{"id":2086,"date":"2025-08-26T19:53:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T17:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2025-08-26T19:53:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T17:53:43","slug":"fpl-gameweek-3-transfer-tips-forwards-midfielders-and-who-to-hold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/2025\/08\/26\/fpl-gameweek-3-transfer-tips-forwards-midfielders-and-who-to-hold\/","title":{"rendered":"FPL Gameweek 3 Transfer Tips: Forwards, Midfielders, and Who to Hold"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Gameweek 2 has given us plenty to think about. We\u2019ve already seen early price rises, some surprise performances, and a number of popular picks who\u2019ve started slowly. As we head into Gameweek 3, the big question is who to bring in, who to hold, and who to move on. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forwards Around \u00a37.5m: Pedro, Wood, or Mateta?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of managers are hunting for a forward in the \u00a37.5m bracket. The three names leading the conversation are&nbsp;<strong>Jo\u00e3o Pedro (7.6m), Chris Wood (7.7m), and Jean-Philippe Mateta (7.5m).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jo\u00e3o Pedro<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pedro absolutely smashed it in Gameweek 2 with three attacking returns. But let\u2019s not forget how Gameweek 1 looked: hooked on 72 minutes, no returns. His minutes are the main concern.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"936\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Joao-Pedro-1024x936.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2089\" style=\"width:440px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Joao-Pedro-1024x936.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Joao-Pedro-300x274.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Joao-Pedro-768x702.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Joao-Pedro.webp 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joao Pedro Profile from <a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If&nbsp;<strong>Cole Palmer is out<\/strong>&nbsp;for an extended period, Pedro becomes a much stronger pick. He could play in the number 10 role, remain first-choice striker, and maybe even get penalties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If Palmer is fine, Pedro is still decent, but expect the odd frustrating early sub.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Chelsea\u2019s fixtures are fine, not great. United away in GW5 and Liverpool at home in GW7 could be tricky, but Liverpool\u2019s defense currently looks open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chris Wood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Wood looks appealing, especially if you\u2019re considering a&nbsp;<strong>Free Hit in GW4.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>GW3: West Ham (H) \u2013 excellent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW4: Arsenal (A) \u2013 can be avoided with a Free Hit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW5: Burnley (A).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW6: Sunderland (H).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"943\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Chris-Wood-1024x943.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2090\" style=\"width:440px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Chris-Wood-1024x943.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Chris-Wood-300x276.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Chris-Wood-768x707.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Chris-Wood.webp 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joao Pedro Profile from <a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Those four look brilliant. Minutes seem secure for now, but with Europe coming, his long-term game time might be tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jean-Philippe Mateta<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mateta is quietly the cheapest of the three and arguably has the best run of fixtures if you\u2019re looking beyond the next four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>GW3: Villa (A).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW4: West Ham (A).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW5: Bournemouth (H).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GW7: Everton (A).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"931\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mateta-1024x931.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2091\" style=\"width:440px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mateta-1024x931.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mateta-300x273.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mateta-768x698.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mateta.webp 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mateta Profile from <a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Both Mateta and Wood are on penalties. The question marks lie with Palace\u2019s attack after losing Eze, but the fixtures are kind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Short-term: Chris Wood edges it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Longer-term: Mateta looks safer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jo\u00e3o Pedro could become the standout if Palmer is sidelined, but otherwise he feels riskier than his ownership suggests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Who\u2019s the best forward pick?<br><br>&#8211; If Palmer is out: Jo\u00e3o Pedro shoots up the rankings.<br>&#8211; Planning FH in GW4? Wood.<br>&#8211; FH in GW6? Mateta.<br>&#8211; Unsure? All 3 are viable. You might even consider 2 of them long-term.<\/p>&mdash; We Play FPL (@WePlayFPL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WePlayFPL\/status\/1960316310631354713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Midfield Dilemmas: Bowen and Wirtz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two popular names who haven\u2019t delivered yet:&nbsp;<strong>Jarrod Bowen (7.9m)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Florian Wirtz (8.4m).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jarrod Bowen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two blanks to start, price drop already.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fixtures: Forest (A), Spurs (H), Palace (H).