Is Mbeumo a Must-Buy For Gameweek 10?

Gameweek 9 has sparked one big question across the Fantasy Premier League community: should managers jump on the Bryan Mbeumo bandwagon?

After his 15-point haul against Brighton, more than 500,000 managers have already done so. The Cameroonian’s form, consistency, and underlying numbers have made him one of the most talked-about assets in the game this week.

But is he truly essential, or are there stronger alternatives offering better value for money?

There’s no denying Mbeumo’s quality. When compared to every Manchester United attacker this season, he leads the way for non-penalty expected goal involvement (xGi), underlining his importance to Ruben Amorim’s system. Across the entire league, only Haaland and Mateta have higher non-penalty xGi. He’s now the second-highest scoring midfielder in FPL and clearly passes the eye test. The numbers show he is a strong, reliable asset with multiple routes to points.

The real question is not whether Mbeumo is good, but whether he’s worth the £1.5 million or more over cheaper midfielders such as Sarr, Enzo, Minteh, and Ndiaye. All four have encouraging underlying stats and a strong run of fixtures at a significantly lower cost, which could make them better overall value picks.

I would also be hesitant to sell Bruno Fernandes for him. Fernandes continues to post strong attacking data, and with penalties, his expected goal involvement remains higher than Mbeumo’s. The Portuguese midfielder is also more consistent for bonus points along with defensive contributions, and with Nottingham Forest up next, moving from Bruno to Mbeumo feels more like a sideways move than an upgrade.

Saka is another easy keep. Arsenal’s fixtures remain appealing, and he looks the most likely penalty taker in Mikel Arteta’s side. So unless your midfield is lacking entirely, finding room for Mbeumo without sacrificing a key premium asset is far from straightforward.

It’s also worth noting that Mbeumo will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in a few weeks. While managers will receive extra transfers during that period, it still means using one soon to replace him.

Given how strong many midfield options currently are, I am not convinced that spending a transfer there is necessary. For me, Mateta should actually be the priority this week. Palace have great fixtures, and the striker’s underlying data comfortably beats Mbeumo’s. A move like João Pedro to Mateta feels like a much more meaningful upgrade than selling a solid midfielder for Mbeumo right now.