Some of the world’s best teams have been built around their star-studded centre backs.
As you begin your new Football Manager 26 save, you need to make sure you’ve got a pair of defenders you can trust to lead you up the league table or even to the sort of silverware needed to go down as a club legend.
Check out Sports Illustrated’s suggestions for the best centre backs to sign with any budget.
Cheap Options
Jerry St. Juste (Sporting CP)
Sporting CP are ready to sell Jerry St. Juste after he entered the final year of his contract, and their asking price of just £350,000 is an absolute steal.
The 28-year-old boasts electric pace (17), with 15 for marking and tackling fitting very nicely next to his 14 passing.
Thiago Silva (Fluminense)
If you’ve got space for a 40-year-old defender with 8 pace, the legendary Thiago Silva is waiting for your call.
You’ll only have to pay £1 million to wrap up his signature, but you need to start searching for your long-term solution at the same time.
Juan Jesus (Napoli)
An ever-popular left-footed defender, Juan Jesus still looks like a valuable signing for nearly every side on the game at the age of 34.
Napoli want just £1.7 million to let him go, even though he’s 100% worth more than that. His physical attributes are great for a player of his age, so this might not even be a short-term deal.
Marash Kumbulla (Roma, on loan at Mallorca)
It wasn’t that long ago that Marash Kumbulla was being talked about as a future superstar. That hasn’t happened for him just yet but, crucially, he’s still only 25 years old.
Now on loan from Roma to Mallorca, you can pick Kumbulla up for an affordable fee of £4.8 million, which is a great price for a player who still has room to grow into a great defender.
Danilho Doekhi (Union Berlin)
Clubs are quick to start sniffing around Union Berlin’s Danilho Doekhi as he is in the final year of his contract. If you’re a mid-level club, you should absolutely join the race.
A release clause of £7 million is at the top of this price bracket but gets you a versatile 27-year-old with some excellent defensive attributes.
Reasonable Options
Jhon Lucumí (Bologna)
Bologna’s Jhon Lucumí has attracted plenty of suitors on the real pitch, and the list of admirers is starting to grow on FM26 as well.
The Colombia international’s price tag of £18 million is right at the top of this price point, but gets you a 27-year-old who is right on the cusp of joining the elite defenders on the game.
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
At 37 years old, Nicolás Otamendi is obviously not a long-term investment here, but he is statistically the best defender at this price point and one who is capable of playing for any team on the game.
The former Manchester City defender will set you back just £5.75 million, making him a great budget-friendly option while you work out your long-term strategy.
Fabian Schär (Newcastle)
With his contract at Newcastle United winding down, Fabian Schär’s asking price drops down to an enticing £11.5 million.
This is a top-tier, modern defender. 16 passing and 16 marking mean you can use Schär however you want, with the results almost certain to be fun.
Igoh Ogbu (Slavia)
Slavia have plenty of interesting targets on FM26, including centre back Igoh Ogbu.
It’ll cost you £11 million to land his signature, delivering a well-rounded player with 15s across the board on a salary which will hardly make a dent in most clubs’ budgets.
Stefan de Vrij (Inter)
Yet another target on an expiring contract, Stefan de Vrij’s price tag of £5 million is excellent value, although you do need to meet his hefty wage demands to get this deal over the line.
The Dutchman is worth the effort, bringing 16s for marking and heading to go along with some excellent mental stats.
Expensive Options
Ronald Araujo (Barcelona)
Barcelona are ready to offload a number of their defenders for cheap, and we’ll start off with Uruguay international Ronald Araujo.
While his contract comes with a £56 million release clause, you won’t need to get anywhere near that to get this deal done. A fee of just £33 million is enough, making Araujo an absolute steal among the world’s elite defenders.
Andreas Christensen (Barcelona)
The same sort of money will get you Araujo’s Barcelona teammate, Andreas Christensen, whose expiring contract could tempt the La Liga side into selling for a comparatively cheap fee.
For those managing in England, Christensen brings the added bonus of being homegrown thanks to his time with Chelsea.
Éder Militão (Real Madrid)
You’ll need to be patient with Éder Militão, who is still a few weeks away from returning from his ACL injury, but the Real Madrid man is definitely worth the wait as he is among the best defenders on the entire game.
At £50 million, he’ll likely take up a chunk of your budget, but Militão will solve your defensive problems for the foreseeable future.
Bremer (Juventus)
Bremer has quietly established himself as one of the best defenders in the world with Juventus, and he can be yours for a cool £52 million.
17 heading and marking, coupled with 16 tackling and some sensational mental stats, mean you won’t regret adding the Brazilian to your team.
Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
£33 million will convince Roma to do business over Italy international Gianluca Mancini.
While his passing might leave something to be desired, Mancini is an old school defender whose entire game is built around recovering possession. Stick him next to a ball-playing option and you’ll build yourself an elite back line.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Best Centre Backs to Sign on Football Manager 26.