Not every Gameweek 1 disappointment needs an immediate transfer, but there are certain situations where the warning signs are hard to ignore. Injury doubts, transfer speculation, difficult fixtures and poor minutes can all turn an attractive pre-season pick into a problem quickly.
These are five players I would be avoiding ahead of Gameweek 2. Some may become good options later in the season, but the current uncertainty is enough to look elsewhere for now.
1. Marco Palestra
- Price : 5.5m
- Ownership : 2.5%
- Position : Defender
- Opponent : BHA (H), ARS (A), HUL (H)
Marco Palestra was always a high-upside attacking full-back punt, but the early signs are not encouraging. He was absent from Chelsea’s Gameweek 1 squad and has also been ruled out of the Carabao Cup tie with Luton after a fitness setback. Xabi Alonso said the club needed to assess Palestra further, so there is no firm guarantee he will return against Brighton either.
At 5.5m, that uncertainty is too expensive to carry. You can take a short-term gamble on an attacking wing-back, but only if the player is available and likely to start. Until there is clarity on Palestra’s recovery and his role in the Chelsea side, he is a sell for current owners and an easy avoid for everyone else.
2. Iliman Ndiaye
- Price : 6.0m
- Ownership : 16.0%
- Position : Midfielder
- Opponent : BOU (A), MUN (H), TOT (A)
Iliman Ndiaye is more of a non-buy than an urgent sell. If you already own him and do not need the transfer elsewhere, there is no need to panic. But I would not be bringing him in while his future remains uncertain.
Manchester City are reportedly interested in the Everton attacker, with talk of a possible £80m offer. Whether a move happens or not, the speculation adds unnecessary risk: training, selection and minutes can all become harder to predict as the transfer window enters its final stages.
Ndiaye may stay at Everton and become a very useful FPL asset. Equally, he could move clubs and need time to settle into a different role. Until the window closes and his situation is settled, there are clearer Gameweek 2 midfield options.
3. Ismaila Sarr
- Price : 6.5m
- Ownership : 3.1%
- Position : Midfielder
- Opponent : MCI (H), FUL (A), IPS (H)
Ismaila Sarr is another player whose current situation makes him difficult to trust. He missed Crystal Palace’s Gameweek 1 defeat at Everton through injury, and Liverpool have since approached Palace about signing him. Palace reportedly view him as not for sale, but Liverpool’s interest means the situation remains worth monitoring before the deadline.
That is simply too much uncertainty for an FPL transfer. Even if Sarr is close to fitness, his minutes may be managed after injury and any late transfer development could change his role entirely. He could become an exciting option if a move to Liverpool materialises, but he is not a player to buy beforehand. Let the transfer window and his fitness situation settle first.
4. Maxim De Cuyper
- Price : 4.6m
- Ownership : 6.8%
- Position : Defender
- Opponent : CHE (A), LEE (H), COV (A)
Maxim De Cuyper rewarded Gameweek 1 owners with a huge 17-point haul, so congratulations if you were on him early. But this is not necessarily the right week to chase those points.
Brighton have a must win midweek European match before travelling to Chelsea, a fixture that looks far less favourable than the opening round. That creates both rotation risk and a tougher clean-sheet outlook. More than 375,000 managers have transferred him in after his opening gameweek 1 score, but buying a defender immediately after a huge haul often means paying for points that have already happened.
De Cuyper could still return – his attacking threat is real – but Gameweek 3 looks like the better point to reassess. For this week, I would avoid joining the bandwagon and use the transfer on a player with a clearer fixture.
5. Brian Brobbey
- Price : 6.0m
- Ownership : 13.1%
- Position : Forward
- Opponent : FUL (H), BRE (A), ARS (H)
Brian Brobbey is owned by 13.1% of managers, but his Gameweek 1 performance raised concerns about both form and minutes. He was substituted after 66 minutes following an underwhelming display, and that is not what you want from an FPL forward at the start of the season.
Forwards need reliable minutes. A striker can still score in an hour, of course, but regular early substitutions limit their chance of extra returns and late-match involvement. Brobbey may improve once he settles, but he does not currently look secure enough to justify his ownership.
If you own him, assess whether there are more pressing issues in your squad before selling. If you are buying a forward for Gameweek 2, though, look for a player with a clearer role, better minutes and a more dependable route to points.
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