There is a slight football food-chain element to this feature, with \u2018untouchable\u2019 stars at Brighton and Crystal Palace featuring in our ranking of the 10 best centre-backs available to sign this summer.<\/p>\n
The centre-back market is not expected to be as hectic as the winger<\/a> and striker markets<\/a>, but there will surely be plenty of movement in the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n Without further ado, here are the 10 best centre-backs available this summer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 10) Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP)<\/p>\n The first of two Sporting players in this ranking, Diomande has been linked with a variety of Premier League clubs over the last three years.<\/p>\n Arsenal<\/a> seemed destined to sign the Ivorian, who came close to joining Crystal Palace last summer<\/a>. If that doesn\u2019t say his stock has fallen, we\u2019re not sure what will.<\/p>\n He is still an interesting prospect and Palace are in a very good place. A strong showing at the World Cup could be what finally gets Diomande a big transfer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 9) Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta)<\/p>\n Separating Scalvini and Diomande was unnecessarily difficult, but we are content with the ranking as we know, deep down, that nobody gives a s**t.<\/p>\n Both players were born a week apart and turn 23 in December, making them long-term investments, but also players good enough and experienced enough to make an instant impact.<\/p>\n The jump from Serie A is slightly less significant than the one from the Portuguese top flight, which could be what gives Scalvini the slight edge. However, his injury record is rather concerning.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 8) Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)<\/p>\n Poor Sporting could lose both of their starting centre-backs this summer. We have been saying that for about three years now, mind\u2026<\/p>\n Inacio could start alongside Ruben Dias \u2013 a player we considered including amid reports he wants to follow Pep Guardiola out of Manchester City<\/a> \u2013 at the World Cup. He was a regular during last year\u2019s Nations League Finals but not at Euro 2024, so we are not 100 per cent sure.<\/p>\n Premier League clubs will be sniffing around Inacio, while there is also reported interest from AC Milan. That feels right, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 7) Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig)<\/p>\n Leipzig have an incredible knack for unearthing brilliant French centre-backs. It\u2019s quite weird.<\/p>\n Ibrahima Konate<\/a> and Dayot Upamecano went on to bigger and better things after establishing themselves there, while Mohamed Simakan joined Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s Al-Nassr last year, and Lukeba is next in line to earn himself a big-money move.<\/p>\n It could happen this summer, and interested clubs will be delighted that Lukeba is not at the World Cup \u2013 if they have not been put off by his snub\u2026<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 6) Yann Bisseck (Inter)<\/p>\n Bisseck\u2019s agent promises he is happy in Milan, but Hitler promised not to invade Czechoslovakia. This is the real world.<\/p>\n Bayern Munich and Real Madrid<\/a> are being linked with him this summer, whereas last year Bisseck was attracting interest from West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt.<\/p>\n He clearly had a productive season, helping Inter win the league and cup double. Not productive enough to make Germany\u2019s World Cup squad, though.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5) Murillo (Nottingham Forest)<\/p>\n One of the quickest and strongest players in the Premier League, we\u2019d be surprised to see Murillo at Nottingham Forest next season.<\/p>\n His stock hasn\u2019t fallen but he has fallen behind other Premier League centre-backs in clubs\u2019 list of centre-back targets. Still, Murillo should be able to leave Forest for around quadruple the \u00a315m they paid to sign him from Corinthians.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 4) Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton)<\/p>\n One of the highest-rated centre-backs in the Premier League, Van Hecke is outstanding on the ball and solid defensively. We know what is more important in these days of wokeness.<\/p>\n Van Hecke is also an underrated s**thouse. He is wired a bit differently from other defenders but knows how to get away with it, unlike some. Perhaps unlike someone else on this list.<\/p>\n Brighton want around \u00a370m for the Dutch international<\/a> and, knowing them, they will get it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3) Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)<\/p>\n There might not be a player more suited to the outside centre-back role in a back three than Lacroix. His pace gives him the edge over other central defenders, and he is very tidy on the ball, too.<\/p>\n Palace signed a gem from Wolfsburg in 2024 and will do very well to keep hold of him this summer, even after qualifying for the Europa League.<\/p>\n Lacroix\u2019s inclusion in the France squad says more than we ever could to justify his ranking here.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2) Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)<\/p>\n Having to be convinced to merely show up for Tottenham\u2019s do-or-die final-day game at home to Everton is not a great sign.\u00a0The Spurs captain was set to be in home country to watch his boyhood club Belgrano play in the Argentine Primera Division final<\/a>, but a U-turn meant he was there to support his team-mates and thank his current club\u2019s loyal supporters after a quite frankly, f**king embarrassing campaign.<\/p>\n Does he deserve any credit? Does he f**k.<\/p>\n