The defenders always play a role on the football field as goals win you matches, but defending wins you titles. Every year, all the matches surely bring new players into the defence as defensive solidity is the most essential thing a team requires. Let us have a look at the Top 5 most popular Premier League defenders for the 2025/26 season.
Many teams have signed great defenders this season. Manchester City have signed Wolves left back Rayan Ait-Nouri, whereas Chelsea have got the Dutch star Jorrel Hato from Ajax. After losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, Liverpool brought in Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremy Frimpong. Over time, the role of defenders has changed in the Premier League. Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, Vincent Kompany, Ricardo Carvalho, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, and David Luiz are some of the best defenders that the Premier League has seen over the past years.
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Top 5 most popular Premier League defenders for the 2025/26 season
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
There is no doubt that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the Premier League. The day he ends his career, he will go down as the best defender of football.
Liverpool won the Premier League last season, and the captain, Virgil van Dijk, was the key player in the team. His contribution was immense. He not only gives you that defensive security, but also is the player known for his leadership.
Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)
The centre back who scored the most goals last season was Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes. Arsenal was the team to concede the fewest goals last season. This was all because of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
Gabriel is surely one of the biggest threats from the set pieces, which include corners and free-kicks. He is surely one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League.
Murillo (Nottingham Forest)
Nottingham Forest had a brilliant run in the previous season as they finished seventh in the points table. Surely an equal amount of the credit should go to the defence department as well. Murillo, the Brazilian centre back, was one of the best players in this Nottingham Forest team.
He won the Player of the Season for his team in the first season and has now signed a new contract with the club. He was the player to back the third-best clearances in the previous season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City)
After having a great season with the Wolves team, Manchester City spent £31 million to bring Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Etihad. He plays at the left back position and is very good at attacking.
In the last season, he got more than 10 goals plus assists for his team, Wolves. This Manchester City team will be a challenge for him, but the profile he holds perfectly fits the Pep Guardiola system.
William Saliba (Arsenal)
When we look at Saliba, he looks like a complete defender. The French defender is physically strong and can tackle perfectly when needed. William Saliba, just like his partner, Gabriel Magalhaes, is a threat from the set pieces.
He is one of the best defenders in the Premier League after Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. He surely has a great pace and is very much composed in tough situations.
