It’s the position that we all love to neglect in favour of spending big elsewhere, but it’s also one of those positions that the most shrewd of FPL players love to take advantage of. A consistent six points from your goalkeeper or even some save points sprinkled around here and there, can make all the difference by the end of the season.

Previous seasons have offered up some pretty straightforward combinations of goalkeepers to see you through to your second wildcard at the very least, but the overlords at FPL Towers have seen fit to provide us with such an array of prices this year that there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on which goalkeeper combination is optimal.

For argument’s sake we’ll say any goalkeeper priced between £5.0m and £5.5m is classified as mid-priced.

Who are the best mid-priced goalkeepers in FPL 19/20?

David de Gea (£5.5m)

Manchester United’s defensive woes were well documented last season. They kept just seven clean sheets across the 38 games, which has seen de Gea’s price take a drop from £6.0m to £5.5m this season.

£5.5m. For one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Who will have an improved defence in front of him next season.

The arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka will surely tighten things up at the back for United, who are still looking to improve things at centre back as well. It’s always tempting to go for the slightly riskier options who are cheaper, but when such good value is staring you right in the face, it’s difficult to ignore.

De Gea has clean sheet potential and loves a save point. Pair him with a nailed on £4.5m keeper and you could be set for the season.

Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5.5m)

Despite his differences with Maurizio Sarri last season, Kepa still managed a respectable 14 clean sheets. With the Italian having now departed Stamford Bridge, Kepa looks to be Chelsea’s guaranteed number one.

The Blues have a historically strong defence, and while some will look to go down the David Luiz route for clean sheets, Kepa offers a strong alternative with the allure of potential save points on the Spaniard’s side. £5.5m for a goalkeeper that’s nailed on for a top six side with good fixtures to start the season? Sounds good to me.

Hugo Lloris (£5.5m)

It’s fair to say Hugo Lloris’ stock dropped somewhat last season. Despite his two penalty saves, the Frenchman didn’t look nearly as assured between the sticks as we’ve become accustomed to, and some Spurs fans were even calling for back-up goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to get a run in the side.

Lloris remains Spurs’ number one, however, and with the side finally leaving Wembley, he could provide consistent clean sheets once again – last season’s tally of 12 was his personal lowest since the 2014/15 season. There are better options at this price, but if you’re looking for a goalkeeper you can rotate every couple of weeks, Lloris could be your man.

Jordan Pickford (£5.5m)

When you consider how much of a hard time Jordan Pickford was given last season, it’s odd to consider that the Englishman actually finished the 2018/19 campaign as FPL’s third-highest scoring goalkeeper. Despite playing for a non-top-six side who were at times woefully inconsistent, Pickford finished with 161 points, just eight shy of Ederson’s total.

Not only did Pickford make considerably more saves than his more illustrious counterparts, but he also saved three penalties last season, the joint-most in the league. This makes him an intriguing option for those who subscribe to the point of view that VAR’s introduction will lead to an increase in penalties given. The former Sunderland man also has fixtures on his side to begin the season, Everton face just two of the top six in their first 14 matches, giving them plenty of clean sheet potential.

Marco Silva sides rarely inspire defensive confidence, but towards the back end of last season Everton did begin to look more solid at the back, suggesting that at £5.5m, Pickford could be one of the most intriguing options in the mid-priced bracket. If he can get through the Merseyside derby at Anfield without gifting Liverpool a last-minute winner we might just have a season-long gem on our hands.

Ben Foster (£5.0m)

He may not be quite as glamorous an option as the top six goalkeepers, but for £0.5m less, Ben Foster may represent the best value of the mid-priced goalkeepers.

Seven clean sheets isn’t exactly what you’d look for in a goalkeeper, but 128 saves last season was bettered only by Lukasz Fabianski in the mid-priced goalkeepers bracket. Add into the equation that he’s earned double figures for bonus points two seasons in a row, and Foster becomes a very credible option.

Watford don’t have the easiest start to the season, but this only increases Foster’s save point potential. He’s one to consider.

Lukasz Fabianski (£5.0m)

From being renamed Flappyhandski to becoming somewhat of an FPL cult hero, Lukasz Fabianski became a source of frustration for many FPL managers last season, as a goalkeeper that promised much and often delivered little.

The Polish keeper is better known for his save points – he amassed 148 saves last season – than his clean sheets, but if West Ham can keep Fabian Balbuena fit, we might see a reversal of that. The Hammers also face just two of the top six in their opening 12 fixtures, suggesting that there’s plenty of clean sheet potential.

Without Balbuena at centre back to partner Manchester United target Issa Diop, Fabianski is given little protection. But if the two get game time together then the Pole could once again be another steal in between the sticks, despite his £0.5m price increase.

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