Fantasy Football: Surprise packages in 2018/19, including Manchester United duo
With the new Premier League season on the horizon, Billy Lumsden takes a look at the surprise packages in Fantasy Football last term.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) - £8.6m
The newly-recruited Manchester United right-back was named as the Crystal Palace Player of the Year last campaign and with good reason.
The youngster made 35 starts for Roy Hodgson's side in which he recorded 249 successful duels and 129 clearances, while making three goals for his team-mates, earning himself a big-money move to Old Trafford in the process.
He has enjoyed a superb season in which he has appeared numerous times for the England u21 side.
Matt Doherty (Wolves) - £8.5m
Doherty had an instrumental season with Wolves as they returned to the Premier League, contributing to nine goals through his four strikes and five assists as Nuno Espirito Santo's side finished seventh.
The rampant right wing-back created nine big chances for Wolves, while being a unique option within Sky Sports Fantasy Football as he kept an additional seven clean sheets. Doherty made no errors leading to goals.
James Maddison (Leicester City) - £8.3m
Nobody quite knew what Maddison was going to throw up in the Premier League following his £24m move from Norwich to Leicester last summer.
Seven goals and seven assists later, the attacking midfielder has certainly justified the price tag. Gareth Southgate called Maddison up to the England squad, such a testament to the season he had last term. Tottenham and Manchester United have been linked with moves for the 22-year-old.
Raul Jimenez (Wolves) -£10.6m
The Mexican striker signed for Wolves, initially on loan from Benfica, but then penned a new deal following a fine season in which he scored 13 goals and grabbed seven assists.
Seven of the goals he contributed were against 'big six' sides (four goals, three assists), which included a goal in both matches with Europa League winners Chelsea and Champions League finalists Tottenham.
He was Wolves' top scoring player in Sky Sports Fantasy Football last year and he will intend on boosting his overall Premier League figures in 2019/20.
Bernardo Silva (Man City) - £10.9m
The Portuguese attacker was underestimated at the start of the 2018/19 campaign and has come out on top, with Pep Guardiola heaping the praise on Bernardo Silva after a scintillating season, recording seven goals and assists for the Premier League champions.
He grabbed two assists in the FA Cup final against Watford and has displaced Leroy Sane, which is a credit to the way he has played throughout the term.
Manchester City fans will be hoping there is plenty more to come from Bernardo Silva, especially as David Silva may be coming to the end of his City career.
Luke Shaw (Man United) - £9.6m
Shaw's Manchester United career looked to be all but over coming into the start of last season. Fast-forward to the end of the 2018/19 term and Shaw has the Man Utd Player of the Year in his possession, beating his teammates to it by being more consistent than the likes of Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford over the course of the campaign.
He scored a solitary goal which came against Leicester on the first day, while contributing to four goals with his assist count.
Callum Wilson (AFC Bournemouth) - £9.9m
It might not be a surprise to Eddie Howe and the Bournemouth fans, but contributing to 23 Premier League goals in 30 is a staggering return for Wilson.
These came from 14 goals and nine assists, which earned him an England debut during the middle of the year. He did even attract interest from Chelsea during the January transfer window, but committed his future to the Cherries last week by penning a new four-year deal.
Could he repeat the figures of last season? He will certainly think so and the Bournemouth fans will certainly hope so.
Declan Rice (West Ham) - £8m
Rice was solid as a rock in defensive midfield, and centre-back at times, for West Ham in 2018/19, which inevitably led to transfer links with both Manchester clubs.
He scored his first senior goal in their home win against Arsenal and his consistent performances across the year proved enough to take the fancy of Gareth Southgate, who welcomed him into the England side following some controversy over his choice of international side.
He will be pivotal if West Ham are to enjoy a successful season next year, particularly with his break-up of play.
Fantasy Football: Select your team NOW!
Sky Sports Fantasy Football 2019/20
Another year, another £50,000 jackpot on the line. Sky Sports Fantasy Football makes its eagerly-awaited return for the 2019/20 season.
'Fantasy just got real' has never been so true with the updated Fantasy Football product for the upcoming campaign. New scoring systems, new rules, a new website, along with a new feature which will be coming into fruition for the first game week of the year.
All of this alone gives you the incentive to set up your team early and get ahead of the game, combined with just the small added bonus of the £50,000 jackpot prize for the inaugural Sky Sports Fantasy Football 2019/20 champion.
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