While the summer friendlies are there to build fitness and allow new signings to bed in, they also provide ample opportunities for players to play their way into some early-season form.
As with every year, a number of players do just that and this season, we have a mix of popular Fantasy Premier League (FPL) assets and some more under-the-radar names to consider.
Flashscore takes a look at the players that appear to be excelling in the warm-up to the campaign.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) — £8.5m
Saka appears to be picking up from where he left off last season and is showing why he is currently the most-selected midfielder in FPL so far at 53 per cent ownership.
The young winger has racked up two goals and assists apiece in his four pre-season outings and it could have been more if he dispatched his penalty in Arsenal's 5-3 win over Barcelona.
Saka had already been an asset that managers would have been worried to go without due to the Gunners' excellent opening fixtures and that will only solidify with his simmer showings so far.
Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) — £6.5m
Eze emerged as a key man for Palace last term and his production has continued right the way through the summer.
With five goal contributions - a goal and four assists - the 25-year-old already looks to be one to consider as a potential enabler in midfield.
There is also the prospect of penalty duty for Eze as a result of Wilfried Zaha's departure to Galatasaray, making him an even more tempting asset.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) — £12.5m
Salah has been ticking along nicely over pre-season notching a goal and three assists in two matches so far.
The Liverpool talisman did most of the damage in the Reds' entertaining 4-4 draw against German club Greuther Furth where he contributed to three of his side's goals.
Salah's early ownership of just over 25 per cent is still a decent amount, but it would be much higher without the expense and popularity of Erling Haaland (£14.0m), with plenty of managers siding with owning just the Norwegian instead.
A solid draft is possible with both and Salah being the best midfield option, coupled with his productive pre-season, continues the seasonal trend of him being a superb pick.
Elliot Anderson (Newcastle) — £4.5m
Finding a productive £4.5m midfielder is often a tough ask for FPL managers, but Anderson may be the answer having emerged as a surprise contributor for Newcastle through pre-season so far.
The 20-year-old has contributed to seven goals for the Magpies and netted four times in just four matches, thrusting his name into managers' thoughts.
Notably, he shone in Newcastle's recent matches against Aston Villa and Brighton in the Premier League Summer Series.
Of course, there is a caveat that Anderson is vying for position in a competitive midfield which could make him off-putting, but he is one to keep an eye on for the moment.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) — £7.0m
One of the most in-form players of pre-season so far, Bowen is the leading asset that could force his way into managers' thoughts to start the campaign.
The wide man has keyed three goals and three assists for the Hammers over the summer and is still very much a differential across the board.
The tricky nature of West Ham's opening fixtures is one of the main reasons why Bowen is currently being overlooked, but a modest price tag and ownership just shy of six per cent on the back of good form still makes him a solid option.
Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) — £7.0m
While a lot of the talk has been on Christopher Nkunku (£7.5m), Jackson has quietly emerged as a sleeper pick with some very promising showings this summer.
The Senegal striker has notched five goal contributions - two goals and three assists - and was especially impressive in Chelsea's 4-3 win over Brighton in the Premier League Summer Series.
He will have undoubtedly given Mauricio Pochettino some thinking to do in terms of securing a regular starting spot which could be a tasty prospect with ownership currently at 7.5 per cent.
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool) — £7.5m
Nunez will be one player to keep an eye on this season as he looks to build on a decent first season at Liverpool, and is off to a nice start this summer.
The Uruguayan has formed a good connection with aforementioned teammate Salah, with the pair combining for three goals in Liverpool's draw with Greuther Furth.
Like the Egyptian, Nunez has been involved in four goals with three of those coming in goal form, so there is definitely a lot to like about him heading into the new campaign.
