This article is part of our FPL Transfer Watch series.
After the international break, with no FA Cup intrusions this week, fans finally get a full slate of matches. Notable games this week include Liverpool vs. Spurs on Saturday as well as both Sunday matches: Leicester City vs. Southampton and Manchester United vs. Everton. Furthermore, other top teams — Manchester City and Arsenal — take on not-so-freshly promoted Bournemouth and Watford respectively.
With far less preamble than usual, let's dive right in to take a look at three players who are being brought in and three that are being shipped out.
Transfers In
Hector Bellerin (DEF)
(62,554 transfers in, second-most overall, most amongst defenders)
Spending big on defenders isn't typically a good strategy, however, sometimes exceptions need to be made. Even as Arsenal hit the nadir of their season, Bellerin kept plugging away, even if the assists weren't quite there. However, in the team's past two Premier League matches, against Spurs and Everton, Bellerin has three assists while also staying more disciplined defensively to cover his flank. The 21-year-old has attracted a ton of attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world, and for good reason. With a matchup against Watford on the weekend, Bellerin should have a good chance to both pump crosses into the box and keep a clean sheet. Due to his high cost (£6.3), he may not be worth bringing into your side, but if you have some extra funds lying around or want to get rid of some dead weight on your back line, Bellerin is one of the top defensive options due to his ability to move forward.
Harry Kane (FWD)
(51,076 transfers in, third-most overall, most amongst forwards)
What is there to say about Kane that hasn't already been written? He's on a tear right now, scoring five goals in his past three Premier League matches and added a goal in last week's international friendly against Germany. He's expensive at £10.4, but with 20 goals in his last 22 Premier League matches and six matches with at least two goals in that span, there simply isn't a better finisher in the Premier League right now than Kane (with all due respect to Romelu Lukaku and Jamie Vardy). With a matchup against Liverpool's hit-or-miss defense, Kane will look to extend his Premier League-leading goal haul even further.
David de Gea (GK)
(29,001 transfers in, sixth-most overall, second amongst goalkeepers)
Thanks to their rapid ascent up the table, de Gea has become a better and better fantasy option in goal. The Spaniard has conceded just once in his past three matches, despite being exposed by his back line repeatedly. While there was a lot to like out from de Gea in United's win in the Manchester derby, the fact that the Citizens were able to take 26 shots is concerning. With an upcoming matchup against the high-flying Everton offense, it will take more theatrics out of de Gea to keep another clean sheet. While he's certainly capable, with Spurs the following week, there are better matchups that are significantly cheaper than de Gea to use these next two weeks. For now, there's no need to transfer him in, but keep an eye on him as there's a plumb matchup in two weeks against Aston Villa.
Transfers Out
Jack Butland (GK)
(82,519 transfers out, most overall, most amongst goalkeepers)
Every international break, a big-name player seems to go down, and this go around the injury bug bit Butland. He was stretchered off in England's friendly against Germany and will miss the remainder of the season plus this summer's European Championship. This makes him an automatic drop for FPL teams; however, more than 20,000 people have also added him. Don't be like those people.
Mesut Ozil (MID)
(60,356 transfers out, second-most overall, most amongst midfielders)
After a goal and two assists in matches against Manchester Untied and Leicester City, Ozil's play has dipped considerably. With that being said, Ozil returned to form over the international break by scoring a goal and adding an assist in friendlies against England and France, playing the full 90 minutes in each. In 28 Premier League matches, Ozil has five goals and 18 assists, and while he's gone cold over his past three league matches and his price tag is expensive at £9.7, his track record certainly makes him worth keeping.
Odion Ighalo (FWD)
(39,327 transfers out, fifth-most overall, most amongst forwards)
After an outstanding start to the season and a stretch that saw him score seven goals in six matches, Ighalo hasn't been able to keep up the same kind of form since the calendar flipped to 2016. In 11 matches, Ighalo has a goal and an assist, both of which came in the same match against Newcastle. With no more games against the Magpies left on their schedule and a meeting with Arsenal on the horizon, Ighalo can safely be dropped. While you won't find many strikers with a £5.8 price tag and 15 league goals, his form of late has been troubling enough to send him packing.
