WE’RE previewing all the top teams ahead of the new Dream Team campaign with Tottenham under the microscope today.
Europa League commitments should give Ange Postecoglou’s side an added edge in 2024/25, especially given the new format ensures EIGHT group stage fixtures.
Let’s analyse Spurs’ top stars, bargain options and players to avoid.
TOP STARS
Son Heung-min (£5m) has been a reliable Dream Team performer for many years now.
The South Korea superstar averages 18 goals per season since the start of 2016/17 and it may come as a surprise to some gaffers that he averaged seven points per-per-game in 2023/24 – only Erling Haaland (£8.5m) and Mohamed Salah (£7m) boasted a better rate among strikers.
He has played plenty of minutes as a centre-forward under Postecoglou but, truthfully, it doesn’t really matter whether he’s deployed through the middle or from the left, he tends to produce the goods in either position.
The full-backs are key components in Postecoglou’s dynamic set-up with Pedro Porro (£4m) registering eight assists in all competitions last season.
The Spanish right-back gets through plenty of tackles and ranks highly for bonus points too – he’s got several routes to points outside clean sheets, which is essential for Dream Team defenders in this day and age.
Only Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) averaged more points-per-game than Porro among defenders last term.
James Maddison’s (£4m) form was badly impacted by an ill-timed injury last time around but it’s worth remembering he was a must-have asset for the first few Gameweeks when Spurs burst out of the blocks.
When everything clicks for the 27-year-old playmaker, few midfielders can match his rate of returns.
Last season, he averaged more points-per-game than the likes of Martin Odegaard (£5m), Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) and Rodri (£4.5m).
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BARGAIN OPTIONS
It seems as if Brennan Johnson (£3m) will start on the right flank once the action is underway and if that’s the case then he has to considered an affordable option.
The Wales international flattered to deceive following his transfer from Nottingham Forest but he’s improved gradually and many Spurs fans are hopeful of a productive campaign.
His return of five goals in 2023/24 was rather underwhelming but he notched 12 assists when all was said and done.
It would be overly bold to back Archie Gray (£2m) from the get-go as the 18-year-old is one for the future but Dream Team bosses should monitor his progress closely.
The teenage prodigy is a natural talent and was named Championship Young Player of the Season for his efforts in a Leeds shirt in 2023/24.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Gray rose up the pecking order and his price tag would suddenly look extremely cheap if he was elevated to a regular starter.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
It would be an exaggeration to say Micky van de Ven (£3.5m) is a player to avoid as the Dutchman is mightily effective on his day.
However, his current ownership of 12% is rather curious given he mustered just 111 points last season at an average of 3.8 per fixture.
The rapid defender is Spurs’ most-popular asset ahead of Gameweek 1, albeit by a narrow margin – for just an extra £0.5m gaffers could afford Porro, who seemingly offers so much more.
The Stats Centre suggests the vast majority of Dream Team bosses are staying clear of the non-starters so there’s no clanging errors to address.
