Serie A’s fifth round will begin on Friday 18 September, when Monza host Sassuolo at 20:45, and will run through to Milan’s Sunday-night meeting with Lecce. For fantasy managers looking beyond the established names, the weekend also offers a few low-cost forwards whose season stories are only beginning to take shape.
Serie A Matchday 5: Affordable Forwards to Watch
SEO title: Serie A Matchday 5: Low-Cost Forward Picks for 2026-27
SEO description: Bowie, Ghedjemis and 18-year-old Lontani are among the affordable attacking options in focus ahead of Serie A’s fifth round.
Bowie arrives at the Monza fixture with renewed confidence after scoring against Juventus. It was notable not simply because of the opposition, but because it came in his first appearance from the bench after starting every previous league match. He had also found the net against Juventus last season while playing for Verona, a goal that damaged the Bianconeri’s Champions League hopes.
There remains competition for his place, with Esposito also in contention, but Bowie has made his case to continue in the side. His ability to create danger from individual moments gives him another opportunity to influence matters against Monza, in the game that opens the round.
Ghedjemis is still waiting for his first goal, although his first start of the campaign came against Genoa. He has received a fantasy rating in only two of the first four matches, underlining how incomplete his opening month has been. Yet his running, dribbling and capacity to release team-mates towards goal have offered encouraging signs.
He is competing with Fini for a starting role against Como, but the winger has looked difficult to contain when given room. The next step is to turn that promise into a decisive contribution.
Lontani, meanwhile, has already shown that his goal against Monza should not be treated as a one-off. Against Como, he was required to work deeply without the ball, but still moved well in attacking areas, created chances and got ahead of Couto. At only 18, he has the qualities to make a genuine impression over the season rather than merely provide a brief early surprise.
His next test comes against Genoa, another chance for a young forward to add substance to a promising beginning as the fifth weekend of the Serie A campaign unfolds.
