Any manager worth his Premier League salt must be adept in the transfer market. And while PlayTheGame does not allow you access to the limitless transfer funds of Roman Abramovich or the endless supply of Francophone youngsters that Arsène Wenger seems to have, the wheeling-and-dealing approach of a Harry Red-knapp will be an essential element in the success of the top fantasy managers.

The assets you will be able to use to improve your team are your existing players. So if your team are short of assists and none of the players on the out-of-contract lists look capable of filling your needs, it is time to see if your rival managers can be persuaded to part with players who can help in a player-exchange deal.

Why should they? This is where your negotiating skills and powers of persuasion come in. First, you need to identify a player you want who is owned by a manager whose team have needs in an area where you can help him or her - for example, clean sheets. If none of his defenders have mastered the trick of keeping the ball out of their net and you have so many good back men that you are regularly leaving clean-sheet points on your bench, you could offer your surplus in exchange for a player who can make up your shortage in assists.

You can open negotiations by e-mail, or with an opening offer, but of course, the deal you suggest should be realistic. No one is likely to give up Cristiano Ronaldo in exchange for Djimi Traoré and if you offer such a lopsided deal, you will be harder to take seriously as a potential trade partner in future. But they might be willing to consider letting Ronaldo go if you can explain why it would help them to acquire, say, David James - especially if you were willing to add another player to sweeten the deal.

Equally, if you receive an offer that does not immediately appeal, don’t simply ignore it. Make a counter-offer explaining why the first deal wasn’t satisfactory, but that this one will meet both your needs. A transfer market is a market, like any other. So haggle, and with a bit of luck you’ll come out with a bargain.

Deal or no deal?

Working transfers to your advantage presents one of the biggest challenges of the PlayTheGame season. Remember, there are no stupid offers, just stupid managers, so prepare to fleece your rivals and test your judgment with these scenarios, advice at the foot of the page.

1. You are lagging behind in points and assists and are offered Jermaine Pennant and Pedro Mendes - players who have played in Champions League finals - for Nemanja Vidic, of Manchester United, one of your first-choice central defenders.

(Pass. Past reputations count for little, and neither Pennant nor Mendes will play as much as Vidic, who should be a steady source of points in a team that will finish first or second.)

2. Gary Neville is available in exchange for a goalscorer. Your active forwards are Dirk Kuyt, Diomansy Kamara and Didier Drogba, with Dave Kitson on the bench. You offer . . .

(Kamara first, and if that doesn't get it done, try Kuyt - there's no sense in making your best offer straight away. If you offer both, you have to put Kitson in your team - and he shouldn't even be in your 20-man squad.)

3. A Liverpool fan needs a defender and is interested in your offer of William Gallas for Michael Essien but would prefer Sami Hyypia instead of Gallas.

(Done deal! Hyypia is likely to play fewer games for Liverpool this season, while an injury-free Gallas is a lot to give up. Exploit your rivals' real-world team loyalties whenever possible.)

4. The teams immediately above and below you make you similar offers for a player on your bench. Which one should you take?

(Seller beware. The player might be more valuable to you staying on your bench than earning points for a rival.)

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