We return to the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) price list analysis with a rundown of the best £4.5m defenders.
This season, the primary focus in this price bracket is on full-backs and wing-backs, due to the price hikes for last season’s leading defenders for defensive contributions (DefCon).
OVERVIEW
There are 65 defenders currently priced up at £4.5m…
| Club | £4.5m defenders |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa | Digne, Konsa, Cash, Mings, Pau, Maatsen, Lindelof |
| Bournemouth | Smith, Araujo |
| Brentford | Ajer, Kayode, Henry, Hickey, Pinnock, Ji-Soo, Schuster |
| Brighton | Kadioglu, Boscagli, De Cuyper, Dunk, Coppola, Igor, Costinha |
| Chelsea | Badiashile, Tosin, Hato, Sarr, Acheampong, Disasi, Anselmino |
| C Palace | Mitchell, Sosa, Riad, Mingueza, Cardines |
| Everton | Mykolenko, Patterson |
| Fulham | Robinson, Cuenca, Tete, Bassey, Castagne, Sessegnon |
| Leeds | Rodon, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Justin, Bornauw |
| Man City | Lewis, Reis |
| Man Utd | Heaven, Mazraoui, Shaw |
| Nott’m Forest | Aina, Cunha, Savona, Netz |
| Sunderland | Hume, Reinildo, Seelt, Meunier |
| Tottenham | Robertson, Spence, Udogie, Phillips |
Here, we’ll try to identify the possible £4.5m gems.
LUKE SHAW
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 3.0 | 0.28 | 0.45 | 6.27 |
Luke Shaw (£4.5m) is currently the most-owned £4.5m defender in Fantasy, with an ownership of 23.1%.
He’s a cheap route into the Manchester United defence, with his first two fixtures really jumping out.
An ever-present starter in 2025/26, Shaw averaged only 3.0 points per match.
However, after the appointment of Michael Carrick in Gameweek 22, Shaw’s points per match tally did at least rise to 3.9, thanks to one goal, seven clean sheets (one thanks to an early sub), six DefCon points and three bonus points in 17 matches.
Above: Teams sorted by clean sheets (CS) after Michael Carrick arrived at Man Utd
The summer arrivals of Andrey Santos (£5.0m) and Youri Tielemans (£6.0m) could further help in that regard, in an area United clearly needed to strengthen after the departure of Casemiro.
As for the fixtures, United face off against newly-promoted opposition in the first two key Gameweeks, which is key to Shaw’s early appeal, even if his DefCon potential is limited.
Above: Clean sheet odds for Man Utd in Gameweeks 1-6
Perfect perhaps for those on an early Wildcard strategy, then, particularly with United set to return to the UEFA Champions League in 2026/27.
The schedule ramps up after Gameweek 3, so it’s a consideration for Shaw owners once those first couple of juicy fixtures are out of the way.
TYRICK MITCHELL
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 (2) | 3.7 | 0.53 | 0.80 | 6.84 |
The cheapest secure route into the Crystal Palace defence, Tyrick Mitchell (£4.5m) has the potential to offer value at the back.
He delivered 135 points last season, the most of any player on this list, thanks to one goal, three assists, 12 clean sheets and eight bonus points.
Mitchell banked 12 DefCon points overall, so he isn’t a DefCon magnet.
Fellow Palace defender Daniel Munoz (£5.5m) has the greater attacking threat, too.
However, at just £4.5m, he could be the value option in 2026/27.
Should new head coach Pierre Sage continue with Oliver Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 wing-back system, a formation in which he had great success at his former club RC Lens, it immediately increases Mitchell’s appeal.
Palace rank fifth on our Fixture Ticker when sorted by clean sheet % in the first six Gameweeks:
To avoid the Gameweek 2 encounter with Manchester City, you could perhaps pair Mitchell with a £4.0m defender from Coventry City, who face Hull City at home.
Chadi Riad (£4.5m) could also become an option at Palace if a) Maxence Lacroix (£6.0m) leaves and b) they don’t sign a replacement.
JOE RODON
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 (2) | 3.3 | 0.55 | 0.27 | 8.31 |
Of all the defenders priced up at £4.5m, Joe Rodon banked the joint-most DefCon points in 2025/26 (18).
Leeds United’s defence tightened up considerably in the second half of last season, with six clean sheets in 20 matches, the joint-fourth most of any team:
Above: Teams sorted by clean sheets (CS) in the second half of 2025/26 (Gameweek 19 onwards)
They were particularly solid at Elland Road, so with three home fixtures in the first five Gameweeks this season, Rodon could be a decent early option, particularly if Daniel Farke’s men carry on from where they left off.
