The Hard Tackle lists the five best budget buys to consider to bring into your team heading into FPL Gameweek 33 of the 2025/26 season.
FPL managers breathe a little easier when the fixture‑compass points towards a Double Gameweek, and Gameweek 33 is exactly that kind of breath‑of‑fresh‑air moment. Six teams are packing two fixtures this time out, and that tiny quirk of the fixture list is where the real business of the game happens: not just for the stars, but for the overlooked budget assets chipping away in the background.
Budget buys are the glue that lets you chase differentials without blowing your bank, and this week a handful of players quietly flying under the radar are worth serious attention. The key, of course, is striking a balance between price and risk. The core idea in Gameweek 33 is to load on players whose price‑to‑expected points ratio is skewed in your favour: they are cheap enough to free up funds for the premium buys, but not so mispriced that they are a liability disguised as a bargain.
Then there is the context of the fixtures themselves. Some teams are easing up, some are scrapping for survival, and that differential in intent shows up quickly in goals, assists, and defensive contribution points. This is especially true for Leeds United, Bournemouth, and Brighton & Hove Albion, three sides whose players cluster in the budget range but are suddenly thrust into intriguing run‑ins.
With all of that in mind, let us zero in on five players who embody that sweet spot: low price, solid underlying output, and fixtures that make them feel like almost compulsory adds for Gameweek 33. Each of them sits in a slightly different role and price bracket, but the common thread is that they’re all capable of quietly outperforming their price tags over the next few days.
James Hill: Bournemouth, £4.2m
James Hill is the kind of defender who does not demand headlines to make you richer. At Bournemouth, he has carved out a place in the starting XI as a solid, no‑nonsense defender who sticks around for 90 minutes more often than not. He offers a quiet, reliable drip‑feed of points without the heart‑attack‑style variance. This season, the youngster has scooped DEFCON points in almost every single outing, underlining just how well his defensive workload translates into FPL returns.
Then there is the Double Gameweek. Bournemouth face Newcastle United and Leeds United in Gameweek 33, giving Hill two bites at the cherry within a tight window. The Magpies are far from a free‑gift defensive opponent, but Leeds United’s attacking output has been patchy enough that a clean sheet or two is not a fantasy‑universe pipe dream.
Priced at just £4.2m, Hill is currently undercutting plenty of higher‑value defenders who offer less week‑to‑week security; his recent stretch of fixtures has already produced close to 60 points across 10 appearances, which is a strong haul for a sub‑£4.5m defender. For budget‑constrained sides, he represents a low‑drama, high‑probability plug‑in who can carry you through the next two fixtures and beyond.
Jaka Bijol: Leeds United, £4.6m
Leeds United have not been a fortress this season, but they have been a lot more stable than their final league position might suggest. In Jaka Bijol, they have found a centre‑back who has quietly settled into the backline and started to look like a genuine long‑term option rather than a stop‑gap.
The Slovenian defender’s role is simple: keep things tight, mop up crosses, and try to avoid the kind of individual errors that can cost a defender double figures in one afternoon. In that context, his defensive stats have been encouraging, and his underlying numbers have begun to catch the eye of FPL‑oriented analysts.
That steady form is why Bijol stands out as a compelling budget pick for Gameweek 33. Leeds host Wolves at Elland Road before travelling to Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, completing their own DGW arc. At £3.9m, Bijol is slightly pricier than some of the ultra‑budget options, but he comes with a higher ceiling than a pure “desperate‑to‑fill‑a‑spot” defender. For managers who want a defensive option that feels like a long‑term addition rather than a one‑week‑only punt, he fits the bill.
Diego Gomez: Brighton & Hove Albion, £4.9m
Diego Gomez is one of those understated midfielders who does a little bit of everything. Since arriving at Brighton, he has been deployed in multiple roles across the middle of the park, from a deep‑lying presence to a more advanced box‑to‑box operator. That versatility means he can pick up points in different ways: through defensive contributions when he is sitting deeper, and through goals and assists when given licence to push forward.
Over the course of the season, he has already shown an eye for a crucial pass, and his defensive workload has translated into several DEFCON‑point outings, which is rare for a player straddling the midfield line. In Gameweek 33, Brighton’s double fixtures are particularly tantalising. The Seagulls visit Tottenham at home and then host Chelsea, facing two sides whose seasons have been defined by inconsistency rather than relentless ruthlessness.
