10 best centre-backs in the EFL Championship right now (Ranked) | OneFootball

FLW outline the 10 best centre-backs in the Championship during the 2024/25 season.

Plenty of Championship stars will be looking to make their mark this season to get themselves in the headlines to help their club achieve promotion or possibly put themselves in the shop window.

It's often attacking players who take those headlines, and plenty of players have passed through the second tier to achieve a move to a higher level. However, the players who regularly deserve more praise than they get are the defenders at the other end, who are tasked with beginning attacks and keeping the ball out.

There remain plenty of top-quality players in this area of the pitch this season following the relegation of some big teams, and others who remain in the Championship currently, too. There are a variety of types — from classy and composed ball-players, to those that will thunder into any tackle and come up with decisive goal-saving tackles and blocks.

With the 2024/25 season already underway, we have decided to rank what we believe are the 10 best central defenders in the English second tier, with their current ability, age, and potential taken into account somewhat as well.

10 Callum Doyle

There are certainly better players right now than Callum Doyle, but a dearth of young, left-footed, English centre-backs make him a unique profile and one to get excited about. It's a testament to his quality as a player at such a tender age that he already has well over 100 career games already, having only recently turned 21 and having suffered from many injury issues at Leicester City last season.

The Manchester City youngster has joined Norwich City on loan this time following spells with Sunderland, Coventry City and the Foxes. He is calm and composed for his age, but should develop his ball-playing skills even further with Johannes Hoff Thorup this season. A knee injury has restricted his action, but he is undoubtedly one of the best young defenders outside of the Premier League.

9 Max Wober

Many Leeds United fans remain frustrated at players who activated loan clauses last summer, but Max Wöber is back at the club and has to be considered as one of the best central defenders in the division already, with the Austrian international's pedigree evident after his exploits in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach last season.

He impressed in Germany, making 27 competitive outings last season, which would have been far more were it not for injury. Wöber was also one of only a handful of Leeds players to impress when they were relegated in 2022/23. He has proven quality in multiple top-flight leagues in Europe, even if he is behind other players in the pecking order at Elland Road currently.

8 Rav van den Berg

Rav van den Berg is one of the hardest players to place within this list, such has been the speed of his development, but he is fully deserving a spot after an incredible first season with Middlesbrough last term. There is every chance that he hits new heights this season, but he has all the right tools within his skill-set to kick on under Michael Carrick yet again this season.

The giant 20-year-old defender can operate at both right-sided centre-back and right-back, and has showcased the talent and quality that is well beyond his years, meaning he could well be considered the best player in his position in the division come the end of the season. Middlesbrough have had a number of high-quality assets pass through the doors at the Riverside in recent years, and van den berg looks like the next big thing for them.

7 Dan Ballard

It's incredible to think that a 24-year-old can be considered one of the club's most senior and experienced figures, but that is the case with Dan Ballard, who is the seventh-oldest player at the club and is a core member of the team in terms of his ability as a player and the squad as a personality and leader. However, his quality as a rapidly improving defender cannot be denied, either.

The Black Cats have the youngest squad by average age in the division and are renowned for their ability to buy young players and improve them. As Sunderland continue to grow and develop as a young side, they will require the next generation of leadership figures in their team, and Ballard is chief among them. His dependability and consistency at the heart of defence are only aided by his ability to play on the very edge, with his heart on his sleeve.

6 Jordan Beyer

Jordan Beyer signed for Burnley in May after a stellar season in the Championship.

Burnley may well have lost Dara O'Shea this summer, but it was from an area where they were particularly stocked on quality. Jordan Beyer highlights that, and also the fact that so many players show serious signs of improvement after relegation, as they are highly capable players in the second tier after struggling in the Premier League.

Beyer was a seriously impressive player the last time he featured in the Championship with Burnley, showcasing plenty of good physical attributes, as well as the ball-playing capabilities required by then manager, Vincent Kompany. They will no doubt have been keen on keeping the nucleus of the team together that has experienced promotion before, and Beyer was a huge part of that, and will hope to be again.