Above: Clean sheet odds for Leeds in Gameweeks 1-5
Also, don’t forget last season Rodon was joint-11th among defenders for headed attempts (15), so there is some set-piece threat there, too.
Other Leeds defenders are available at this price point.
Jayden Bogle (£4.5m) scored one goal and supplied five assists last season, but banked merely four DefCon points, averaging 2.9 points per start.
Gabriel Gudmundsson (£4.5m), meanwhile, failed to produce an attacking return, averaging only 2.2 points per start.
James Justin (£4.5m) fared better (4.1 points per start), but despite being a regular starter at the end of 2025/26, there is a bit more uncertainty over minutes, although his versatility is a plus.
MICHAEL KAYODE
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 3.1 | 0.25 | 0.94 | 6.05 |
Michael Kayode (£4.5m) is another cheap enabler at the back to consider.
Thanks to his all-action displays, the right-back created 34 chances for his teammates last season, the second-most of any Brentford player.
He also hurled 169 long-throws into the opposition penalty box, a league high:
Above: Players sorted by throws into the box in 2025/26
That said, Kayode collected only six DefCon points all season.
But given that Kristoffer Ajer (£4.5m) isn’t nailed, Kayode immediately jumps out as the best cheap defensive option to own at Brentford.
They’ll continue under Keith Andrews next season, having finished ninth in 2025/26, with 10 clean sheets (five at home, five away).
The opening fixtures are admittedly a bit of a mixed bag, but there are decent clean sheet chances in Gameweeks 3 and 8, when Brentford face Sunderland and Hull City.
Above: Clean sheet odds for Brentford in Gameweeks 1-8
OLA AINA
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 3.7 | 0.68 | 0.51 | 7.37 |
In pre-season, Oliver Glasner has trialled the back-three system that brought him so much success at Crystal Palace.
If that continues at Nottingham Forest, it immediately lifts the appeal of Ola Aina (£4.5m), who supplied an assist against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Saturday.
Crucially, he comes in cheaper than the rest of the Forest backline.
Aina tends to be a bit less gung-ho than Neco Williams (£5.0m) on the opposite flank, but there is still some attacking threat.
And while he picked up just four DefCon points last season, he did come close (eight or nine) on four other occasions.
That said, Forest have a tricky start to the season, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the first four Gameweeks. Because of that, you could perhaps choose to rotate Aina with a cheap Coventry defender, giving you this home fixture run for only £8.5m:
Centre-back Jair Cunha (£4.5m) is another option at Forest in this price bracket, but with Ousmane Diomande reportedly wanted to reinforce the backline, there is more uncertainty with minutes.
BRIGHTON PLAYERS
| Player | 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kadioglu | 34 (3) | 3.4 | 0.80 | 0.60 | 4.89 |
| Dunk | 31 (2) | 3.2 | 0.76 | 0.22 | 7.41 |
| De Cuyper | 17 (13) | 3.6 | 0.80 | 1.96 | 3.98 |
There are three Brighton and Hove Albion defenders to consider at £4.5m: Ferdi Kadioglu, Lewis Dunk and Maxim De Cuyper.
The Seagulls had to wait until November for their first clean sheet of 2025/26, but finished strongly, with five shut-outs in 10 matches.
In fact, from Gameweek 28 onwards, they limited their opponents to just 18 Opta ‘big chances’, the fewest of any team.
This season, with Leeds United, Coventry City and Sunderland in the first six Gameweeks, there is optimism they can carry that defensive form into the new campaign.
Above: Clean sheet odds for Brighton in Gameweeks 1-6
Kadioglu made the left-back spot his own at the Amex Stadium last season, racking up 34 Premier League starts, with his deliveries into the box a key part of Hurzeler’s approach. It translated into just three attacking returns, mind.
As for De Cuyper, he had the superior assist potential when on the pitch, thanks in part to some ‘out of position’ run-outs further forward. Ultimately, however, we don’t yet know for sure whether he’ll be a nailed-on starter in 2026/27.
Dunk, meanwhile, banked 16 DefCon points and there is some set-piece threat there, too, with 15 headed goal attempts.
