Burnley and Manchester City kick off the 2023/24 season this evening, and managers are finalising their your Fantasy Premier League teams. To help you in this process, we’re taking a look at some of the best £4.0m budget defenders for the 2023/24 FPL season.
Why Do I Need £4.0m Defenders?
The £4.0m pricepoint is only available for goalkeepers and defenders in FPL, making it a good position to save money that can be spent elsewhere and on your starting XI.
Even if a £4.0m defender starts every game for their club – they are priced at £4.0m for a reason. They aren’t going to get you a boatload of points.
Yes, they are mainly seen as squad fillers, however there have been £4.0m gems in previous seasons who have gone on to become regular starters in some of the best FPL teams in history.
John Lundstram came in at the lowest pricepoint for Sheffield United in the 2019/20 season and scored a whopping 144 points throughout the campaign, seeing him go down in FPL folklore. Aaron Wan-Bissaka in 2018/19 when he broke through at Crystal Palace is another memorable one who scored points consistently well.
This proves that, despite your £4.0m defender typically being nothing more than a benchwarmer, there are some gems out there that can both score you points and save you money for your much needed budget.
FPL £4.0m Defenders – 2023/24
Amari’i Bell – Luton Town (£4.0m)
Luton Town’s Amari’i Bell has the highest Teams Selected By Percentage (TSB%) of any £4.0m defender in FPL at 19.1% (at the time of writing), and that’s for good reason.
Bell is a nailed on starter for the Hatters as things stand, and can play at either left-back or left centre-back in Rob Edwards’ side.
The Jamaican international featured in 46 of Luton’s 47 matches in all competitions last term, and was part of the second lowest conceding (39) defence in the Championship, scoring once and assisting once in the process.
And although many are tipping the Hatters to go straight back down this season, their defensive record in the second tier speaks for itself – so it’s certainly worth a punt.
Jordan Beyer – Burnley (£4.0m)
Scoring once and assisting twice in 29 starts for Vincent Kompany’s Championship winning side last season, centre-back Jordan Beyer is our next pick.
Kompany’s side conceded just 35 goals in the English second tier, seeing them hold the best defensive record as they bounced straight back up into the English top flight.
Beyer is almost certain to be a nailed on starter, and will likely start alongside new summer signing Dara O’Shea (£4.5m).
Although Beyer’s attacking threat isn’t very high, the Clarets have the best chance of keeping clean sheets of any promoted side, therefore he will likely earn his points from defensive returns.
Burnley do have a tough start to the season though, facing off against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham in their opening 10 matches.
George Baldock – Sheffield United (£4.0m)
Baldock is our next pick, and although he already has two Premier League seasons under his belt back in 2019/20 and 2020/21 – he is likely to start, but he isn’t nailed on.
Predominantly playing in right wing-back, Baldock faces competition from Jayden Bogle (£4.5m).
Baldock featured 40 times for the Blades last term, scoring once and assisting three times as Paul Heckingbottom’s side secured promotion back to the top flight.
Sheffield United face Crystal Palace at home, and Nottingham Forest away in their opening two matches, giving Baldock a decent chance of earning some defensive returns in the opening two gameweeks.
Tariq Lamptey – Brighton (£4.0m)
Lamptey is our next pick, and having had his best FPL season back in 2021/22, the Ghanaian endured a torrid campaign last year.
Featuring 20 times in Roberto De Zerbi’s side, Lamptey started just three matches for Brighton – his lowest amount of starts in a season since breaking through into senior football.
Having struggled with injuries, Joel Veltman and even Pascal Gross have been preferred at right-back in De Zerbi’s system.
But if he can reignite his form from 2021/22 he may well force his way back into the fold at the Amex, therefore we’re marking Lamptey as one to keep an eye on.
Malo Gusto – Chelsea (£4.0m)
New Chelsea signing, and Reece James backup Malo Gusto is our final pick of the £4.0m defenders.
Gusto featured 21 times at right-back for Lyon last season, and only picked up one assist, however he has played in all three of the Blues’ pre-season matches and has impressed massively.
He is unlikely to rob James of his starting berth, but with the Englishman holding such an extensive injury record – Gusto looks to be an interesting option that could prove useful over the course of the season.
Related FPL Football Content
- FPL New Signings: Familiar Faces & Premier League Novices Who Can Thrive At Their New Clubs
- FPL Gameweek 1 Picks: Selections To Get The Season Up and Running
- Best FPL Newcomers 2023/24: New Signings to Select For Your Fantasy Premier League Team
- FPL Bargains: Best Bargains to Sign For Your Fantasy Teams 2023/24
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