Top 5 centre-backs in the 2017-18 season
Strikers get all the attention in football these days, but defenders form the pillar to the success of a club. The English Premier League’s most successful manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, once claimed: "attack wins you games, defense wins you titles.”
Though the paradigm has changed a bit, defenders still hold the key to success. Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk deal, Manchester City’s deal for Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, and Benjamin Mendy, Manchester United’s deal for Victor Lindelof, AC Milan’s deal for Bonucci, and Spurs deal for Davinson Sanchez are examples of that.
Though players like Samuel Umtiti, Diego Godin, Jan Vertonghen, Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Ramos, and Giorgio Chiellini didn't make it on our list, they deserve a honorable mention here.
On that note, let’s have a look at the 5 best center-backs in Europe this season.
#5 Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)
Inter bought Milan Skriniar from Sampdoria in a €20 million deal last summer and it turned out to be one of the signings of the season. Milan Skriniar is arguably one of the best centre-backs in Serie A this campaign and is turning the heads of many top European sides.
At 1.87 metres tall, he is a ball playing central defender with excellent passing abilities. He contributes a lot to build-up play from the back and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. Praised for his positional awareness and defending in one-on-one situations, Skriniar is also excellent in the air.
He is very accurate with his passing and completes an average of 60 passes per game with a stunning accuracy of 91.7 percent. Also, he averages 2.4 tackles, 1 interception, and 4.7 clearances per game. Though he is little slow, he compensates for it with good concentration.
He is under the radar of many top European clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona, Manchester City, and Real Madrid. They are rumored to be interested in his signature. At 23 years of age, he is sure to only get better.