Gameweek 23–29 January 2026 preview: transfer watch + POTW strategy. 85 fixtures, domestic start and a European finish — plus the best weighted double-header combos to target. Pot ~€400.
Gameweek: 23–29 January 2026 • POTW Focus • Prize pot expected ~€400
This Week on FootballPX
The transfer window keeps moving, and a few sharp calls have already paid off — Semenyo, Malen and Guehi among them. Below are three more names that could deliver both POTW upside and profit if moves materialise.
📈 Transfer Watch: Next Movers
J-P Mateta — €1.62
Crystal Palace ➝ Aston Villa
The Palace exodus looks set to continue — a starting berth at Villa could push JPM's progress into a new tier.
R. Loftus-Cheek — €0.28
AC Milan ➝ Aston Villa
A regular starting role at a solid side could turbo-charge his prospects (and price).
J. Strand Larsen — €0.28
Wolves ➝ Crystal Palace
A potential Mateta replacement. An upward move plus a few goals can do wonders for Larsen's price.
Rumours move fast — prices can too. Treat this as a watchlist, not a guarantee.
Alongside transfer watch, we turn our attention to Player of the Week (POTW), with big payouts on offer once again and the prize pot looking like landing around €400.
🌍 What's in play this week?
- 85 fixtures
- Competitions include Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Coppa Italia, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Champions League & Europa League
- Action runs Friday through Thursday, keeping POTW live until the very end
- Domestic football to start, then a full-blown European finish as the Champions League and Europa League group stages wrap up
Expect a box-office gameweek by Wednesday and Thursday — that's where POTW can swing late.
Newer users: always sanity-check competition weightings before you lock your squad. Volume is great — but weighting is king.
All teams spotlighted below have a double-header of some kind, meaning more shots at points and more POTW upside.
📅 Weekly ritual reminder
Every Friday at midday — read the preview, assess the weightings, and lock in your squad.
🔢 POTW Strategy: Highest Weighted Fixture Combos
All else being equal, players involved in higher total weighted game combinations have the best chance of topping the POTW leaderboard.
Below you'll find one standout and one under-the-radar player from each team with strong fixtures ahead.
🏴 England (Total Weighting: 1.75)
League + Europe = prime POTW volume
Domestic football sets the tone, then Europe finishes the week with fireworks. These sides have the strongest weighted combos.
Arsenal: Man Utd + Kairat Almaty
- Saka — €2.16
- Havertz — €0.80
Liverpool: Bournemouth (A) + Qarabag
- Salah — €3.06
- Frimpong — €0.93
Man City: Wolves + Galatasaray
- Haaland — €4.24
- Guehi — €1.34
Tottenham: Burnley (A) + Frankfurt (A)
- Solanke — €0.64
- Odobert — €0.24
🇪🇸 Spain (Total Weighting: 1.70)
Big names + big midweek
Real Madrid: Villarreal (A) + Benfica (A)
- Mbappe — €4.71
- Huijsen — €0.90
Barcelona: Oviedo + Copenhagen
- Yamal — €3.22
- Rashford — €1.76
Atletico Madrid: Mallorca + Bodo
- Alvarez — €2.75
- Ruggeri — €0.66
🇮🇹 Italy (Total Weighting: 1.57)
One strong combo to watch
Como: Torino + Fiorentina (A)
- Paz — €1.24
- Caqueret — €0.60
If you're hunting value, this is a tidy "standout + under-the-radar" pair with a solid week.
🇩🇪 Bundesliga (Total Weighting: 1.60)
Two quality double-headers
Bayern: Augsburg + PSV (A)
- Kane — €5.10
- Bischof — €0.48
Stuttgart: Monchengladbach + Young Boys
- Undav — €1.57
- Vagnoman — €0.50
🇫🇷 Ligue 1 (Total Weighting: 1.13)
Under-the-radar edge
Lyon: Metz (A) + PAOK
- Niakhate — €1.32
- Fofana — €0.64
🏁 Final Thought
This week is all about timing: stay ahead of transfer narratives, and lean into double-headers + weighting as the week builds toward a European finish.
Two ways to win on every trade:
- POTW reward payouts
- Profitable buying and selling
Choose wisely — and good luck this gameweek 👊⚽
Prices shown are for context and may move during the gameweek.