What is FPL Assistant Manager chip (FPL Mystery Chip?)

The FPL Assistant Manager chip (FPL Mystery Chip) is a new chip that was introduced in December 2024. The Assistant Manager chip adds a manager to your FPL squad when activated. This chip will give you points based on the manager’s team performance. Using the Assistant Manager chip will require different types of strategic thinking.

What is FPL Assistant Manager chip (FPL Mystery chip)?

The FPL Assistant Manager chip (FPL Mystery Chip) is a new chip that was introduced in December 2024. It was called FPL Mystery Chip at the beginning of the 2024/2025 season because the purpose of the chip wasn’t revealed initially. The official name of the chip was shown to players on the 12th of December, 2024. The Mystery Chip is officially called the Assistant Manager chip.

The new chip becomes available at gameweek 24 of the 2024/2025 season and will be in effect for three consecutive gameweeks. We do not know if the Assistant Manager chip will be used from the beginning of the 2025/2026 season. It probably depends on the feedback from players.

Next, we’ll go through the details of the Assistant Manager chip.

How does Assistant Manager chip work?

The Assistant Manager chip adds a manager to your FPL squad when activated. You can choose any of the Premier League’s 20 managers. Each manager has a price ranging from £0.5M to £1.5M. The managers of the top teams are more expensive, while the managers of the weaker teams are the cheapest.

First, you should know that you must use your player budget to purchase a manager. If you want the best manager, you must have at least £1.5M in the bank. Activating the chip doesn’t cost you a transfer, but if you want to change the manager after choosing one, it costs you a transfer, too.

Another important rule is that the Assistant Manager chip is activated for three consecutive gameweeks. The team you choose should have several good fixtures in a row. It’s also crucial to remember that you cannot use other chips while the Assistant Manager is activated!

For example, if you want to activate the Assistant Manager chip when a team has a double gameweek (= two fixtures on one gameweek), it prevents you from using the Triple Captain chip simultaneously.

Finally, let’s not forget that your chosen manager cannot violate the 3-player rule. This means that if you have, for example, three players from Liverpool, you cannot pick the manager from Liverpool as well.

If you pick a manager who gets sacked or leaves the club for any other reason, his predecessor will be chosen as a replacement. So you don’t have to worry about this rare event.

Assistant Manager chip scoring

This chip will give you points based on the manager’s team performance.

• 6 points for a win
• 3 points for a draw
• 2 points for a clean sheet
• 1 point for every goal

If you pick Liverpool’s Arne Slot as your manager, and Liverpool wins their next game 2-0, you’ll get ten points (6+2+2).  However, there is a twist: extra points are available if the opponent is at least five places higher in the standings when the gameweek starts.

For example, Manchester United is currently 13th and Manchester City 4th. If you chose Ruben Amorim as your manager and United defeats City, your Assistant Manager chip would bring you 16 points! This “five places higher in standings” rule gives ten extra points for a win and five extra points for a draw.

This means that even a draw (3+5 = 8 points) for a weaker team is worth more than a win (6 points) for a strong team. On the other hand, you take a gamble that the weaker team loses the match, which will bring you no points.

Assistant Manager chip strategy

Using the Assistant Manager chip will require different types of strategic thinking. Remember that the Assistant Manager chip prevents you from using other chips simultaneously. Once it’s activated, it will be used for three consecutive gameweeks.

Many FPL managers leave the Triple Captain chip for the double gameweeks. You must calculate the potential points for captaining players like Salah or Haaland on a double game week vs. using the Assistant Manager chip. In most cases, you are probably better off using the Triple Captain chip instead. However, if you have already used it or plan to use it in later gameweeks, this is the optimal place for activating the Assistant Manager chip.

Another thing to consider is the budget. If you want to have a top team manager, like most FPL players probably do, you’ll need £1.5M extra in your budget. This is a lot of money in FPL, which makes a difference between a bottom-team defender and an Arsenal defender. You can also choose a premium attacker like Isak or an attacker around the 7.0M price range.

A win for your manager is worth a goal. A win with ten extra points is worth a hat trick. This means that you should probably prioritize choosing the best manager and make downgrades to your team where needed. Of course, it’s all about balance.

The third central strategy question is about underperforming teams. If top-rated teams like Manchester United have done poorly and fallen in standings, they could be perfect picks for the Assistant Manager chip. Of course, it’s all about the schedule.

An ideal pick will probably be a manager from a lower-midtable club like West Ham or Everton facing 1-2 upper-midtable teams like Brighton or Nottingham and 1-2 weaker teams. This means the poorer team would have a high probability in each game to get at least a draw with bonus points or a win vs. the poorer team.

Finally, don’t forget the 3-player rule!