Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 28: Justin Kluivert and Chris Wood among strong options

DREAM TEAM managers have until the leisurely time of 1:30pm this Saturday to confirm their transfers for Gameweek 28.

The first thing to note is that Aston Villa and Crystal Palace will BLANK this coming Gameweek, prompting many gaffers to ditch the likes of Morgan Rogers (£3.9m) and Ollie Watkins (£5.2m)

GettyVilla do not have a fixture in Gameweek 28[/caption]

When deciding upon your transfers, it might be wise to also take Gameweek 29 into account.

That’s a while away yet as there’s an international break to endure first but you should be aware of the fact there are just five teams with three fixtures to fulfil across the next two Gameweeks.

And it’s this point of interest that informs our latest transfer recommendations.

Chris Wood (£3.9m)

18 goals and countingGetty

Nottingham Forest are due to play Ipswich, Brighton and Manchester United across the next two Gameweeks.

This weekend’s meeting with the Tractor Boys has to be considered a favourable match-up for the big New Zealand striker, statistically the most clinical finisher (measured by performance against xG) in the Premier League this season.

Wood has scored 18 goals in 2024/25, a tally only bettered by Mohamed Salah (£8m), Erling Haaland (£8.1m) and Alexander Isak (£6.4m).

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side beat Manchester City last time out and they could make mincemeat of an opponent 15 places below them in the table this Saturday.

Wood isn’t guaranteed to start against the Seagulls after the break as Taiwo Awoniyi (£2.2m) has led the line in the previous FA Cup games but the former may get some bonus minutes off the bench before reclaiming his spot in the starting XI against the Red Devils.

Justin Kluivert (£3.9m)

ReutersA midfielder in fine form[/caption]

Bournemouth’s No19 has amassed 200 points via 13 goals and seven assists this season.

12 of those goal involvements have come in his last 11 appearances.

The Dutchman is due to face Brentford this Saturday before taking on Man City (FA Cup) and Ipswich (Premier League) in Gameweek 29.

The Cherries have the benefit of three consecutive home games across the next two Gameweeks.

Kluivert is a particularly appealing Dream Team asset as Bournemouth’s first-choice penalty taker.

Josko Gvardiol (£4.3m)

GettyGvardiol poses a goal threat[/caption]

Pep Guardiola’s side have found clean sheets hard to come by throughout this uncharacteristically average season.

Even so, City’s Croatian left-back ranks seventh among defenders with 188 points to his name.

This is mainly because of the attacking threat Gvardiol poses in the final third.

No Dream Team defender has scored more goals than the 23-year-old at this late stage of the campaign – he also ranks joint-third for shots on target and joint-seventh for bonus points in his position.

City host an in-form Brighton this weekend before a potentially tricky trip to Bournemouth in the FA Cup but a home game against relegation-bound Leicester in Gameweek 29 sweetens the deal.

Many Dream Team bosses will be on the hunt for a defender after Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) suffered an injury against PSG and Gvardiol might fit the bill.

Joao Pedro (£3.7m)

Joao Pedro’s penalties are a bonusGetty

Brighton’s No9 is statistically the most in-form forward in the game right now having banked 44 points from his last four outings.

This fruitful run has included three goals and two assists.

Like Kluivert, Pedro benefits from being his side’s penalty taker, a very good one at that.

In terms of match-ups, the Seagulls’ next two Gameweeks are far from favourable – Man City (a), Nottingham Forest (h), Aston Villa (h) – but Fabian Hurzeler’s side have won six games in a row in all competitions.

Pedro currently features in just 1.3% of teams.

Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]