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not sparkling form-wise, but he always plays 90 minutes and has been consistent in past seasons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to move him on, that\u2019s fine. But he\u2019s not a \u201cmust sell.\u201d Only move him if you\u2019ve got a second free transfer or a stronger priority like replacing an injured player.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"954\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jarrod-Bowen-1024x954.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2092\" style=\"width:440px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jarrod-Bowen-1024x954.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jarrod-Bowen-300x279.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jarrod-Bowen-768x715.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jarrod-Bowen.webp 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowen Profile from <a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Florian Wirtz<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of hype pre-season, but no goals or assists yet. He doesn\u2019t look especially threatening around the penalty area either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fixtures: Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Everton (H).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>His minutes are safe, and a benching in GW3 seems unlikely despite speculation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Bowen, he\u2019s not an urgent sell, but patience is wearing thin. The Arsenal fixture is tough, but selling before Burnley (A) feels risky.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"917\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wirtz-1024x917.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2093\" style=\"width:440px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wirtz-1024x917.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wirtz-300x269.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wirtz-768x688.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wirtz.webp 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wirtz Profile from <a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong>&nbsp;Both Bowen and Wirtz are holds if you have fires elsewhere. If you\u2019re restructuring or chasing form, moving them is reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Midfield Replacements: Who to Buy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are selling Wirtz, Palmer, or Saka, here are some strong options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Around \u00a38.0 &#8211; 7.0m<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cunha (8.0m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Excellent one-week punt vs Burnley (H). Could even be a cheeky captain shout. But beware: Man City (A) and Chelsea (H) follow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Semenyo (7.2m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Always shoots, plays close to 90 minutes, and has a strong run of fixtures. Could be a \u201cbuy and hold\u201d until your Wildcard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Morgan Rogers (7.0m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Fixtures are good, but he\u2019s wide rather than central. Hold if you already own him, but buying now feels less appealing than cheaper options.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Around \u00a36.5 &#8211; 6.6m<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sarr (6.5m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Nailed, good fixtures, huge differential under 5% ownership.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kudus (6.6m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Very popular, safe for minutes right now, and Spurs have good fixtures. Only slight worry is whether Spurs sign another winger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Budget Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tielemans (6.0m)<\/strong>\u00a0  Always starts, steady but not explosive. Safer as a filler, but Sarr and Kudus look more exciting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reijnders (5.7m)<\/strong>\u00a0  A Manchester City attacker for under \u00a36m. Inconsistent but the price is too good to ignore.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spurs Attackers: Which One?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Spurs are flying under Thomas Frank and many managers are eyeing up their attackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kudus (6.6m):<\/strong>&nbsp;The standout pick. Minutes look strong, and he\u2019s central to their attack.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brennan Johnson (7.0m):<\/strong>&nbsp;Gets great chances but minutes are less secure. A new signing could reduce his starts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Richarlison (6.7m):<\/strong>&nbsp;Currently starting as number nine, but Solanke will threaten his spot long term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong>\u00a0Kudus is the one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Forwards:<\/strong>&nbsp;Wood for the short term, Mateta for the longer run. Pedro if Palmer is out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Midfielders:<\/strong>\u00a0Bowen and Wirtz aren\u2019t urgent sells, but plenty of exciting options are emerging. Sarr and Kudus stand out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of those weeks where patience could pay off. But if you\u2019re itching to make a move, the \u00a36.5\u20137.5m midfield bracket is where the real value lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a> app<\/strong>\u00a0for transfer planning, player comparisons, and points predictions to give yourself the best chance of climbing the ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May your arrows be green. Happy managing!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FPL GW3 transfer tips: Best forwards, midfield gems, and who to hold or sell for the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2098,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-2086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fpl","tag-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2086"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2099,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions\/2099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}