The start of the new Football Exchange contest gives Hive users a handful of players whose prices, in my opinion, simply don't match their potential to deliver profit in the early part of the Premier League season.
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Of course, the big money, high profile names such as Haaland and Bruno will remain hugely popular and are still the players most likely to deliver the monster scores in any given game week that can lead to big price swings in your favour.
However, value can be found elsewhere too. As we start a new Premier League season, there are a number of budget players around the 21 to 32 MEDAL mark who look under valued due to injuries, loss of form, limited minutes or changing circumstances from the previous campaign.
Identifying those bargains early can be a great way to build your portfolio, especially if you're still getting to grips with how The Football Exchange works before committing larger amounts of medals on the premium assets.
With that in mind, here are some of the best budget buys to keep an eye on ahead of the new season which is now just 3 weeks away...
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Martinelli - 21 MEDALS
The Brazilian wide forward endured a tough season last year, starting just 11 Premier League games and returning 6 goal involvements for a total of 57 points, hence the reason he's priced so cheaply at the start of this campaign.
Arteta preferred Trossard on the left for much of the later part of the season but the Belgian has since left the squad. In his place, comes Christos Tzolis who has been tearing it up in the Belgian leagues since leaving Norwich City. Will he come straight into the starting XI or will Arteta return to an old favourite in Martinelli?
Arsenal are undoubtedly in the market for another left-winger but it looks for now as though most of their first choice options have gone or are going elsewhere which might provide Martinelli with a little more playing time in the early rounds of the campaign.
Maatsen - 21 MEDALS
Maatsen made 17 starts for Villa last season but was largely seen as an understudy to Digne. However, the Frenchman is now on his way to PSG which looks likely to leave Maatsen as the first choice left-back at Villa.
Known as an attacking full-back, you'd hope that a run in the team might help him improve his returns regarding goal involvements with just 3 in his EPL career to date.
Again, one to watch in regards what Villa might do in the market over the coming weeks!
Mosquera - 21 MEDALS
With Saliba almost certain to miss the opening games of the season then it's looking likely that the young Spanish defender will get more game time.
He made 20 appearances in the league last season, though most were off the bench but looked comfortable deputising for Arsenal's 2 first choice options when called upon in the later stages of the campaign.
Worth watching the later pre-season fixtures to see whether he'll be partnering Gabriel. Arsenal of course have a juicy home fixture against newly promoted Coventry which you'd fancy a clean sheet and immediate profit if Mosquera plays.
Isak - 32 MEDALS
He's gotta do better than last season right?
Having hit consecutive 20 goals seasons for Newcastle, Liverpool thought they had one of the best strikers in world football joining them this time last year, only for Isak's form and fitness to suffer significantly.
He wasn't of course the only Liverpool player to endure a tough campaign and so he, along with all of the high priced players they brought in last summer, will see this as a new opportunity under Iraola.
Liverpool start with an away trip to Newcastle - don't worry Alexander, I'm sure they've forgotten - but in general, they have a fairly generous start to the season and if Isak can find some early form then that price is going to be very generous.
Morato - 32 MEDALS
Oliver Glasner's arrival will see a switch in tactics at Forest to a back 3 and there is cause to believe that the Brazilian will be the left-sided centre-back in that set-up, giving him the opportunitu to dramatically improve on his 11 starts from lat campaign.
Forest start things off with a nice home fixture against Leeds before things start to look a bit trickier.
Various Hull and Ipswich defenders - all 21 MEDALS
Nice, cheap and in my opinion good value options can be found in the defensive lines of the newly promoted teams.
While clean sheets are going to be difficult to acquire in the top flight for these players, the def con bonuses introduced last season do give defenders the possibility to wrack up additional points even if their team concedes.
With these 2 sides, you'd expect their back lines to be doing a lot of defending from game week 1 onwards so there is a good chance of them acquiring those def con points.
Remember, at a price of 21 MEDALS, you're essentially looking for a player to average more than 2 points a game. There are plenty of nailed on starters in both squads who should get you that 2 and then hopefully incur a few extras as the season progresses.
Why am I not including Coventry in this equation? Well they've got a horror start to the season which might mean they are better avoided for now!
I'm not planning to buy any of these players just yet! Pre-season is still ongoing and I'll be keeping a close eye on form, fitness, minutes played and overall involvement in friendlies, not to mention what clubs might do in the transfer market between now and 21 August.
When coming up with the idea of the Football Exchange, one of the big things I wanted to provide managers in contrast to FPL was flexibility. Football Exchange allows you to build a squad of anywhere between 1 and 11 players and with unlimited transfers available each game week, you're never locked into a decision for long. That makes taking a chance on a budget option far less risky than it might first appear.
If a cheap player establishes themselves as a starter, hits a run of form or benefits from changing circumstances within their squad, there can be significant profit to be gained. And if it doesn't work out? Simply sell and move on to another option, quite possibly at or close to the price you originally paid.
Keep monitoring the pre-season developments, stay flexible with your squad building, and remember the profit opportunities are out there for those who spot them first.
Read @blanchy's the launch blog here to better understand how to play Football Exchange
https://peakd.com/hive-115814/@sportsblock/the-football-exchange-is-now-live