5 Teden Mengi

Despite losing the services of some important players such as Gabriel Osho, Ross Barkley and Chiedozie Ogbene, Luton largely kept hold of their prized assets this summer. But Teden Mengi can expect to have a big season if Luton are to thrive in this year's iteration of the Championship. Rob Edwards' side conceded plenty of goals last season, but the majority of those concessions were through no fault of Mengi's.

He is a strong physical presence at the back often seeing him win his individual battles with opposition forwards. The second tier should come as a breeze to a player with numerous attributes that make him one of the Championship's top defensive players. With the distraction of a potential move no longer lingering over his head, Mengi should look to continue showing clubs why he deserves to be playing at a higher level, with his aerial prowess paired with an ability to read the game very well.

4 Maxime Esteve

The central defender only made the move to Lancashire in January, although he was unable to save the team from relegation in the end. Despite that, he managed to put in some admirable performances. With that, it was no surprise that Maxime Esteve was linked with a return to the top-flight in both England and Germany, but remaining with the Clarets gives them yet another top-quality option at centre-back.

As a younger defender, Esteve is a player who carries plenty of promise, and it was the right decision for him to be retained to continue that development, because he's a young player who has the potential and current ability that could help to guide the club back to the top level. If the Clarets return there, then he could be a great option to have in the top tier again.

3 Joe Rodon

A few eyebrows were raised when Joe Rodon decided to remain with Leeds for another year, this time on a permanent basis. He is sure to have had numerous suitors in the top-flight, but the ex-Spurs loanee has unfinished business with the Whites and Daniel Farke. The 6'4" titanic defender merits a podium finish in a list of this type.

Rodon was one of the league's stand-out central defenders last season, and has been outstanding for Leeds since signing on loan from Tottenham. His permanent deal came at just the right time for the Whites, after an imperious and almost ever-present first season at the club, despite the loss of Archie Gray in the process.

The £10 million fee to re-secure his services highlights his quality and Leeds' ambition, with not many second tier sides paying such a fee for a defensive reinforcement. It could be a masterstroke, as he was arguably the best central defender in the league last season, and totally warranted a shot at Premier League football in 2024/25, albeit Leeds offered him an opportunity to find a home and settle in somewhere he had become a fan's favourite.

Anel Ahmedhodzic has been one of the Blades' most consistent players in recent years and bagged plenty of goals despite being a centre-back, which helps warrant his ranking in second place in this list. He initially thrived in Paul Heckingbottom's back three from the first minute, proving to be an upgrade both on and off the ball over their other defensive options. He is a Premier League level defender and could easily be back in the top-flight.

The Blades are expected to be there or thereabouts come the end of the campaign, in part due to quality operators in the Championship, such as the Bosnian centre-back. That's because despite both he and Sheffield United enduring a difficult season last year, the 25-year-old is proven quality at second tier level, and someone Chris Wilder should be looking to build around.

Alongside Gus Hamer, he is arguably their biggest asset. Ahmedhodzic was an important figure for the Blades last season, playing 31 league games, and wearing the captain's armband on a regular basis as well. He is equally comfortable in a possession-based side as he is dominating his box. His aerial prowess makes him a huge asset in both boxes; on paper, he is a well-rounded defender and should bring plenty of upside both in and out of possession.

1 Pascal Struijk

Calmness and composure personified, with his early season performances solidifying him as the Championship's outstanding centre-back already, Pascal Struijk is fully deserving of top spot in this list. The Dutchman is one of the Championship's most underrated players in any position, even by his own fanbase at times, but is elegant and classy with the ball at his feet.

Not only that, but he is able to bully and dominate physical battles, and will score his fair share of goals as well this season. That could be via a set-piece or from the penalty spot, with the 25-year-old showcasing an array of qualities as he continues to develop. He was one of Leeds' most consistent players in the back line before his injury last season. Had he not been injured, Leeds could be a Premier League side right now.

He forms possibly the best defensive duo, as part of a rock solid partnership alongside Rodon and may take the armband on occasion as well, having seen his role in the dressing room grow over the last year. It was a frustrating campaign for Struijk in the end, but his quality as a player is undeniable. His ball-progression and show of serious personality when driving the ball into midfield areas are second-to-none in the second tier.