Premier League predictions: 20 best defenders for the 2024/25 season

The Premier League is home to some of the best defenders in world football.

From Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, to Arsenal’s William Saliba, to Ruben Dias and John Stones of Man City, the league is full of talented defenders.

But who do we think will be the best in the team in the 2024/25 season?

Well, as part of our Top 90 series, that’s what we’re here to find out.

Here are our 20 best defenders in the Premier League – ranked.

After starting the 2023/24 season in a position of uncertainty over his place in Arsenal’s line-up, Gabriel Magalhaes has forced himself to the fore in Mikel Arteta’s consistently impressive plans throughout the campaign.

Now, at the start of 2024/25, Gabriel is one of Arteta’s most trusted squad members and will play a key role in the Gunners’ inevitable title challenge.

Signed to replace Aaron Wan Bissaka at right back, it was easy to see why Erik ten Hag wanted Noussair Mazraoui in the summer window.

Unlike Wan Bissaka, Mazraoui is able to provide some real quality in the final third.

He can also defend his side very well.

£17.2m could end up looking like a bargain for the Red Devils.

After a season lost to injury, Levi Colwill has returned to full fitness and looks set to have the breakout campaign Chelsea fans have been waiting for.

The defender certainly has all the qualities needed to succeed in Enzo Maresca’s possession-based system.

He’s good at football, he’s likable, and he has the ability to read the game as well.

This could be his year.

Few summer signings made as much sense as Arsenal’s acquisition of Riccardo Calafiori.

Euro 2024 will fill a glaring hole in the Gunners defense as a left-back who can not only drift inside and build on the ball, but also defend (something Oleksandr Zinchenko is not good at).

Without Josko Gvardiol’s four goals at the end of the 2023/24 season, Manchester City may not be the current Premier League champions.

That’s how important his contributions were last season.

And this season, we expect the left-back to be just as important to Pep Guardiola’s side who will struggle in all areas.

The first ‘big bold shout’ of this list.

Murillo was not the most familiar player in 2023/24 – he had made 27 appearances in his career – but by the end of the campaign, it was clear that Nottingham Forest had a tough talent.

From his last ditch challenges, to his many scoring attempts from the halfway line, Murillo seems to have it all in his locker.

Don’t be surprised to see one of the six try and sign him next summer.

If Real Madrid are willing to acquire your services, chances are you have a talent for football.

And that’s exactly what Leny Yoro is.

The youngster opted to join Man Utd instead in the summer, and it’s a decision they are set to reap the rewards of over the next decade.

Despite being injured at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, when Yoro returns he will be a key player for his new club.

He may be impulsive at times, he may have an unusual brain, but on his day one cannot deny that Cristian Romero is a brilliant defender.

If Tottenham are to find their way back into the UEFA Champions League this season, those days will need to be more frequent than 2023/24, and we have faith that they will be.

If we can confirm that John Stones will be fit for the full 2024/25 campaign, there’s a good chance he’ll be much closer to the top of this list than he is.

Due to his constant injuries however, we struggled to put him higher than 12 on this list.

That doesn’t mean he won’t be able to contribute this season, as when he’s ready he will definitely contribute. He is a great player.

After cementing his place in England’s starting squad for Euro 2024, Marc Guehi enters 2024/25 looking to cement his place among the best defenders in world football.

Considering his talent and the development manager Oliver Glasner has made at Crystal Palace, we back him to do just that.

After a period of spectacular underachievement and lack of playing time, former FWA Footballer of the Year Ruben Dias looks to have regained his mojo.

The defender was in fine form during City’s title challenge last week, and will be key to their quest for more silverware in 2024/25.

Ben White is one of those players that you should have in your Fantasy Premier League team this season.

He’ll start every game, he’ll get clean sheets, and he’ll come up with an extraordinary goal contribution thanks to his brilliance in the final third.

He is one of Arteta’s most trusted players.

After seemingly being signed as a rotation option at the back in 2020, Nathan Ake has developed into one of Man City’s most reliable defensive options in recent seasons.

Whether at center back, left, right or sometimes in midfield, Ake is a constant player in Pep Guardiola’s team.

Have you seen how bad Everton are without Jarrad Branthwaite?

They have bad blood.

Even so, they look extremely strong in the tail end of 2023/24.

Expect the Toffees to be much improved upon their return.

Matthijs de Ligt was once the most exciting defensive talent in world football.

After a mediocre spell at Juventus and a failed one at Bayern Munich, however, he finds himself in the saloon’s last chance at Manchester United.

Fortunately, Dutch defender Erik ten Hag – the man who got the best of him at Ajax – is the current manager, so there are high hopes that De Ligt can revive his career at Old Trafford.

Despite England’s struggles to find a way to use Trent Alexander-Arnold, at club level the Scouser is rightly regarded as the best right-back in the Premier League.

Alexander-Arnold has been excellent in the opening weeks of the campaign, and we fully expect him to continue that form after the September international break.

When Lisandro Martinez was injured last season, Manchester United’s defense looked hopeless.

When he returned for the FA Cup final, they were good enough to beat Manchester City.

Understanding each other? Absolutely not.

The Argentinian is a game-changer for the Red Devils, and his presence will greatly dictate how the club fares in the Premier League in 2024/25.

Micky van de Ven may be the fastest man in the world.

It’s that speed of recovery that makes him one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and has allowed Tottenham to play an excellent defensive line.

After three weeks of the 2024/25 Premier League season, the defense led by Virgil van Dijk has scored zero goals.

That tells you all you really need to know about the form the veteran defender is in this season.

He is a master of all times.

From the eternal good, to the future best.

Over the past two years, William Saliba has developed into one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and this year we’re backing him to take his game to the next level entirely.

The Frenchman will be key to Arsenal’s title hopes this season.

READ THE LATEST FEATURES AND ANALYSIS FROM 90MIN