Fantasy Premier League is BACK! Game launches with several major changes confirmed - as the most expensive star EVER and a mystery chip are revealed

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Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has been launched for the new season with a number of major changes to the game now in place.

The most popular fantasy football game in the world is back after a week of price reveals ahead of the launch, with players eager to get planning as they look to beat their friends and climb the rankings.

The offical launch came at around 2:30pm BST on Wednesday, with engaged players eagerly refreshing the website after over three hours of it updating.

It promises to be another season of ups and downs, but the game has implemented a number of changes for the new year, including some never-before-seen features.

One of the changes is the most expensive player ever being introduced to the game, which is Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who came in at £15million.

Fantasy Premier League has been launched ahead of the start of the new season next month

Erling Haaland has been priced as the most expensive player ever, coming in at £15million

Cole Palmer, meanwhile, has received the biggest price hike ever, going from £5.5m to £10.0m

That's a £1m increase on his price last year, with the forward scoring 217 points last season as he netted 27 goals in 31 games.

Despite him being the most expensive player in the game last year too, he was still owned by over 80 per cent of players at the gameweek one deadline, resulting in him receiving another price hike this time around.

Other big hitters include Mohamed Salah (£12.5m), Cole Palmer (£10.5m), Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) and Son Heung-min (£10.0m).

Palmer, who was the top scoring player in the game last season with 244 points, has received the biggest price hike in the history of the game, rising from £5.0m last year.

The budget available to build a 15-man squad remains at £100m, with a four-person bench required.

Other changes include the introduction of a mystery chip, details of which FPL have said will be revealed in January.

Chips from last year remain the same, which is two wildcards, a free hit and a bench boost.

As well as two wildcards, the bench boost and triple captain chips are back, with a mystery chip also included

Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, is the second most expensive player in the game at £12.5m

Elsewhere, mangers can now bank up to five free transfers rather than two by not making any changes for the relevant number of weeks.

Transfers can also be carried through chips that are played, rather than being reset as in years prior, while small changes have been made to the Bonus Points System, and goalkeepers will now receive 10 points rather than six if they are lucky enough to score.

The Premier League season - and gameweek one - will get underway on August 16 when Manchester United host Fulham.