KAORU MITOMA (£3.5m) sent out a reminder of his talents to Dream Team managers everywhere at the weekend.
Having missed the last three months of the 2023/24 season with a back injury, Brighton’s No22 marked his return to competitive action with a goal against Everton on Saturday.
Mitoma was on hand at the back post to finish off an incisive move and put the Seagulls ahead in what was ultimately a comfortable 3-0 victory for the visitors at Goodison Park.
His goal was one of three shots on target, the joint-most in the Premier League at this embryonic stage of the campaign, while only two players completed more successful dribbles – a key factor in him earning a bonus point against the Toffees.
Add in three tackles (one point) plus 89 minutes (two points) and the Japan international left Merseyside with a 13-point haul.
Only top-tier assets Mohamed Salah (£7m) and Bukayo Saka (£6m) banked more points (15 each) in Gameweek 1.
Mitoma’s reminder has already been widely heeded as he’s currently the most transferred-in player in Dream Team ahead of Gameweek 2.
There’s still plenty of time for that to change with the deadline falling at 11am on Saturday morning but the 27-year-old is certainly a popular recruit.
This is understandable as Fabian Hurzeler’s side registered the biggest win of the first round of Premier League fixtures.
Overreacting to the opening weekend can lead gaffers astray but Mitoma is a player who has punched above his weight in Dream Team previously – he was one of the game’s best value-for-money gems back in 2022/23.
At £3.5m he’s certainly affordable right now, particularly if he’s going to rediscover his best form now he’s fully recovered from injury, as his first outing of the new campaign suggests.
Brighton are due to face Manchester United and Crawley in Gameweek 2 with the latter being a Carabao Cup fixture.
All 13 top flight clubs not set to participate in Europe this season will be in action in midweek after a full round of league games across Saturday and Sunday.
Whether Mitoma will start both fixtures remains to be seen as a certain degree of rotation is expected across the board in the early rounds of the domestic cups but he does appear to be decent option in the mid-range.
Gaffers keen on Mitoma should be aware that Brighton travel to Arsenal in Gameweek 3 – one of the toughest match-ups for an attack-minded asset given the Gunners’ defensive solidity in recent times.
Home games against Ipswich and Nottingham Forest in Gameweeks 4 and 5 seem much more favourable but Dream Team bosses should be targeting the midweek European fixtures at that time.
Of course, it’s entirely possible to recruit Mitoma on a temporary basis until the time comes to replace him with a player active in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League (if Chelsea win their play-off).
