What to Do With Cole Palmer?

Injured in Gameweek 3 and without a clear recovery timeline, Cole Palmer has quickly become one of the most sold players in Fantasy Premier League. The latest comments from Maresca do little to reassure managers:

"Cole [Palmer] took part in the session yesterday for the first time, not the entire session. We have one more session this afternoon and we are going to try with him to see if he's okay, otherwise he will be out tomorrow. He is recovering from an injury, it's not managing him, it's recovering from an injury. When he is available, we need to manage him because of the amount of games."

At his price, FPL managers cannot afford uncertainty. Even if he makes the squad in Gameweek 4, there is no guarantee of a start or 90 minutes, particularly with the Champions League on the horizon. Selling looks the sensible move, and here are some of the best ways to replace him.

The most straightforward switch is Bruno Fernandes. He offers penalties, set pieces, consistent 90-minute appearances, and several routes to points under the new scoring system. For reliability and upside, Bruno is as close to a like-for-like premium replacement as it gets.

If you already own Bruno, Antoine Semenyo is the next best option. His price is lower than Palmer’s, freeing funds for upgrades elsewhere. Fast, direct, and in excellent form, Semenyo is thriving in Bournemouth’s attack. With Brighton at home in Gameweek 4 and strong underlying metrics, he is a solid pick.

For those with two free transfers, restructuring is another route. Selling Palmer for Paquetá provides a significant cash saving, which can be reinvested in upgrading a cheaper forward to Gyökeres.

Paquetá, now playing in West Ham’s number 10 role, combines set-piece involvement with secure minutes and defensive contribution potential, making him great value under £6m. Meanwhile, Gyökeres is Arsenal’s focal point in Havertz’s absence, nailed for 90 minutes, and on penalties. With Nottingham Forest at home, he looks primed for points.