5 must-avoid panic FPL transfers ahead of GW 5

The Fantasy Premier League 2025/26 season is well underway, with the first four gameweeks already in the books. In this period, while some players have shone bright, others have disappointed massively. As a lot of managers are wondering which players to transfer in and transfer out ahead of the upcoming gameweek, I'm here to discuss some of the panic FPL transfers to avoid before FPL Gameweek 5. To support my argument, I have also resorted to using Sportsdunia’s exclusive FPL Difficulty Ratings and FPL Points Predictor tools.

FPL Panic Transfers to Avoid for Gameweek 5 (Transfers Out)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Manchester United’s bad time isn’t going away at all, as they have started the new season in another poor way. Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes is a valuable FPL player who recorded 165+ FPL points in four out of the last five seasons.

But just like Man United, Bruno is also struggling to produce strong FPL points. Apart from scoring a late match-winning goal from a penalty against Burnley, Fernandes has no direct goal involvement in the first four games of the season. While his FPL valuation is £9.0m, he has generated 16 FPL points, including 10 points during the match against Burnley.

The next three games are going to be crucial for the Red Devils, especially for the manager Ruben Amorim, as his future in the club is at risk at the moment. Now, Man United will face Chelsea, Brentford, and Sunderland in the next three Premier League fixtures. Although the FPL midfielder Bruno Fernandes' valuation is really high, he should get at least one more chance after the harsh beginning to the season.

Hugo Ekitiké (Liverpool)

Liverpool’s new signing, Hugo Ekitiké, managed a bright start in his Premier League career, as he recorded two goals and one assist at the end of the second game of the new PL season. Starting with the FPL valuation of £8.5m, Ekitiké has quickly moved to the valuation of £8.8m. However, in the last two games against Arsenal and Burnley, he failed to add any performance points in the FPL. Surely, with the valuation of £8.8m, there may be some panic regarding him, as some managers may target him as the next FPL transfer out. However, the Reds’ next two fixtures are against Everton and Crystal Palace, where the French striker can prove himself once again. So, it may not be the right time to put him in the FPL transfers out bag.

Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

New Zealand forward Chris Wood is a key name for Nottingham Forest, who recorded 200 FPL points last season, while the forward also has experience of 130+ FPL points for several seasons. If he stays fit, he generally performs consistently.

Starting with a £7.5m FPL valuation, Wood scored twice against Brentford in their new PL season opener, but then he failed to record any direct goal involvement in the last three fixtures, as his FPL valuation fell from £7.7m to £7.6m. However, it is still not a panic time to transfer him out, especially when Forest will now face promoted teams Burnley and Sunderland in their next two PL fixtures. He is my strong recommendation for the FPL Gameweek 5 tips.

FPL Panic Transfers to Avoid for Gameweek 5 (Transfers In)

Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal)

As a defensive midfielder, Arsenal's new signing Martín Zubimendi had an ordinary start in the first three matches of the Premier League 2025/26 season. Talking about his FPL points from match performances in those three games, he only contributed two defensive contribution points from the season opener by recording 12 CBIRT.

While Zubimendi was facing massive negative FPL transfers before the fourth gameweek, as his FPL valuation went down from £5.5m to £5.4m, he stunned in the fourth gameweek by recording the highest FPL points in the gameweek with 16 FPL points. It was Arsenal’s home match against Nottingham Forest, which the Gunners won 3-0 after Zubimendi scored a brace.

While some managers may be excited about Martín Zubimendi’s latest performance, it is necessary to remember that he is a defensive midfielder. While I can expect defensive contributions from him regularly, a defensive midfielder is generally not a good choice for regular scoring ability.

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Yes, it is definitely a shocking name in this list because the Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is in good form while recording the highest FPL points at the moment, which is 37 FPL points. The Norwegian has recorded five goals in this Premier League season, while he scored at least one goal in three out of the first four matches of the season, including scoring a brace twice. However, the main issue is his FPL value, which is presently £14.1m. If he fails to bring match performance points in a game, it hurts hugely for his managers, and Manchester City will now face Arsenal in the upcoming FPL Gameweek 5, so putting £14.1m of fresh risk on him can backfire for the FPL managers. Also, need to remember, unlike Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (£14.5m), Haaland can't enjoy either one extra point for a goal or one extra point for a clean sheet.

Here, I am talking about the managers who haven't selected Haaland yet, so there's no need to worry about those 35+ per cent of managers who are moving with him from the early period of the season.