“Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”- Sir Alex Ferguson. This quote from the iconic football manager is enough to make people realise what defensive solidity means and how it is important to win trophies. We have seen Premier League clubs breaking the banks on top quality central defenders this summer and in this article, we will look at the three best central defenders signed by the Premier League clubs.
Eric Bailly
Jose Mourinho is a manager who first looks for a resolute defence rather than a sharp attack. Many people raised their eyebrows when Manchester United broke the bank on a rather unknown defender like Eric Bailly but the Ivorian, from his very first very first outing with the Red Devils, has shown that why Mourinho did no mistake. Spending £30m for a 22-year-old defender like Bailly makes sense as he can be a long-term success at Old Trafford. The Ivorian needed to work on his passing which was just 77% last term for Villareal in La Liga and at United so far, he has made 95.5% accurate passes which is exceptional. With 2.9 interceptions and 5.35 clearances every 90 minutes last season for Villareal, Bailly was a nice capture by the Red Devils has already started impressing.
Joel Matip
Matip, a defender with more than 258 appearances for Schalke was a great signing from Liverpool and that too on a free transfer. Jurgen Klopp likes defenders who can set the foundation of the team from the back with their passing and Matip fits the bill rightly. The Cameroonian international boasted 41.09 successful passes every 90 minutes last season for Schalke and had a brilliant 83% pass completion rate.
Creating one chance every 3 games is a brilliant figure for a central defender and getting a ball-playing defender like Matip for free speaks volumes about Klopp’s brilliant transfer activity. Liverpool always had an issue to deal with aerial threats and Matip, with his 74.52% aerial duel success, adds a lot to the backline.
Shkodran Mustafi
Arsenal’s deadline day signing Mustafi is the best defensive signing made this summer according to us. When Arsene Wenger spends £35m for a defender, it’s evident that the player is special. A German international, Mustafi is an experienced defender in both Italy and Spain and looks like a long-term successor of his compatriot Per Mertesacker at the Emirates. The 24-year-old completed 36.59 passes every 90 minutes last season with a passing accuracy of 81%.
The German has an eye for picking out his teammates with long range passes and his average pass length of 23.20 metres speaks for it. Winning 72.50% aerial duels last season, Mustafi excels in the air and is a brilliant reader of the game which is evident from his 4.46 interceptions made every 90 minutes. Arsenal needed a solid defensive addition with the injury crisis they were going through at the back and Mustafi is a brilliant addition.