At £4.9m, he is a cheap “fills‑the‑bench” option and still priced well below the mid‑tier stars who don’t offer the same level of defensive safety. His recent points tally is modest but steady, and his ability to slot into multiple roles gives him a stronger chance of clocking minutes in both fixtures. For managers who want a mid‑price midfielder with a touch of defensive security, he is a smarter long‑term bet than a pure attacking £4.9m punt.
Marcus Tavernier: Bournemouth, £5.4m
Marcus Tavernier is Bournemouth’s engine: not a box‑of‑tricks showman, but someone who shows up with work rate, a bit of creativity, and enough attacking intent to keep FPL managers watching. Across his recent appearances, he has built up a respectable number of chances created and touches in advanced areas, and his goal‑threat, while modest, is backed up by a decent underlying xG.
That is the kind of profile that can pay off heavily in a Double Gameweek, where even a small uptick in involvement can translate into a double‑digit haul. In Gameweek 33, Bournemouth stand to benefit from a double dip that looks deceptively kind on paper. At £5.4m, Tavernier is not the cheapest midfielder around, but he is priced at a point where you can still afford to load him up if you are planning for the next few weeks rather than a one‑off surge.
His recent points profile suggests an average of around 4-5 points per game, which is solid for a £5.4m asset, and his creative workload has been climbing as he has taken on more responsibility in the middle of the park. For FPL managers who still have a bit of budget to spare and want a mid‑price midfielder with double‑game potential, he ticks almost all the boxes.
Eli Junior Kroupi: Bournemouth, £4.6m
Eli Junior Kroupi is the kind of young forward who makes managers feel like they are getting in on a transfer market secret before the rest of the world notices. The French teenager has already been linked with clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and several other bigwigs across Europe, a testament to the combination of explosive pace, a clinical edge, and a remarkably high scoring record in his previous spell in Ligue 2.
At Bournemouth, he has been eased into first‑team football with flashes of real promise, slotting in behind the main strike options and occasionally grabbing starts when form or fitness require a shake‑up. In Gameweek 33, the fixture list is practically tailor‑made for a player like Kroupi. Facing Wolves and Leeds in a DGW schedule gives him two opportunities to exploit space against compact, sometimes overzealous defences.
At £4.6m, Kroupi is one of the cheapest forward options in the game, but his upside is far higher than that price tag suggests. His transfer value at the club market level already sits in the mid‑teens per euro, which indicates that scouts and clubs see a lot more than a bit‑part attacker. For FPL managers willing to gamble on a youngster with genuine top‑club interest, Kroupi is a low‑cost, high‑potential pick who could reward that faith with a double‑digit haul over the next few days.
FPL Budget Transfer Recommendations at a glance
| Player | Club | Opponent (DGW 33) | Main appeal (price) | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Hill | Bournemouth | vs Newcastle (A), vs Leeds (H) | £4.2m, secure DEFCON asset | Low–Medium |
| Jaka Bijol | Leeds | vs Wolves (H), vs Bournemouth (A) | £3.9m, nailed starter | Medium |
| Diego Gomez | Brighton | vs Spurs (A), vs Chelsea (H) | £4.9m, versatile mid | Medium |
| Marcus Tavernier | Bournemouth | vs Newcastle (A), vs Leeds (H) | £5.4m, creative mid | Medium |
| Eli Junior Kroupi | Bournemouth | vs Wolves, vs Leeds (DGW) | £4.6m, high‑ceiling forward | Medium–High |
Honourable mentions
For every player who gets the spotlight, there are a handful more lurking in the shadows and quietly building cases for inclusion. In Gameweek 33, names like Adrien Truffert, Ferdi Kadioglu, Neco Williams, Elliot Anderson, Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall, Rayan Cherki, Yankuba Minteh, Igor Jesus, Danny Welbeck, and Evanilson all merit at least a raised eyebrow from managers unsure where to spend their last few pounds.
Each of them offers something slightly different, but none of them quite match the price‑to‑value proposition of the five highlighted above. Still, in a game where the margins are so fine, a well‑timed punt on one of these lesser‑loved names can be just as rewarding as playing it safe.
