Can FM Build the Perfect FPL Team? – Defenders

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Football Manager Predicts the Best Fantasy Defenders for 2025/26                                                                                                                                      By William Reid

 

We all know Football Manager is more accurate than any simulation, so I’m using it to find the best fantasy football players for next season. I’ve already looked at goalkeepers; now it’s time to move onto defenders. I’ve updated all the latest transfers and tweaked every player’s current ability, so this simulation is as up-to-date and realistic as possible.

So, who should you pick to make sure your defensive line is rock solid? Let’s get into it.

 

The Obvious Picks

First, there are the no-brainers. Liverpool and Manchester City rack up 19 and 20 clean sheets respectively in the simulation, so naturally their regular defenders end up scoring big points. For City, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol make the most appearances, with Dias also being the only defender to crack the top 20 average ratings across the whole season.

Over at Liverpool, Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk are the standout performers. Meanwhile, Jeremie Frimpong, one of the more exciting new arrivals, takes a little time to get going but finishes the season strong.Arsenal come in third for clean sheets, with William Saliba and Ben White playing the most minutes and earning the highest ratings among Gunners defenders.

 

The Sleeper Picks

 

Here’s where it gets interesting. The simulation throws up a few surprises from outside the traditional top four. One to watch under Thomas Frank? Pedro Porro. He bags four Player of the Match awards and six assists across the season. However, in case you needed more reason to avoid Romero, the Argentine was an absolute card magnet, amassing 3 reds and 9 yellows throughout the season.

If Frank can work the same magic at Spurs that he did at Brentford, Porro could be a steal.

Speaking of Brentford, Rico Henry puts in a huge shift, finishing with 11 clean sheets, the club’s highest average rating, and three Player of the Match awards. If he recovers from injury and stays fit, he could be a brilliant budget option.

 

Wild Cards & Differentials

Of course, there are always those players who didn’t dominate the simulation but could still prove to be fantasy gold. Ousmane Diomande and Daniel Muñoz look like potentially sharp picks from Crystal Palace, solid minutes, promising output. Meanwhile, Milos Kerkez could offer a more intriguing alternative to Frimpong.

Are there any players I’ve missed that you think should be on the radar?

Drop your thoughts in the comments, bonus points if you’ve simmed a season of FM yourself.

 

Last Updated: 01/07