Nico O’Reilly’s Dream Team potential through the roof after hugely significant position change

NICO O’REILLY (£5m) is worthy of lengthy consideration ahead of the new Dream Team season. Having made his senior debut as a central midfielder for Manchester City in 2024, the 21-year-old’s reputation has skyrocketed since he was transformed into a box-crashing left-back. PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW: £100,000 PRIZE POT! Players who transcend positions are always appealing options in Dream Team Credit: Dream Team Pep Guardiola had a habit of converting favoured players into full-backs in order to fit them into his system and O’Reilly adjusted to the role in double quick time. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The decorated tactician encouraged the academy graduate to get forward whenever possible and make use of his technical ability in possession. What separates O’Reilly from most other attack-minded full-backs is his persistent box presence. At 6ft 4in tall, he wins a lot of headers and often takes up threatening positions when the ball is delivered from the opposite flank. Who could forget his quickfire brace against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final? That day at Wembley, he exhibited not just his heading ability but the instincts of a poacher. The O’Reilly Final Credit: Alamy It’s these traits that make him such an appealing option as a defender in Dream Team this coming season. Most read in Football O’Reilly was categorised as a midfielder last season and so he was not eligible for clean sheet points. Guardiola played him as a midfielder last summer and did the same during the first few Gameweeks of the campaign before installing him as first-choice left-back — a role he also fulfils for England these days. O’Reilly was a viable selection as a Dream Team midfielder but there’s no denying he would have been a must-have asset for long spells if he was a defender. Adding almost 20 clean sheets to his tally of nine goals and six assists would have put him alongside Gabriel (£5.5m) and Neco Williams (£4m) — the only two defenders to achieve 300+ points last term. Play Dream Team this season! £100,000 in prize money up for grabs in 2026/27 Free to enter Play in Mini Leagues against your mates £60,000 jackpot for the overall winner £1,000 prize for winning Gameweek 1 PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW! O’Reilly is among the most attack-minded defenders in Dream Team Credit: Getty Guardiola has been replaced by Enzo Maresca and it remains to be seen how the Italian will deploy O’Reilly but there’s seemingly no need to alter a successful formula. At £5m, O’Reilly is the joint-second most expensive defender in the game ahead of Gameweek 1 — only the aforementioned Gabriel demands more budget. But City’s No33 is worthy of his price tag now he will be eligible for clean sheet points alongside the attacking returns expected of him. Maresca’s side will face Bournemouth (h), Crystal Palace (a) and Coventry (h) in their first fixtures of the new campaign. Open to residents of UK and Rep of Ireland, 18+ only. T&Cs apply. Comment now