Bournemouth and Aston Villa Assets to Consider for Gameweek 9
The fixtures are turning, the template is wobbling, and suddenly Bournemouth and Aston Villa assets are no longer just differentials – they’re right at the heart of the conversation.
This next stretch, starting with Bournemouth’s home clash against Leeds in Gameweek 9, looks primed for managers willing to lean into form and fixtures rather than badge value alone.
Tavernier leads the Bournemouth charge
If you’re going into Bournemouth, Marcus Tavernier at £6.4m is the standout pick.
He’s not just a name quietly ticking along in midfield. His recent performances have dragged him into the spotlight, combining direct goal threat with genuine creativity. Corners, set-pieces, involvement in open play – he offers multiple routes to points, and that’s gold at his price.
With that appealing run of fixtures on the horizon, he feels like the sort of player you bring in now and let ride for several weeks.
Up front, Evanilson at £6.2m is the budget forward who suddenly makes a lot of squads work. He’s not an elite, every-minute talisman, but he doesn’t need to be. What matters is opportunity, and this schedule should hand him enough chances to justify his price. If you want a cheaper way into Bournemouth’s attack, he’s the one that makes the puzzle fit.
At the back, Antonio Silva at £5.0m is the defender of choice. Strong defensively, involved enough to justify the outlay, he offers a solid route into Bournemouth’s back line. But this isn’t a side you necessarily want to triple up on. One or two well-chosen picks, yes. A full stack? That’s a different level of risk.
Jackson’s form puts him back on the map
Nicolas Jackson at £6.7m has forced his way back into the conversation with four goals in his last four Premier League matches.
He looks far more settled now at Aston Villa, sharper in his movement, more ruthless in front of goal. For managers scanning that congested mid-price forward bracket, he’s an increasingly attractive alternative.
Villa’s home game against Fulham in Gameweek 9 marks the start of a very kind run of fixtures. It’s exactly the sort of spell where a confident forward can explode.
There is a caveat. His minutes. With Villa juggling Champions League commitments and promising young striker Brian Madjo (£5.4m) returning from injury, there’s always the risk Jackson is hooked early. That threat won’t go away.
But when you weigh his price against his recent form and the upcoming schedule, he still lands firmly in the “worth considering” category. You’re betting on impact over absolute security.
Haaland remains the captaincy giant
Erling Haaland at £15.7m is still the captaincy king.
Manchester City’s first Premier League defeat of the season hasn’t changed that. Nor did Aston Villa’s resistance in Gameweek 8, because Haaland still found the net. He remains the player most likely to deliver the biggest points haul in any given match.
You don’t have to hand him the armband every single week. There will be moments to roll the dice elsewhere. But right now, he is the only truly reliable premium asset in the game, and that status matters when you’re planning transfers and structure.
Joao Pedro becomes an easy sell
Joao Pedro at £7.8m, though, has moved firmly into “sell” territory.
Xabi Alonso’s comments ruling him out for weeks have changed the picture. Some managers will be tempted to bench him, hold him, and hope for a swift return because, when fit, he’s one of the most explosive forwards in the game.
The problem is uncertainty. No clear timeline, no guarantee. That’s a lot of money to park on the bench with so many live options emerging.
And those mid-priced forwards are genuinely appealing right now. Jackson and Evanilson are in form and backed by strong fixtures. Dominic Calvert-Lewin at £6.1m, Thierno Barry at £5.6m, and Alexander Isak at £9.1m, if your budget allows, all offer credible alternatives. The market is rich; you don’t need to sit on an injured asset and hope.
Time up for Cherki?
Rayan Cherki at £8.0m looks like another sacrifice waiting to happen.
The talent is obvious. That’s not in question. But Fantasy is a game of minutes as much as magic, and his game time is becoming a serious concern. Subbed at half-time against Aston Villa in Gameweek 8, and already struggling for consistent minutes before that, he’s becoming a luxury that’s hard to justify.
If you’re paying that much for a midfielder, you want someone who regularly plays 80–90 minutes, not a player you’re nervously checking the team sheet for every week.
Dropping down to someone like Tavernier not only offers a more reliable starter, it also frees up funds to strengthen other parts of your squad. Cherki can absolutely punish sellers if he starts and hauls. That’s the risk. But right now, the smarter play looks to be backing a midfielder with secure minutes and a clear role.
For many managers, it feels like it’s time to sell – and commit fully to the form, fixtures, and reliability that could define the next few gameweeks.
