The centre-back. The heart of the defence, the fees central defenders command are rising rapidly.
Liverpool recently made Virgil van Dijk the most expensive defender of all time at £75 million, whilst Manchester City paid £58 million for Aymeric Laporte – and not so long ago PSG paid Chelsea £40 million for David Luiz.
The first footballer to break the £100,000 a week mark was a centre-back,namely Sol Campbell, and today just shy of 30 central defenders earn in excess of 100k a week.
Here are the 7 best paid centre-backs in world football:
7. Nicolas Otamendi – £180,000 a Week
Both Virgil van Dijk and Nicolas Otamendi reportedly earn £180,000 a week, but Otamendi makes this seven over the most expensive defender ever due to the Manchester City man having superior bonuses. Otamendi joined Manchester City from Valencia in 2015 for just under £30 million, and after a shaky start, he has looked pretty solid under Pep Guardiola this season. The 30-year-old, who is a regular for Argentina, signed a new deal in January which would keep him at the Etihad until 2022.
6. Jerome Boateng – £205,000 a Week
Luis Muriel of Sevilla is tackled by Jerome Boateng of Bayern Muenchen during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Sevilla FC and Bayern Muenchen at Estadio Ramon…
From a current Manchester City player to a former one. Into sixth place and we’re already talking about centre-back’s earning in excess of £200,000 a week. For a couple of years between 2014 and 2016, Boateng was probably the best central defender in the world, before suffering a couple of unfortunate injuries. Those setbacks have seen him play fewer than 20 league games in each of the last two seasons, and only 18 so far this term, but it’d be great to see Boateng back to his best and injury free. Quick, strong, brave in the tackle and a formidable man marker, Boateng is a wonderful all-round defender at his best, and his game came on leaps and bounds under Pep Guardiola.
5. Gerard Pique – £218,000 a Week
A linchpin in the Barcelona defence ever since rejoining the club from Manchester United in 2008, Gerard Pique is an intelligent and well-rounded centre-back. Despite his height, Pique is very good on the ball and in the pass, and possibly the best ball-playing centre-half in the world. A four-time Champions League winner, three times with Barcelona and once with Manchester United, Pique has won a staggering 25 other trophies, which include both the World Cup and European Championships. A staunch supporter of Catalan independence, Pique has been named in the FIFPro World XI four times, so at least he’s doing a fair amount to earn those huge wages.
4. Marquinhos – £228,000 a Week
Marquinhos of PSG stands over Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at Parc des Princes…
A PSG player topped our list of the seven best paid right-backs in the world, and another star of the Parisian giants side features here. Heavily linked with a move to Manchester United at one time, Marquinhos has been a regular at the Parc de Princes for the last few seasons now. Capped 24 times by the Brazilian national team, the 23-year-old is quick and intelligent, and he just keeps getting better defensively. He joined PSG from Roma in 2013, and you can expect him to be on Brazil’s plane for this summers World Cup.
3. Leonardo Bonucci – £238,000 a Week
AC Milan may have been widely lauded for their acquisition of Leonardo Bonucci in the summer, but they certainly had to pay to convince the disgruntled 30-year-old to join them from Juventus. The best paid player at the club, Bonucci is the third best paid centre-back in the world, and although he is a fantastic defender, Milan are only sixth in Serie A right now, which is the same position they finished in last season. Before his move to the San Siro, Bonucci won six Serie A titles and reached two Champions League finals with Juventus.
2. Thiago Silva – £273,000 a Week
Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group B football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Glasgow Celtic at Parc des…
Between them, PSG’s two central defenders are believed to earn more than half a million pounds a week. That’s pretty extraordinary for a team who, whilst dominant in Ligue 1, have failed to really stamp their authority on the Champions League. Now aged 33, Silva has been highly thought of for more than a decade now. He was one of the first marquee signings of the free-spending Qatari era at PSG, joining the club from AC Milan in 2012. Silva is undoubtedly a very good defender, but he’ll be 35 when his current deal ends in 2020, and it’s hard to see him getting anywhere near his current terms at that point.
1. Sergio Ramos – £319,000 a Week
The best paid centre-back in world football, and indeed the best paid defender, is Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos. A born winner, the lengths he’ll go to win aren’t always the most dignified, but that doesn’t take anything away from the fact he’s a fantastic player and a nightmare to play against. Probably at the peak of his powers right now, aged 32, Ramos is quick, strong in the tackle and a real force in the air. He actually bagged 10 goals in all competitions last season, which is a very respectable tally for a centre-back. Ramos will be looking to win his fourth Champions League title this season, and a ninth inclusion in the FIFPro World XI.
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