In this blog, we break down the standout performers, analyse the latest transfer trends, and reveal the early must-have picks for the upcoming Gameweeks of the 2025/26 FPL season.
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As the below image shows, Mateta tops the Custom Stats xFPL table for Gameweek 8 with a mammoth score of 18.4. The French international was top for both shots inside the box (nine) and 'big chances' (six).
Budget forward Kroupi Jr made the most of his limited chances, scoring from both of his attempts — each classified as 'big chances' by Opta. The 18-year-old recorded an impressive xFPL score of 9.8, the fourth highest of the Gameweek.
Kayode stood out as the Gameweek’s most creative player, registering seven attempted assists, including one 'big chance' created. His all-round display earned him an xFPL score of 9.6.
Saka was also heavily involved, creating six chances (second-most) and taking two shots inside the box. The England international picked up two bonus points and DEFCON points, aligning closely with his xFPL score of 6.9.
Salah ranked third for attempted assists (four) and took three shots in the box, but despite two 'big chance' involvements, he underperformed overall with an xFPL score of just 5.4.
Haaland continued to deliver, scoring twice from five shots in the box, three of which were 'big chances'. He could easily have had more and finished the Gameweek with an xFPL of 10.2, ranking only behind Gabriel (11.3) and Mateta (18.4).
xFPL is calculated primarily using expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA), which combine to form expected FPL involvements (xG + xA = xI), along with expected clean sheets (xCS). These values are based on underlying statistics — for example, shot type and location determine the probability of scoring, which contributes to xG. xFPL then combines these metrics, factoring in appearance and bonus points to produce an overall expected FPL point score.
As shown in the Transfer Analytics tool below, Woltemade is the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 9, with over 400,000 FPL managers adding him to their teams at the time of writing.
Mateta, Haaland and Gabriel are among the most popular transfers in after their double-digit hauls over the weekend, while Saka’s multiple routes to points have attracted over 150,000 new FPL managers.
Meanwhile, Salah, João Pedro, Gyökeres and Reijnders have blanked in consecutive Gameweeks and are being sold in large numbers.
A look at the Top 10 forward transfer combinations shows that all the attention is on Woltemade and Mateta, with no other forward appearing in the list. João Pedro, Gyökeres, Isak, Richarlison and Marc Guiu are the main forwards being moved on.
The Top 10 midfield transfer combinations are dominated by Saka, with Salah to Saka the most popular move this week, accounting for 6.9% of all transfers. Gakpo, Semenyo and Ndiaye are also attracting interest, while Foden, B. Fernandes, Eze and Kudus are among the midfielders being sold.
In defence, the Top 10 transfer combinations are led by Arsenal assets, with Gabriel and J. Timber the most popular picks. James and Mukiele’s recent hauls have also boosted their appeal, while Anderson, Virgil, Porro and Tarkowski are the defenders most commonly being moved on.
João Pedro has now blanked in four consecutive Gameweeks, and with other forwards in a similar price bracket performing well, the Brazilian international’s place in FPL squads is under threat.
As shown in the Player Heatmaps feature, Woltemade has averaged 6.4 FPL points per game compared to just 3.0 for João Pedro since joining Newcastle during the summer transfer window. It’s worth noting, however, that Chelsea played two of those games with 10 men — a factor that likely limited João Pedro’s output.
Woltemade is clearly ahead in terms of goal threat, recording 12 shots in the box compared to just two for João Pedro. The German international has also registered an xG of 3.15 over this period, though that includes a penalty, while João Pedro’s stands at just 0.17.
Creativity is where João Pedro holds the edge, having created five chances — two of which were 'big chances' — whereas Woltemade is more of a traditional striker who rarely creates opportunities for others.
Given the underlying numbers, Woltemade currently looks like the stronger option and a potential standout buy.
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