Crystal Palace FPL Guide 2026/27

• DEFCON: centre-backs and full-backs who rack up tackles, blocks, clearances and interceptions now have a second scoring route beyond clean sheets.
• Fixtures: check Crystal Palace's opening run on the FPL fixture list and the GW1 preview above before locking premiums.
• Prices: every Crystal Palace price is on FPL prices : then play free on Gameweek Fantasy.
• Differentials: looking for a low-owned Crystal Palace pick? Check FPL Differentials.

Palace go into 2026/27 having genuinely been raided — Eze left for Arsenal in a £67.5m deal, and Lacroix followed him out the door to Chelsea for £52m, taking both the creative hub and the best defender with them. The one significant arrival heading the other way is Timber, in from Arsenal at £6.5m, a genuinely useful defensive-midfield option to offset some of what left. Mateta at £6.4m and Sarr at £6.3m still lead the squad, with Strand Larsen at £6.0m and McNeil at £5.4m (from Everton) the key attacking additions. Henderson is £5.0m in goal behind a defence where Tomiyasu (new from Arsenal), Mitchell, Mingueza, Sosa and Riad all cost £4.5m. With Lacroix gone and Daniel Muñoz off to Nottingham Forest, the rest of the defence caps out at £5.0m, led by Richards, Canvot and Khalaili.

• ↑ OUTEberechi Eze, To Arsenal for a reported £67.5m. Palace lose their No 10 and primary creator, the biggest single fantasy change at any club this summer.
• ↑ OUTMaxence Lacroix, To Chelsea for a reported £52m. Palace lose their premium defender, leaving no set-piece goal threat from the back.
• ↑ OUTBrennan Johnson, To Everton. Leaves a gap on the right wing that McNeil and Pino will compete to fill.
• ↑ OUTMarc Guéhi, To Manchester City. Palace's captain and best centre-back joins the defending runners-up.
• ↑ OUTDaniel Muñoz, To Nottingham Forest. Palace lose their only defender with genuine attacking upside, leaving the back line as pure enablers.
• ↓ INJurriën Timber, From Arsenal at £6.5m. Now the squad's most expensive player, and a real midfield upgrade once his role is settled.
• ↓ INDwight McNeil, From Everton at £5.4m. A proven Premier League set-piece deliverer who immediately slots in as the creative outlet from the left side.
• ↓ INTakehiro Tomiyasu, From Arsenal at £4.5m. Experienced right-back addition who adds defensive reliability to a back line that lost Andersen.
• ↓ INZavier Gozo, New signing. MID £5.0m. Budget midfield depth option — monitor for minutes before buying.

Mateta at £6.4m is the primary pick — first-choice centre-forward with penalty potential and the most direct route to a Palace goal. Sarr at £6.3m is the wide-attacking alternative, pace in transition and returns from counter-attacking situations. Timber at £6.5m is now technically the squad's most expensive player, worth watching once his role in Palace's midfield actually settles. With Lacroix sold and Muñoz gone to Forest, there's no premium option left in the back line itself — Palace's returns run mostly through Mateta and Sarr now.

Palace's defence is well priced for a side with genuine defensive structure. Mitchell, Mingueza, Sosa, Cardines and Riad all sit at £4.5m, with Richards, Canvot and Khalaili topping the group at £5.0m — the closest thing left to a premium option now that Muñoz has departed. Benítez at £4.5m and Matthews at £4.0m are budget goalkeeper cover behind Henderson at £5.0m.

Mateta works as a differential captain at home against bottom-half opposition, especially given the penalty duty — a route to points that doesn't depend on Palace actually playing well. Not a default armband, since their overall scoring volume trails the top sides, but a reasonable mid-price captaincy option when you're chasing rank.

Strand Larsen at £6.0m and McNeil at £5.4m are the low-ownership picks worth knowing, both with real goal and assist potential once they lock down starts. Pino and Wharton at £5.5m are the creative differentials, Wharton with the added set-piece duty. Nketiah, Uche and Esse (all around £5.0m) are the deeper punts worth tracking. Zavier Gozo, new at £5.0m, is the cheapest midfield addition — one to watch once he earns minutes.

The forward line is crowded — Mateta, Strand Larsen, Nketiah and Uche all fighting for one or two places, so anyone but the confirmed starter is a wasted slot. The midfield is just as deep, nine players priced £4.5-5.0m. I'd avoid Palace assets during away runs against top-half sides, where their counter-attacking approach produces fewer clear chances and clean sheets get scarce.