Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest standout, Ola Aina, has become the first English Premier League defender to reach 100 points in the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season.
Aina is enjoying a remarkable season with Forest, a turnaround from his earlier struggles to secure regular playing time at Chelsea when he started his professional career. After limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge, the Nigerian international was loaned to Hull City and Serie A’s Torino between 2015 and 2019, eventually signing a permanent deal with the Italian club.
Aina’s time in Serie A included a season-long loan to Fulham in the 2020/21 season, where he excelled, despite the club’s relegation. In 2023, Aina left Torino upon the expiry of his contract and returned to the EPL, joining Nottingham Forest.
Since then, the 28-year-old has been instrumental in Forest’s success, earning a place in the starting XI and helping the team climb to third in the league standings. His stellar performances have also attracted interest from reigning champions Manchester City, who may look to Aina as a replacement for Kyle Walker, reportedly close to joining AC Milan.
For FPL managers, Aina’s exceptional form has been a revelation. He became the first defender to cross the 100-point mark this season, currently leading the defenders’ chart with 101 points from 22 matches. Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold follows closely with 96 points in 21 matches.
Selected by 28.6% of FPL teams globally, Aina has proven to be a value-for-money pick at £5.3. His consistent performances have earned FPL managers an average of 4.6 points per match, with a form rating of 5.3. Aina’s total bonus points this season stand at 15, thanks to his contributions in attack and defence.
In match week 22, Aina registered an assist in Forest’s thrilling 3-2 win over Southampton, earning his FPL managers at least four crucial points. Over his last three matches against Southampton, Liverpool, and Wolves, Aina has accumulated at least 12 points, further cementing his status as a reliable FPL asset.
Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenković is also enjoying a strong season, ranking as the third-highest-scoring defender with 86 points, narrowly ahead of Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães (85 points) and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez (83 points). Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is also tied with Kerkez on 83 points.
With Forest in top form after narrowly avoiding relegation in their first season back in the EPL (2022/23), Aina is poised to continue delivering for both his club and FPL managers. His influence, creativity, and threat index of 62.7 underlines his all-round capabilities, making him a must-have player as the season progresses.
FPL managers looking for a dependable and impactful defender should not overlook Aina, who remains a key figure in Nottingham Forest’s inspiring campaign.
