Three Cristiano Ronaldo alternatives for FPL managers to consider | OneFootball

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When it was announced that Cristiano Ronaldo would be returning to Manchester United at the end of August, FPL managers instantly flocked to try and work how out how to force him into their teams.

At £12.5m, he was always going to be an expensive asset to bring in to any FPL team but, when a trojan of world football becomes available, it’s difficult not to seriously flirt with the chance to make the most of his presence. As a result of almost half of fantasy football managers swooning over the Portuguese, his price has risen to a bulging £12.7m.

And he hasn’t disappointed those who have put their faith in his ability to perform at the highest level, even at the ripe old age of 36.

Two goals on his Red Devils debut against Newcastle set the tone for what is sure to come for the remainder of the season, and he then followed that up with a goal in United’s 2-1 away win at West Ham.

But while many Ronaldo owners will have him rubber-stamped as a mainstay in their teams for the rest of the campaign, some might be wondering whether his expensive price tag might be a bit too restrictive as the season progresses.

There are, of course, several other top-performing sharpshooters in the Premier League this season who cost significantly less than Ronaldo but have the potential to bring in just as many FPL points to managers looking for something a bit different.

After all, with a 48.2% ownership, owning the superstar isn’t going to give you much of an advantage over your fellow mini-league rivals, so perhaps it might be worth considering a love affair with a less owned, less attractive striker to deliver the goods?

Here’s a look at three Ronaldo alternatives to consider over the coming gameweeks as Man United prepare for a tough run of fixtures against the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City, and other potent strikers prepare for an attractive run of fixtures…

Romelu Lukaku - £11.6m

The Belgium international’s Chelsea homecoming was somewhat overshadowed by Ronaldo’s return to England, but the striker has been in similar form so far.

Three goals in four Premier League appearances shows that he’s going to be a hugely important focal point of Thomas Tuchel’s attack and at £11.6m, he’s just a little bit cheaper than Ronaldo for FPL managers.

That frees up £1.1m to reinvest elsewhere in your squad, which is a lot of FPL cash to spend on strengthening potentially weak areas.

After facing Manchester City (H) this weekend, the Blues enter a favourible run of fixtures against Southampton (H), Brentford (A), Norwich (H), Newcastle (A) and Burnley (H), and we’re expecting Lukaku to be amongst the goals in pretty much all of those fixtures.

Michail Antonio - £7.9m

The Jamaica international has already wrapped up West Ham’s record as the club’s highest scorer in Premier League history this season and having enjoyed a week’s break through suspension, will be raring to go again at Leeds on Saturday.

The forward has scored four goals provided four assists in four top-flight appearances this term, as well as earning eight FPL bonus points.

At just £7.9m, he’s a forward who isn’t just affordable but also incredibly reliable as a points scorer. As the Hammers’ only first-team striker – at least until January – he’s almost guaranteed to play every league game before the New Year.

West Ham’s next run of fixtures include Leeds (A), Brentford (H), Everton (A), Tottenham (H) and Aston Villa (A), and given the form of David Moyes’ side so far this term, you’d expect them to be as rampant as they have been in most of those games, with Antonio spearheading their attack.

Danny Ings - £7.9m

Ings’ arrival at Aston Villa caught everyone by surprise but he’s hit the ground running at Villa Park with two goals and two assists in his first five appearances in claret and blue.

At the same price as Michail Antonio (£7.9m), he’s another cost-effective option to consider if you’re looking for an FPL points scorer who is capable of casually slipping in the goals on a consistent basis.

Ings is no stranger to FPL managers, having been a superb alternative to expensive FPL strikers in recent seasons with Southampton, so this isn’t a gamble that some may initially think it is.

Villa do face Man United (A) and Tottenham (A) next, but then face Wolves (H), Arsenal (A), West Ham (H), Southampton (A), Brighton (H) and Crystal Palace (A) before the festive period, which provides Ings with plenty of opportunities to stick the ball in the onion bag several times and rewarding FPL managers for their trust in him.