Most Improved defenders in Super League 25/26
The most improved defenders in Super League in 25/26, ranked on Field Insider.
At a glance
Chan Shinichi of Shanghai Shenhua is the standout for raw talent across defenders in Super League, with a Field Insider Rating of 37.1, and F. Benković has been the form player this season, grading 48.3, and Lucas Maia leads the scoring with 6 goals.
The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: F. Benković has improved his Season rating most, up +38.8 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.
By our market-value index, Gabriel Xavier of Sichuan Jiuniu is the most valuable name in this group at 6.2.
10 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
| Player | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F. BenkovićCentre-back | Sichuan Jiuniu | 29 | +38.8 23/24→25/26 | 48408.4% | 2538.5% |
| 2 | Wilson ManafáFull-back |  Shanghai Shenhua | 32 | +29.8 23/24→25/26 | 312709.1% | 1751.8% |
| 3 | U. SpajićFull-back |  Beijing Guoan | 33 | +10.4 21/22→25/26 | 16192.6% | 1064.4% |
| 4 | Iago MaidanaCentre-back |  Henan Jianye | 30 | +7.4 23/24→25/26 | 1963.2% | 2158.3% |
| 5 | M. TraoréCentre-back |  Dalian Zhixing | 31 | -0.4 21/22→25/26 | 211.9% | 1565.4% |
| 6 | Lucas PossignoloCentre-back |  Hangzhou Greentown | 32 | -8.5 21/22→25/26 | 2723.8% | 1765.7% |
| 7 | Pedro ÁlvaroCentre-back | Shandong Luneng | 26 | -10.3 24/25→25/26 | 2034.6% | 3348.7% |
| 8 | T. PellenardCentre-back | Meizhou Kejia | 32 | -12.3 24/25→25/26 | 1447.1% | 2035.4% |
| 9 | A. BurcăCentre-back |  Yunnan Yukun | 33 | -15.2 23/24→25/26 | 963.6% | 875.4% |
| 10 | Aitor CórdobaCentre-back | Tianjin Teda | 31 | -23 24/25→25/26 | 2151.8% | 3233% |