielder
A stronger defender
A more reliable bench option
This approach can spread risk and provide more transfer routes.
The disadvantage is that managers may lack the most obvious captain during Manchester City’s favourable fixtures.
Should you start with Haaland?
Haaland is likely to be the safer opening strategy if he is fully fit and starting.
Reasons to begin with him include:
Strong captaincy potential
Excellent early-season history
Favourable home fixtures
Difficulty buying him later without restructuring
Protection against a highly captained haul
Going without him can still work, but the money must be used effectively.
A no-Haaland team should not simply contain more expensive substitutes. It should create clear improvements across several starting positions.
OneFPL verdict
Haaland is expensive but still justifiable.
His price forces managers to make difficult decisions, but his combination of goals and captaincy remains unmatched.
The safest approach is to create two OneFPL planner scenarios:
A squad built around Haaland.
A balanced squad without him.
Compare the quality of the complete starting elevens rather than evaluating Haaland in isolation.
If the no-Haaland squad does not look clearly stronger across several positions, starting with the Manchester City forward may be the better decision.
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OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion. OneFPL is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
OneFPL analysis. OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
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