The top ten most popular midfielders on the Telegraph’s 2014/15 Fantasy Football game.
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With the dawn of the 2014/15 Premier League season now well and truly on the horizon, fans of the popular Fantasy Football games will be readying their squads for the new campaign.
The Telegraph are one of a number of places to be running their own game, with a number of stats having been made available to prospective managers.
This includes the top ten most popular midfielders, as shown below, with all percentages correct at the time of writing.
10) Kevin Mirallas (Everton – 12.69%)
Despite often playing in a very advanced role for Everton, Belgian winger Kevin Mirallas is still classed as a midfield – with 12.69% of players hoping that investing £4m in him will reap rewards with both goals and assists.
9) Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur – 14.2%)
Danish attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen had an excellent debut season at White Hart Lane, and those who have spent £4.2m on him for the new season will be hoping that his contribution of both goals and assists for Spurs continues to rise.
8) Samir Nasri (Manchester City – 16.65%)
Despite having been snubbed by Didier Deschamps for the France World Cup squad, Samir Nasri had a fine season for Manchester City, persuading 16.65% of players to splash out £4.7m on his services for their teams.
7) Eden Hazard (Chelsea – 17.74%)
Perhaps a slightly surprisingly low percentage of 17.74% of players have invested £5.8m in Belgian attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, despite him being comfortably Chelsea’s most creative and dangerous attacking player last term.
6) Juan Mata (Manchester United – 21.51%)
Despite his first few months as a Manchester United player not going completely to plan, 21.51% of players have faith in Juan Mata to sparkle under the new management of Louis van Gaal, investing £5.1m on the Spaniard.
5) Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea – 21.6%)
New Chelsea signing Cesc Fabregas has proven even more popular than his teammate, Eden Hazard, with 21.6% of players spending £5.4m of their budget on a player who Chelsea fans will hope is able to quickly refind the form that he had with Arsenal last time he was in the Premier League.
4) Yaya Toure (Manchester City – 25.38%)
Manchester City’s superstar midfielder Yaya Toure was one of the Premier League’s most dangerous midfield performers last season – so it should be no surprise that 25.38% of Fantasy Football managers have backed him to do it again for a relatively reasonable £6m.
3) Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal – 26.89%)
Aaron Ramsey’s form at the start of the 2013/14 season made him one of the Premier League’s most dangerous goalscoring midfielders, with 26.89% of players having backed the Welshman to refind that form at a cost of £5m.
2) Raheem Sterling (Liverpool – 27.38%)
Liverpool’s exciting winger Raheem Sterling enjoyed a superb breakthrough season in 2013/14, and will be hoping to step up his influence after the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona. 27.38% of players have backed him to do just that, shelling out £4.8m of their budgets.
1) Ross Barkley (Everton – 34.04%)
Another young English attacking midfield star who made waves last season was Ross Barkley, with 34.04% of players backing him to continue stepping up his performances and hoping to land a bargain at £3.8m.