Best defensive players from Republic of Ireland

The best defensive players from Republic of Ireland, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

J. O'Brien of Everton is the standout for raw talent across players from Republic of Ireland, with a Field Insider Rating of 85.6, and T. Parrott has been the form player this season, grading 68.6, and A. Drinan leads the scoring with 22 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: A. Drinan has improved his Season rating most, up +39.8 on last season, while G. Bazunu's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +19.5 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, J. O'Brien of Everton is the most valuable name in this group at 171.2.

Southampton · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

A. Drinan+39.8SsN

Swindon Town · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by most clean sheetsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	CS	Season	Rating
1	D. O'Shea Centre-back	Ipswich	27	17	4776.1%	6321.1%
2	J. Bagan Full-back	Cardiff	24	15	45250%	5112.7%
3	Joshua Keeley Goalkeeper	Luton	23	13	2424.7%	531%
4	L. Kelly Defensive midfielder	Milton Keynes Dons	30	13	3876.1%	221.3%
5	J. Egan Centre-back	Hull City	33	12	41989.5%	2919.1%
6	L. Scales Centre-back	Celtic	27	12	405.9%	4312.2%
7	R. Graydon Central midfielder	Salford City	27	11	3819.7%	322.7%
8	A. Drinan Centre-forward	Swindon Town	28	11	50375.5%	284.4%
9	S. McLoughlin Centre-back	Blackburn	29	11	46129.8%	4711.8%
10	J. O'Brien Full-back	Everton	25	10	4179.5%	867.4%
11	R. Manning Full-back	Southampton	30	10	35200.9%	4611.5%
12	D. Burns Attacking midfielder	Grimsby	23	10	13424%	3421.3%
13	R. Staunton Full-back	Grimsby	24	10	27421.2%	3411.1%
14	O. McEntee Full-back	Heart Of Midlothian	25	10	38102.7%	4844.7%
15	G. Kilkenny Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	26	10	295.6%	318.4%
16	P. Sweeney Centre-back	Exeter City	31	10	2647.5%	247.6%
17	J. Molumby Central midfielder	West Brom	26	10	2912.2%	5815.4%
18	C. Kelleher Goalkeeper	Brentford	27	10	2761.8%	761.7%
19	C. Grant Winger	Notts County	24	9	1520.2%	332.1%
20	F. Azaz Attacking midfielder	Southampton	25	9	4613.5%	743.4%
21	K. Phillips Attacking midfielder	ST Mirren	24	9	1753.9%	486.7%
22	J. Moylan Attacking midfielder	Lincoln	24	9	33200%	5013.8%
23	S. McLaughlin Full-back	Mansfield Town	36	9	3069.5%	155.5%
24	J. Knight Attacking midfielder	Bristol City	25	9	979.8%	6516.3%
25	C. Coventry Defensive midfielder	Charlton	26	9	2929.8%	5813%
26	J. Taylor Defensive midfielder	Ipswich	28	9	2588%	4819.4%
27	N. Collins Centre-back	Brentford	25	9	4311.6%	867.2%
28	R. Curtis Central midfielder	Plymouth	30	8	3892%	3122.7%
29	A. Browne Defensive midfielder	Middlesbrough	31	8	33205.6%	355.9%
30	T. Wright Centre-forward	Bradford	24	8	18146.5%	4846.3%
31	W. O'Hora Full-back	Hibernian	27	8	2910%	3917.1%
32	J. McGrath Attacking midfielder	Hibernian	29	8	3331.7%	3414%
33	C. Hamilton Attacking midfielder	Blackpool	31	8	2217.2%	2521%
34	J. Rafferty Full-back	Rotherham	32	8	2825.6%	2225.3%
35	R. Sweeney Centre-back	Mansfield Town	29	8	2860.5%	2927.5%
36	J. Dunne Full-back	QPR	28	8	3027.3%	5517.7%
37	M. Johnston Winger	West Brom	27	8	3461.2%	5416.3%
38	G. Bazunu Goalkeeper	Southampton	24	7	20113.8%	6939.2%
39	M. O’Leary Goalkeeper	West Brom	29	7	37150.3%	4725.7%
40	S. Roughan Full-back	Huddersfield	22	7	2338.5%	508%
41	J. Gallagher Central midfielder	Austin	30	7	224%	2623.1%
42	J. Quigley Centre-forward	Oldham	30	7	19	182.2%
43	E. Weir Full-back	Walsall	24	7	17200%	320.9%
44	Jamie Mullins Attacking midfielder	Wycombe	21	7	17	49
45	D. Casey Centre-back	Wycombe	28	7	2216%	3322.3%
46	M. Sykes Attacking midfielder	Bristol City	28	7	2013.1%	4917.3%
47	J. Bonham Goalkeeper	Bolton	32	6	109.8%	1946.8%
48	S. Curtis Full-back	Chesterfield	20	6	18142.5%	3321.3%
49	J. Doyle-Hayes Defensive midfielder	Exeter City	27	6	19	345.2%
50	D. Duffy Central midfielder	Chesterfield	23	6	16116%	333.1%