Arsenal Ban Players From Fantasy Premier League Transfers on Club

Arsenal have told their players to stop making Fantasy Premier League transfers involving the club, according to MAA_Gunner.

The club are reported to have 'told off' players and staff over FPL moves involving Arsenal, following Joao Pedro’s injury being leaked before Chelsea’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last month as Morgan Rogers’ brother was found to have sold the Brazilian. 

Arsenal had their own encounter last week too, as Christos Tzolis added himself into his side before he made his first Premier League start since suffering a hamstring injury on international duty.

Tzolis did not bring a single Arsenal player into his team this week though, despite playing his wildcard ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Hull City at the Emirates Stadium.

A wildcard allows FPL managers to make unlimited transfers in a single gameweek without a points deduction. It is usually used to overhaul a squad ahead of a favourable run of fixtures.

On paper, Arsenal assets would have been an obvious choice for the gameweek. Hull have struggled since winning promotion and are without a Premier League win since August, while Arsenal sit top of the table, three points clear after last weekend's win at Liverpool. Arteta's side have also been among the league's strongest defensive teams this season, making their defenders popular picks in the game.

Tzolis was not the only one to steer clear. Another member of Arsenal's staff also made changes to their team without bringing in any Arsenal players.

Many FPL managers closely follow the teams of professional players and staff, looking for hints on team news, injuries and rotation. A player bringing in a teammate, or leaving one out, could be read as an indication of who will or will not feature, information Arteta infamously guards closely before a match.

That is particularly relevant at Arsenal right now, given the uncertainty surrounding team selection. Bukayo Saka remains sidelined, Max Dowman is suspended, and William Saliba is pushing for his first appearance of the season after returning to the matchday squad in Prague. Mikel Arteta also confirmed on Friday that Ezri Konsa is fit after being substituted as a precaution in midweek.

Tzolis signed from Club Brugge in the summer as Arsenal's only senior wide signing, following the departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. He then missed several weeks with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty, before returning to the squad for the trip to Anfield.

Professional footballers are not prohibited from playing Fantasy Premier League, and many do so openly. However, clubs can set their own rules on what players share publicly, particularly where team news is involved.

For Tzolis, it means his wildcard team will be without any of his own teammates for Hull's visit, regardless of how well Arsenal perform on Saturday afternoon.