Édouard Mendy’s Double Gameweek is driving several of the biggest decisions ahead of Saudi Fantasy Round 12. Managers are weighing him as both a transfer target and a captain, but two fixtures alone don’t settle the call: the expected lineup and the timing of late team news still matter. Several managers are keeping their plans open until closer to the deadline.
Ivan Toney is another focal point. One manager is bringing him straight back after selling him last round, while another is considering a move to add him up front. Those choices show how quickly a single round can reshape a squad’s priorities. Here’s how five Fantasy managers are approaching the round.
Waleed Khokhar: Toney returns, Neves captains
@DrWaleedKhokhar scored 68 points in Round 11 but slipped in rank. Selling Toney didn’t work out, so he’s replacing George Ilenikhena with the forward. Hugo Moura also comes in for Francisco Trincão. The moves address two positions, though the Toney switch is also a reversal of a decision made only one round earlier.
Marcin Bułka stays in goal despite uncertainty over whether he’ll start; a reserve goalkeeper is available if needed. Nawaf Boushal, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, Malang Sarr and Kalidou Koulibaly remain in defence. The midfield features João Félix, Crysencio Summerville, Rúben Neves, Julián Quiñones and Moura, with Toney leading the attack. That gives Khokhar a clear first-choice plan, while the backup keeper offers some cover against the unresolved starting question.
Neves currently has the armband and Toney is vice-captain, though Khokhar says both choices could change before the deadline. Two different routes to points, then: a midfield captain and a forward waiting behind him. The final team news may decide which looks more attractive.
FPL Chubbs: Holding a transfer, with Mendy as captain
@FPL_Chubbs says four players missed out last round, while sticking with Ollie Watkins instead of switching to Toney also proved costly. The current plan is to sell Julián Quiñones for Toney after Al Qadsiah play Al Riyadh. Waiting for that match gives Chubbs more information before committing, though it also means the transfer decision is tied to the timing of the fixture.
For now, Chubbs expects to roll the free transfer, with the squad looking well placed. That’s a measured approach after a round in which several players were unavailable: preserving the move keeps another option open later. If Bruno Petković appears unlikely to feature, Andrei Girotto could come in instead. Mendy is set to captain the team for his Double Gameweek, a choice built around the extra fixture while the final squad remains subject to news.
Hassan Elolemy: Two transfers and the Two Captains chip
@hassanelolemy plans to move on from Mateo Retegui and Ollie Watkins, bringing in Mendy and Toney. The double change makes Mendy’s two fixtures central to the plan, while Toney provides the attacking replacement. He also intends to activate the Two Captains chip, naming Mendy and Andrei Girotto. The chip choice raises the stakes of the selection: both picks need to justify the commitment, and the team news remains relevant for each.
FPL Abdullah: Building on a 101-point round
@FPL_Abdullah enters Round 12 after a 101-point haul and another green arrow. His proposed transfers are Wilfried Kanga out for Mendy and Gabriel Martinelli out for Sergej Milinković-Savić. After a strong return, the challenge is sustaining momentum without treating one successful round as a guarantee of another.
Mendy is currently his leading captain choice because of the two fixtures, though the final call will come closer to the deadline. The priority is to keep climbing after a strong previous round. Here’s the thing: the Double Gameweek gives Mendy an obvious case, but a captain decision still depends on the expected contribution across both matches. The number of fixtures is a useful starting point, not a forecast by itself.
Dr Abdullah MRM: Several routes still open
@Dr_Abdullah_MRM is prioritising a sale of Daniel Podence. Nabil Fekir and Georges-Kévin Nkoudou top his replacement list; he could sign both if Steven Bergwijn looks unlikely to start. Julián Quiñones, João Félix, Artem Bondarenko and Théo Bongonda follow as midfield options. The breadth of the shortlist suggests this is still a conditional plan, with Bergwijn’s prospects influencing whether one or two midfield changes make sense.
Moussa Dembélé is also on the way out, with Mendy the preferred replacement. Gory, Darwin Núñez and Youssef En-Nesyri are alternatives. Possible defensive moves include Al Johani, Barnawi, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Hussain Al-Sibyani, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pedro; Leon is his goalkeeper suggestion for managers making a switch. That’s a wide set of possible routes, and it leaves room to react if the preferred targets or starting lineups don’t align.
Mendy leads his captaincy shortlist, ahead of Quiñones and Tijjani Reijnders. Cristiano Ronaldo, Fekir and Nkoudou are also under consideration. The range matters: managers aren’t simply following one template, even with Mendy attracting substantial interest. If you're working in this space, the practical takeaway is to treat the early drafts as provisional until team news clarifies availability.
What Round 12’s choices reveal
Round 12 is shaping up around a familiar Fantasy tension: a player with two fixtures draws attention, while managers still have to weigh selection uncertainty, transfer costs and alternative captaincy options. Mendy is the clearest example. Several managers want him, but they’re approaching that move differently: some are pairing it with a transfer for Toney, one plans to use a chip, and others are still checking the squad before locking in their choices.
This is more significant than it looks. The managers’ plans show how one Double Gameweek can affect several parts of a team at once, from goalkeeper selection to captaincy and chip use. And yet, the extra fixture doesn’t remove uncertainty. (And this is the part most people overlook.) A plan that looks settled on paper can still depend on one late update. The deadline will bring the final decisions. For now, a little patience.