Fantasy Football Woes: Popular Transfers Disappoint Managers in Gameweek 4

In a surprising turn of events, over 1.3 million fantasy football managers were left disappointed as their most-bought player, Joao Pedro, failed to secure any points in Gameweek 4. Pedro, purchased by a staggering 1,345,068 managers for £5.7m, did not play due to an injury sustained during international duty, rendering his new owners’ hopes futile. This marked a historic moment as never before had a player been so widely recruited yet delivered zero points.

The allure of Joao Pedro skyrocketed after his consecutive goal-scoring matches and with expectations high against a newly promoted team. Despite his absence, Pedro’s demand broke records, making him the most popular transfer ahead of a Gameweek deadline this season. This development comes on the heels of another disappointing transfer with Noni Madueke also failing to meet expectations in the previous Gameweek.

Interestingly, Erling Haaland stood out during this Gameweek by earning a dominant 13 points, propelling him to become the first player to surpass 50 points this season. Haaland’s performance was a major boost for the 5,125,800 managers who chose him as their captain, showcasing his remarkable form early in the 2024/25 season.

However, other top transfers such as Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, and Amadou Onana fell short, with each of them failing to meet their managers’ expectations. Luis Diaz managed to score 3 points, Salah earned 2, and Onana, taken off at half-time, secured just a single point. In contrast, Ollie Watkins provided substantial returns to those who had faith in him, rewarding them with his first goals of the campaign and 13 points, doubled to 26 for those who captained him.

This Gameweek also saw over 940,000 managers utilizing their Wildcard, marking one of the highest totals on record, highlighting the strategic maneuvers players are employing to optimize their teams. However, the unpredictability of player performances continues to challenge the vast community of fantasy football managers.