Happy new year! You’re now entitled to your second wildcard of the season, which allows you to ring as many changes to your squad as you see fit – you’ll be needing our suggested Fantasy Football bargains, then.

You might want to hang onto your wildcard until such a time as Sergio Agüero and Robin van Persie return to action, but if you just can’t wait then be sure to consult our top 10 Fantasy Football bargains out of goalkeepers an defenders…

Improve the rest of your side… Check out our tips for bargain midfielders as well as our tips for bargain strikers!

Tim Krul, Newcastle United – £5.3m

The only goalkeeper on our list, for the simple reason that goalkeepers are pretty easy to sum up: you get what you pay for.

You know, the ones that get the most points will cost more. Less scope for bargains with goalkeepers, yup.

Krul might be a gamble due to the unpredictable nature of Newcastle’s form, but they’ve been solid enough defensively and he’s capable of pulling off multiple saves in a match, activating sly bonus points in the process.

Gary Cahill, Chelsea – £5.7m

Chelsea are looking stronger defensively with Cahill back in the side, and he’s got the knack for the odd goal that makes expensive teammates John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic such popular picks.

Cesar Azpilicueta is another good option at just £5.3 – he’s been keeping Ashley Cole out of the side at left-back of late, and will likely now switch to right-back to deputise for the injured Branislav Ivanovic.

Bacary Sagna, Arsenal – £5.5m

It’s taken them some time to get there but Arsenal look to have finally hit upon a reliable ‘back line’, at the right-hand side of which Sagna is a staple.

Laurent Koscielny also costs £5.5, so it could be a straight tossup between the two – Sagna’s improved-seeming delivery of late edges it for him.

At £5.4, Kieran Gibbs will also represent good value when he returns from injury, unless of course £5.1 Nacho Monreal deputises sufficiently well to keep his place.

Antolín Alcaraz, Everton – £4.3m

The absence of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin has given rise to a rather promising link up between the Paraguayan centre-half, brought to Goodison with him by Roberto Martínez, and £4.2 youngster John Stones.

It would be quite something if the makeshift pair could keep their form up sufficiently to keep Jagielka and Distin out of the side – therefore Alcaraz, with his experience presumably the likelier to stand in for either, could make him a nifty pick.

Even Distin at £5.2 could prove a worthwhile investment. It goes without saying that you should already have Seamus Coleman, even at £6.7.

Aleksandar Kolarov, Manchester City – £5.3m

That his price is still low owes probably to any lingering uncertainty as to whether Kolarov or Gaël Clichy is City’s first-choice left-back.

With four assists to his name as well as a goal in the 3-2 win at Swansea City last time out, we can see Kolarov hammering this one down.

Matija Nastasić has started each of the last two games, making a potential snip of him at just £5.1 – however, Kolarov’s attacking threat makes him worth the marginally higher price.

Vlad Chiriches, Tottenham Hotspur – £5.1m

We’ll plump for the Romanian ahead of his centre-back partner Michael Dawson on the basis that his youth will see him further into the season.

Look out for which one, if either, loses their place when Jan Vertonghen returns from injury.

Ben Davies, Swansea City – £4.9m

If the Swans can recapture the knack for clean sheets they showed in the second half of last season, attacking left-back Davies could be the one to plump for.

We’re just saying that because of the ace goal he scored against Arsenal earlier in the season – Swansea’s defenders are priced low, Angel Rangel being the most expensive at £5.3, so keep an eye on their form.

Phil Bardsley, Sunderland – £4.5m

Gus Poyet’s side have kept a few clean sheets of late, while Bardsley lashes in the odd screamer. Decent cheapo option.

Michael Williamson, Newcastle United – £4.4m

Seems to have made himself a fixture in Alan Pardew’s starting XI.

Danny Gabbidon, Crystal Palace – £4.1m

The Eagles have already shown an ability to shut teams out under Tony Pulis, so their battle against the drop could yield fruitful returns from games at home to lower-mid-table teams without much to play for.

NOW: Check out our midfielder Fantasy Football bargains for your January wildcard

Oh, and our striker bargains!