However, Brighton have revamped their defence this summer, with Luka Vuskovic (£5.0m), Pascal Struijk (£5.0m), Michael Svoboda (£5.0m) and Costinha (£4.5m) all arriving, so it’s all eyes on the club’s pre-season friendlies.
Albion are also in Europe this season (they have Conference League play-offs before/after Gameweek 1!), so we’ll have to see how much midweek exertions affect league form.
MATTY CASH
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 (1) | 3.4 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 5.57 |
Matty Cash (£4.5m) was Aston Villa’s top-scoring defender last season, with 117 points.
He scored three goals and supplied three assists in 35 matches, in what was a stand-out campaign for the Polish right-back.
Cash loves a shot from range (only Williams attempted more shots from outside the box among defenders last season), takes some corners and will put lots of crosses into the box from open play, so it’s easy to see his appeal, even without much DefCon potential.
Indeed, the Aston Villa man is currently ranked top among £4.5m defenders in our Rate My Team (RMT) points projections for the first six Gameweeks.
Unai Emery’s men have a tricky start, with Brighton and Arsenal to kick off. However, the outlook improves thereafter, with Hull City and Nottingham Forest to come before the first international break, followed by Brentford immediately after.
Above: Clean sheet odds for Aston Villa in Gameweeks 1-6
There are other £4.5m options at Villa, including Ezri Konsa and Ian Maatsen.
Cash feels like the superior pick over Konsa, given his low DefCon numbers, although a move to Arsenal would likely increase his appeal while William Saliba (£6.0m) is out.
As for Maatsen, the attack-minded Dutchman could start the season as Villa’s first-choice left-back if Lucas Digne (£4.5m) departs as expected. However, AC Milan’s Pervis Estupinan has been linked to the club, which could subsequently rule Maatsen out as a reliable option.
ANTONEE ROBINSON
| 25/26 starts (sub apps) | Points per start | Shots p90 | Chances created p90 | DefCon p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (5) | 3.5 | 0.36 | 1.30 | 8.05 |
Antonee Robinson (£4.5m) could be an option for Fulham, provided he is nailed-on under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
It’s a big if, with his form and fitness issues limiting him to just 17 starts in 2025/26.
But if Robinson can rediscover his form, there is potential, given the stats outlined above.
The left-back actually scored a penalty for Fulham in Gameweek 37 last season. Given Raul Jimenez’s departure, that spot-kick role will now need to be filled by someone new, which is something to monitor in pre-season.
Ryan Sessegnon (£4.5m) will compete for minutes with Robinson, plus any potential new arrivals.
As for Fulham, there are question marks about their ability to keep clean sheets, particularly with Arbeloa expected to adopt a more front-foot approach.
However, there is a very decent run of fixtures to target in Gameweeks 6-8, with Fulham set to face all three newly-promoted teams in quick succession:
Above: Clean sheet odds for Fulham in Gameweeks 1-8
OTHERS TO MONITOR IN PRE-SEASON
Jorrell Hato (£4.5m) can play at both left-back and centre-back for Chelsea. He’ll hope to kick on under Xabi Alonso, although his place in the team isn’t secure for now, hence his inclusion in this section of our coverage.
Marc Cucurella has, of course, departed, which helps, but Malo Gusto (£5.0m) is still at the club, and they might sign a replacement for the Spain international in the coming weeks.
There could be a chance of a budget pick at Everton, via Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.5m). The opening fixtures look tough, but he could be one to consider from Gameweek 5 onwards, when the Toffees have back-to-back matches against promoted clubs. Mykolenko averaged 2.9 points per start last season, with one assist and 14 DefCon points, a decent tally for a full-back.
At Sunderland, Reinildo and the sometimes ‘out of position’ Trai Hume are both £4.5m, but others at the club, such as Dan Ballard (£5.0m), surely carry more potential. As for Thomas Meunier (£4.5m), he’s likely been brought in to offer squad depth, with Sunderland set to play in Europe. We may see more rotation from Regis Le Bris this time around, so it feels like a wait-and-see, at least for now.
It could be at left-back where the value at Tottenham Hotspur is, provided one of Andrew Robertson (4.5m), Destiny Udogie (£4.5m) or Djed Spence (£4.5m) can secure regular starts under Roberto De Zerbi. Spurs improved defensively under the Italian tactician last season, with only seven goals conceded in their final seven matches.
Finally, Bournemouth’s Adam Smith (£4.5m), 35, could see an increase in minutes under Marco Rose, although the Cherries will likely dip into the transfer market in the coming weeks.
