Five most complete centre-backs in the Premier league

In the modern era, centre-backs are expected to have a wide range of attributes. This is especially true in the Premier League, where teams need to be able to play out from the back.

Today, we’ll be looking at the five centre-backs in the Premier League who have the most complete skillsets. To be included in this list, they need to be able to do everything – they need to be aerially dominant, strong in the tackle and must possess astute technical ability.

We’ll be looking at players from teams such as Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur for this list – can you guess who they are?

Marc Guehi

Marc Guehi has recently made the jump from Crystal Palace to Manchester City – almost immediately, he has brought solidity to the Sky Blues’ previously shaky backline.

The England international can do it all – he rarely loses aerial or ground duels and is very comfortable when asked to play out from the back.

He is shorter than most modern centre-backs at just 6ft 0, but this doesn’t effect him much – he is still a very effective aerial presence.

Malick Thiaw

Malick Thiaw has been a brilliant addition to Newcastle United’s defence – it’s no coincidence that only five Premier League teams have conceded fewer goals than they have this season.

Standing at 6ft 4, he’s practically impossible to beat in the air – he also possesses excellent feet for such a tall player.

What’s more, he also has an eye for goal – the Dutch international has scored three goals in the Premier League so far this season.

Micky van de Ven

Is Micky van de Ven the fastest centre-back in Premier League history? At full tilt, the Dutch international resembles an Olympic sprinter more than a centre-half.

Additionally, few defenders in the Premier League have as much ability on the ball as he does. On more than one occasion, he has run the whole length of the pitch to notch up a goal contribution.

Tottenham have had a rotten campaign in England’s top division, but Van de Ven has been a ray of light amidst the darkness.

Jan Paul van Hecke

Jan Paul van Hecke has matured rapidly since his arrival at Brighton – he has always had the technical ability, but he has recently added physicality to his game.

Left-footed centre-backs are coveted in today’s game. Due to this, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him snapped up by a top club later down the line.

Van Hecke is also a very brave defender. He has completed 19 blocks in the Premier League so far this season – only six players have completed more than this.

Gabriel

No centre-backs have more to their game than Gabriel does at the moment – he has been a key factor behind Arsenal’s success this season.

While the Brazilian international is an exceptional, physical defender with excellent ability on the ball, his goalscoring prowess has been highlighted in 2025/26.

He has scored four goals and has notched up three assists across all competitions – in the air, Gabriel is peerless.