Before gameweek nine, a particular Fantasy Premier League Conundrum will be faced by FPL managers. Is it time to drop Son Heung-min and/or Harry Kane? They are the highest-scoring assets on Fantasy Premier League so far this season. So, it might seem crazy to even consider selling them. However, this could be the right time to drop the Tottenham Hotspur duo.
Fantasy Premier League: Is it the Right Time to Sell Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane?
Form v Fixtures
The classic FPL debate about form versus fixtures is raging during this International break. Many FPL managers own both assets, with around 60% owning the South Korean and around 45% owning the English striker. Tottenham have seven tricky fixtures coming up starting with Manchester City on gameweek nine. So, what to do about them?
Tough Fixtures on the Horizon
Spurs will face City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the next seven gameweeks. José Mourinho’s side will also have midweek Europa League matches in between those fixtures to contend with. So far, they have done well to cope with that schedule but things are about to get tougher for them with harder fixtures.
With three teams locked on six points each in Group J of the Europa League, Tottenham cannot take things lightly there just as yet. Mourinho has not rested his most potent duo completely in the last two Europa League matches. So, it is safe to assume that Son and Kane will probably be at least part of the squad for most of the remaining Europa League matches.
Fatigue is likely to catch up with them and the rest of the squad. It is not beyond them to win the tough matches as they have already shown by winning big at Manchester United. Spurs have defeated Manchester City on their last two visits to North London. Son scored in both those victories. On the other hand, Kane is one of the best strikers in the world and with his astonishing assist tally this season, he is going from strength to strength. However, the favourable fixtures of other premium FPL assets certainly complicate matters.
Other Premium Options
During Tottenham’s tough run, Manchester City will enjoy a very nice set of fixtures. On the other hand, Leicester City and Manchester United also have decent fixtures whereas in-form Chelsea also enjoy reasonable fixtures. It is perhaps more tempting to sell Son than Kane as there are so many great midfield options around.
Replacements for Son Heung-min
To start, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling face Burnley, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion in the next five gameweeks. These are three of the worst sides in the division at the moment and Manchester City will face all three at the Etihad. Then, there is Bruno Fernandes, who generally does better away from home. He has great potential to do well in four of the next five gameweeks. On the other hand, Hakim Ziyech has been consistent in recent matches for Chelsea and is available at a cheaper price as well. You can only have five midfielders and Mohamed Salah seems undroppable. With the available units, it is near impossible to fit in more than two premium midfielders. So, the temptation to sell Son is there for sure.
Replacements for Harry Kane
In Gabriel Jesus, FPL managers have found an option to consider replacing Kane with. The Brazillian returned from injury last week with a great goal against Liverpool. Jamie Vardy is perhaps a better option as he is the designated penalty-taker and has scored eight goals already this season. Leicester City will face Fulham, Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion from gameweek ten to 12. These fixtures look tempting when you consider the fixtures for Kane during that time. Last but certainly not least, Timo Werner looks to have settled in nicely at Chelsea and could be a great option if one decides to replace the England forward. The only caveat is that the German seems to be playing on the left these days with Tammy Abraham deployed as the striker. That has not stopped Werner from scoring four goals in the last four matches though.
For attacking players, form is perhaps more important than fixtures. Many players in form can score goals even against the best teams. However, the importance of fixtures cannot be over-stated. While choosing between two premium players, one has to imagine the best possible outcome. There is a greater possibility of De Bruyne and Sterling scoring more than ten FPL points at home to Burnley than Son away at Chelsea. Similarly, one has to fancy Bruno Fernandes at home to West Brom more than Son against Manchester City.
Should Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane Be Sold?
So, it is possibly a decent call to sell Son for one of the options mentioned. Even if the Korean scores, it is probably unlikely he will get a double-digit score in any of the tougher matches. Besides, it is unlikely that anyone would captain him in those matches as well. On the other hand, De Bruyne, Sterling and Bruno Fernandes are solid captain picks during that time. Son has also blanked in the last two weeks so that might make the decision easier.
However, Harry Kane is a slightly different issue. He has scored in the last two matches, has a great assist-record this season and is the designated penalty-taker. Also, he has a wonderful record against Arsenal and Leicester City. Only Werner, Vardy and Jesus are his possible replacements at around the same value. It is difficult to see them doing too much better than Kane.
The only way one could maximise selling Kane would be to get a cheap striker like Che Adams, Patrick Bamford or Ollie Watkins and fitting in another premium midfielder. A midfield of Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Hakim Ziyech, Jack Grealish and De Bruyne or Sterling would look great. However, with that setup, one cannot bring Kane back in without taking a hit.
Fantasy Premier League Conundrum ‘Is it the Right Time to Sell Son and Kane?’- Verdict
Keep or sell, any decision has the possibility of coming back to haunt FPL managers. However, considering the quality of the replacements and the fixtures, it seems Son is the more suitable candidate to be sold than Harry Kane who could still serve FPL managers quite well.
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