TIME to shine the spotlight on Dream Team true heroes.

Sure, the likes of Mohamed Salah (£7.9m), Harry Kane (£7.3m) and Joao Cancelo (£7.4m) have provided bucket-loads of points but given their starting prices, affluent returns are expected of them.

In reality, campaigns are often determined by overachievers, individuals who rank highly for total points despite their affordable price tags.

But who has been Dream Team’s ultimate value-for-money asset this season?

Instinctively, many gaffers will have thought of Aaron Ramsdale (£3.5m) first and foremost.

The 23-year-old was added to the game at £2.0m as Bernd Leno (£3.0m) was Arsenal’s first-choice keeper at the time of the transfer but the England international soon usurped his German team-mate.

Ramsdale has since kept 12 clean sheets in his 24 league games for the Gunners – only Ederson (£4.5m) and Alisson (£4.6m) have more in the Premier League this term.

However, the best value-for-money goalkeeper is undoubtedly Jose Sa (£3.9m).

Wolves’ custodian also started at £2.0m but was available at £1.7m after his side’s unlucky start to the campaign.

Since then, the 29-year-old Portuguese has racked up 116 points thanks to a whopping six Star Man awards.

Despite a chaotic hiccup at home to Leeds on Friday night, Sa remains the second-best asset in his position – an extraordinary achievement considering Wolves haven’t had European commitments to fulfil.

There are plenty of defenders in contention for the crown of Dream Team’s best value-for-money player this season.

Trevor Chalobah (£3.9m) has been a considerably more prominent figure in Chelsea’s defence then most neutrals would have anticipated.

The 22-year-old is only the Blues’ sixth-best defender but such has been the success of Thomas Tuchel’s troops that he’s 13th overall in his position.

Chalobah has amassed 117 points which is nine more than Max Kilman (£3.5m) but the Wolves man started at just £1.5m – what a bargain!

Those who backed the 24-year-old early doors to facilitate more expensive recruits elsewhere have been handsomely rewarded for their minuscule investment.

But king of the defensive bargains has to be Joel Matip (£5.3m) who started at just £2.5m – an absolute steal in hindsight.

Liverpool signed Ibrahima Konate (£4.1m) from RB Leipzig in the summer and with Joe Gomez (£2.6m) also rivalling the Cameroonian for a place alongside Virgil van Dijk (£7.0m), his place in the pecking order was unclear back in August.

However, Matip has generally been a first-choice centre-back for the Reds this campaign and has racked up 167 points – only five defenders have produced more in 2021/22.

One of the first midfielders that comes to mind in this conversation is Bernardo Silva (£3.7m).

A huge chunk of Dream Team bosses realised the Portuguese playmaker was generously priced (as low as £2.7m at one stage) during the first half of the season and balanced their XI beautifully by bringing him in.

Manchester City’s No20 has scored ten goals in all competitions, helping him to 135 points.

However, one midfielder reigns supreme in this regard: Jarrod Bowen (£4.6m).

The West Ham winger scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions before his injury setback.

Unquestionably one of revelations of the season, he surely would have been called up for the latest England squad if fit and available.

Truthfully, there aren’t that many forwards that can compete with those already listed.

Ivan Toney (£4.6m) has punched above his weight this season.

Brentford’s top scorer is the sixth-best player in his position right now having mustered 145 points – a serious effort considering his starting price was £2.5m.

Patson Daka (£2.8m) started at £2.0m and was available for £1.6m at one point but while his tally of 94 points is very respectable, it’s not quite enough to earn him the title of Dream Team’s outright value-for-money king.

In conclusion, it seems to be a three-way battle for supremacy between Sa, Bowen and Matip.

The former pair are the second-best players in their respective positions while the latter has the most points of all those on the shortlist and he started £0.5m cheaper than Bowen.

Following that logic, we’ll edge it to Matip but a strong case can be made for several of his rivals.

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