Top club value at €415 million
“Attack wins you games, but defense wins you titles” is a well-known saying by legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who is certainly qualified to share such wisdom. Many iconic managers, including José Mourinho and Diego Simeone, have built formidable defenses that earned them lasting reputations.
Mourinho’s Chelsea famously allowed only 15 goals as they clinched the English Premier League title during the 2004/05 season, while Simeone took Atlético Madrid to two Champions League finals. As it stands, Arsenal is often considered the best defensive team globally, with Mikel Arteta aiming to leverage their strengths in pursuit of significant trophies. Utilizing Transfermarkt’s market values, we’ve assessed which clubs boast the most valuable defenders.
Which club holds the most valuable collection of defenders?
Unsurprisingly, Arsenal leads with the most valuable collection of defenders. The North London club features eight senior defenders in their first-team squad with a cumulative market value of €415 million. William Saliba stands out as Arsenal’s most valuable defender, worth €80 million, while all eight defenders are valued at a minimum of €30 million each. The graphic below shows that PSG ranks second, with their eight defenders totaling €343 million and Achraf Hakimi also valued at €80 million.
Chelsea is noted for having a large squad and includes the highest number of defenders (11) among the top ten clubs. They are positioned third, while Real Madrid and Manchester City round out the top five. The top ten most valuable defenders include representatives from every major league, with Bayern Munich leading the Bundesliga in eighth place and Inter Milan heading the Serie A rankings at ninth.
