Best £6.0m Defenders in FPL 2025/26

Finding the right balance between premium and value is key in FPL, and this guide on the Best £6.0m Defenders in FPL 2025/26 – Top Value Picks highlights the standout options in this tricky price bracket. These defenders often offer a mix of attacking threat and clean sheet potential, making them ideal for managers looking to squeeze every point from their backline.

From proven assets to emerging gems, here are the top £6.0m defenders to consider for your Gameweek 1 squad.

William Saliba

Arsenal were exceptional last season from a defensive perspective. Among all sides the Gooners ranked top for least goals conceded, second best for total clean sheets, and topped several other key underlying metrics including total shots on target conceded and total big chances conceded.

Their starting schedule is mixed – with matches against Manchester United, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. But, Arsenal have proven themselves from a defensive perspective in tougher matches.

Usually the best option in the Arsenal backline is Gabriel, but his absence in pre-season matches is a major concern. Because of this, the safest option for gametime is fellow centre-back William Saliba. The Frenchman has less attacking threat than Gabriel, but he still managed two goals in the previous campaign.

Virgil Van Dijk

The Liverpool defence is also worth focus. Whilst Arsenal topped multiple defensive metrics, no side produced more clean sheets than the Reds. They also ranked among the top four sides for metrics like total shots on goal conceded, shots on target conceded and shots from set-plays conceded.

The league leaders meet with Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Everton in their first six games, which could mean potential for their backline.

Whilst exciting signings Jeremy Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are catching the eye of FPL managers, none of them have convinced in terms of gametime Because of this, defensive contribution potential and goal threat from set-plays Virgil Van Dijk could be the standout.

The Dutchman was also recently pictured practising free-kicks, so he could well fill a gap left behind by the recently depart Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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Marc Cucurella

World Champions Chelsea will have lots of confidence heading into the new Premier League campaign after securing a Club World Cup title. There the Blues collected four clean sheets from seven matches. So, whilst not as consistent as the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, they have shown evident growth during the summer.

Not many sides have a better starting schedule than Chelsea either. Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham and Brentford lay ahead in their first four games, which makes the Chelsea backline extremely appealing to start the season with.

Rotation between the right-backs and centre-backs is a concern. Fortunately, Marc Cucurella is a safe option at left-back. As well as potentially benefitting from clean sheets, the Spaniard scored on five occasions in the league last season – a clear sign of his attacking threat.

What about the other £6m defenders?

Outside the top three, there are factors to consider when selecting the others:

Gabriel – The Arsenal centre-back is yet to play any minutes in pre-season, which is a major concern.

Jeremie Frimpong – The new Liverpool signing hasn’t started any of their three pre-season matches, making him one to monitor.

Milos Kerkez – Another new Liverpool signing short of gametime in pre-season. The former Bournemouth man has started just one of Liverpool’ three pre-season games.

Andy Robertson – The arrival of new signings puts the Liverpool full-backs minutes at serious risk.

Rayan Ait Nouri – Rotation seems to be a theme under Pep Guardiola, and the defence is no different. The Algerian is new to the side so may take time to settle in.

Josko Gvardiol – Not knowing whether Gvardiol will start or not has always been a slight concern. Not only this but we can’t be sure what position he is going to play either.

There is huge potential in the assets listed above, but monitoring their gametime will be crucial in the coming weeks. For now, and at £6m, it could be wise to opt for gametime reliability.