Foden or Cherki for FPL GW8? Minutes, Price and Semenyo Replacements

GW8 archive: The prices and recommendations below describe the earlier GW8 decision, not the current deadline. For GW9, read Foden or Cherki: who to pick and who to hold, updated with the cup workload and subsequent squad news.

Data checks: Official FPL purchase prices, availability flags, fixtures and the GW8 deadline rechecked on 22 October 2026 at 06:01 UTC (07:01 BST), with no change to the figures below. GW7 match records were checked at 02:17 UTC; they are historical results, not a new match update.

If you need to replace Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden looks the more appealing fresh buy than Rayan Cherki at the current prices. The harder question is whether your squad can absorb a Manchester City midfielder missing a start.

Foden's lower cost strengthens his case. Cherki owners, however, have a different decision from managers buying either player for the first time. Selling a fit player to chase his teammate can use a transfer you need elsewhere.

Our approach for GW8: lean towards Foden for a new City midfield purchase, keep Cherki decisions squad-specific, and consider Pedro Neto if you want to move away from City's selection uncertainty. None is a guaranteed starter.

Foden vs Cherki: the numbers that matter

All three are FPL midfielders. Foden and Cherki are Manchester City players; Neto plays for Chelsea. Prices come from the official FPL player list, with minutes and points checked against the GW7 scoring data.

Foden costs £1.2m less than Cherki. That is useful flexibility if the saving improves another starter or leaves money for your next move. It is not proof that he will score more points.

One league match is also a thin basis for judging their longer-term minutes. Foden's 76 minutes provide recent starting evidence. Cherki's zero tells us he did not feature in GW7, not that he is permanently out of the team.

Foden's recent absence also included a three-match suspension, so his season minutes should not be read purely as evidence of rotation. Manchester City's update

What the Champions League changed

Foden scored a hat-trick and Cherki also scored in City's 5–1 win over AEK Athens on 20 October. Both started, and neither is listed among City's substitutions in the official match report.

That gives both players a positive performance to build on. It does not settle the Aston Villa selection. City made eight changes from their previous league starting XI, so the European lineup itself demonstrates how substantially the team can change.

For FPL, separate attacking performance from expected playing time. You can like Foden's finishing and price while still budgeting for a benching. You can acknowledge Cherki's goal without assuming that his GW7 absence has become irrelevant.

The practical test is simple: if your new midfielder does not start, can your squad cope? A playing substitute helps with a complete absence. It does not protect you from a short cameo that keeps that substitute on the bench.

Does Semenyo's injury make either player secure?

No. It creates a vacancy without telling us exactly how City will fill it.

City confirmed that Semenyo suffered a knee injury against Ipswich. Enzo Maresca estimated an absence of roughly eight weeks, while the FPL player list still records an unknown return date. Treat the timeframe as an estimate, not a confirmed comeback appointment. City's injury update

For most owners, an injury of that expected length makes replacement more sensible than reserving a starting midfield slot for him. A stronger bench may let you delay the transaction until the latest team news, rather than force an early move.

Do not translate his absence into an automatic run of starts for one teammate. A manager can alter personnel and shape, and the next selection still needs checking.

Three Semenyo replacement routes

1. Foden: the cheaper City route

Foden is our first option of the two City midfielders for a new purchase, conditional on no fresh fitness concerns before the deadline.

The attraction is the combination of price and recent involvement. The risk is paying for attacking potential without owning a settled minutes pattern. This route suits a manager who wants City exposure and has enough cover to accept that uncertainty.

2. Cherki: a more expensive alternative

Cherki remains an option, but a fresh buyer needs a reason to spend the extra £1.2m. His European goal alone does not establish that he offers more reliable league minutes than Foden.

If you already own him, the calculation changes. Holding can be reasonable when your squad has more urgent problems. A move to Foden is easier to justify when the released cash enables a specific improvement, rather than simply following the latest headline.

3. Neto: move outside City

Neto offers a lower-priced alternative at £6.5m. His full GW7 appearance is useful recent evidence, but buying after a 15-point return still requires looking beyond that single result. Official GW7 data

Chelsea are not participating in Europe this season, removing one source of midweek workload from this comparison. That does not guarantee Neto's starts or exclude rotation for other reasons. Chelsea's season briefing

Check the fixtures and your actual budget

These are the current official FPL fixtures, subject to schedule changes. Neither route should be reduced to a promise of easy points.

Semenyo's listed purchase price is £8.3m, but your selling price can differ. Check the amount your own transfer screen releases before planning a second move. Foden being £1.5m cheaper than Semenyo's market price does not mean every owner receives £1.5m to spend.

Buy, hold or wait: our GW8 verdict

• Buying a City midfielder: lean Foden at the checked prices, provided you can tolerate rotation.
• Already own Foden: there is no clear reason here to spend a transfer switching to Cherki.
• Already own Cherki: check urgent injuries first. Consider Foden if the saving improves the wider team; do not treat the switch as compulsory.
• Replacing Semenyo: compare Foden with Neto before committing. Cherki needs a stronger budget-and-minutes case at his higher price.
• Considering a points hit: calculate the whole move. A hat-trick in another competition is not enough on its own to justify a deduction.

The GW8 deadline is Friday 23 October at 18:30 BST, equivalent to Saturday 24 October at 01:30 in Singapore. Official deadline

Recheck club updates and your transfer budget before then. Our preference is Foden for a new City purchase, with room for that judgement to change if the final team news changes the minutes outlook.

Also considering an Arsenal transfer? Read our Saka hold, sell or replace guide. Check your available budget with the selling-price calculator.