Gyokeres shines as budget picks face early tests

Arsenal and Bournemouth used pre season to highlight new attacking options and budget picks while injury news and transfer chatter frame early FPL decisions.

Gyokeres Shines for Arsenal as Hill Budget Pick Faces Doubt

Arsenal wrapped up their pre season with a 3-0 win over Athletic Club. Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring from a cross by Zubimendi, Bukayo Saka added the second, and Kai Havertz finished late. Gyokeres looked lively and threatening, suggesting he could add a different dimension to Arsenal’s attack. Mikel Arteta also noted the potential of the midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Zubimendi alongside Odegaard as the trio combined well and offered more unpredictability in inside spaces. Gabriel Magalhaes started a match for the first time this summer as he builds up fitness for next week’s trip to Old Trafford, and Saka’s form kept him at the heart of Arsenal’s plans.

Bournemouth played two warm up games against Real Sociedad. Evanilson scored in the first behind closed doors friendly, while Djordje Petrovic saved a penalty in the later match at the Vitality Stadium. New signings Truffert and Kroupi featured, but Justin Kluivert remains sidelined with a calf issue and is not training at the moment. Iraola also gave updates on Ryan Christie and Luis Sinisterra, both of whom have been out of action for much of pre season. The likely arrival of Bafode Diakite for a substantial fee could affect the long term prospects of budget options such as James Hill, who is valued at £4.0m, while the club continues to balance squad depth with cost.

The report signals how pre season can shape early FPL thinking. Gyokeres gives Arsenal a credible alternative to a frontline built around Saka and Havertz, which could push managers to rethink starting lineups for the United game. At Bournemouth the focus on under 5m defenders and midfielders is tested by injury timelines and the slow return of Kluivert, Christie, and Sinisterra. The prospect of a pricey transfer like Diakite moving in could squeeze budget players out of rotation, reminding fantasy managers that price tags can move faster than minutes. In short, the pre season chatter already underscores a simple truth for FPL managers: depth buys value only when they stayfit and get minutes.

Highlights

Preseason hints point to paths teams might take, but they do not lock in outcomes.