Can clubs stop players' friends and family leaking FPL team news?

Chelsea's Joao Pedro injury was revealed through Fantasy Premier League team changes by staff and family members before official confirmation, sparking debate over information security.

Chelsea striker Joao Pedro's injury was leaked through Fantasy Premier League before the club officially announced it, after accounts believed to belong to Chelsea staff and player relatives transferred him out of their teams ahead of the gameweek deadline.

FPL trackers identified suspicious activity on accounts linked to Morgan Rogers' family, who sold Joao Pedro and brought in Nicolas Jackson. The leak went viral on social media, and 1.7 million FPL managers had already selected Pedro as captain—doubling points—before Chelsea confirmed he had fluid on his knee and would miss the match against Tottenham.

Manager Xabi Alonso said he was unaware of the leak, admitting he doesn't follow Fantasy Premier League. The incident highlights an ongoing problem: with over 11 million FPL players, many staff members, players and relatives participate in the game using public accounts, allowing trackers to infer injury news and team selection changes. Previous high-profile cases include Jack Grealish's 2021 absence from Aston Villa, which led Dean Smith to ban club figures from playing FPL. Pep Guardiola later called such leaks "unethical and unprofessional."