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Most Improved defenders in J1 League 2027

The most improved defenders in J1 League in 2027, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in J1 LeagueMost improved midfielders in J1 LeagueMost improved attackers in J1 LeagueBest defenders in J1 LeagueMost in-form defenders in J1 LeagueTop-scoring defenders in J1 League

At a glance

R. Handa of Gamba Osaka is the standout for raw talent across defenders in J1 League, with a Field Insider Rating of 56.5, and K. Anzai has been the form player this season, grading 50.4, and Y. Kimoto leads the scoring with 2 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: H. Inamura has improved his Season rating most, up +35.3 on last season, while R. Handa's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +3.7 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, R. Handa of Gamba Osaka is the most valuable name in this group at 20.7.

Best talent
R. Handa56.5RTG
Gamba Osaka
In form
K. Anzai50.4SsN
Kashima
Rising potential
R. Handa+3.7RTG
Gamba Osaka · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
H. Inamura+35.3SsN
FC Tokyo · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
Y. Kimoto2goals
Mito Hollyhock
Most valuable
R. Handa20.7val
Gamba Osaka
45 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1H. InamuraCentre-backFC Tokyo24+35.3
24/25→25/26
38303.2%475.4%
2A. ScholzCentre-backFC Tokyo34+32.8
24/25→25/26
46127.1%16±0%
3T. DengCentre-backYokohama F. Marinos29+24.4
24/25→25/26
45117.9%3123.9%
4Dion-Johan CoolsCentre-backCerezo Osaka30+21.2
21/22→25/26
31292.4%24±0%
5R. HandaFull-backGamba Osaka24+18.1
24/25→25/26
4666.1%577%
6H. ArakiCentre-backSanfrecce Hiroshima30+16.3
24/25→25/26
4516.5%35±0%
7R. InoueCentre-backCerezo Osaka29+16
24/25→25/26
33401.5%27±0%
8K. MatsubaraCentre-backYokohama F. Marinos33+15.7
24/25→25/26
3582.6%1641.4%
9T. OkaCentre-backFC Tokyo25+13.3
24/25→25/26
2780.7%472.9%
10DiegoFull-backVissel Kobe31+10.5
24/25→25/26
3874.1%2815.4%
11N. AraiFull-backSanfrecce Hiroshima30+10.4
24/25→25/26
2932.3%3316.1%
12K. AnzaiFull-backKashima31+9.2
24/25→25/26
5022.3%2634.8%
13S. HatanakaCentre-backCerezo Osaka31+8.6
24/25→25/26
238.1%3212.2%
14Y. TatsutaFull-backFagiano Okayama28+4.3
24/25→25/26
1264.2%38±0%
15K. SuzukiCentre-backTokyo Verdy24+2.3
24/25→25/26
15400%422.2%
16R. ShindoCentre-backV-varen Nagasaki30+1.6
24/25→25/26
827%2316.3%
17A. OhataCentre-backCerezo Osaka25-0.5
24/25→25/26
23294.7%43±0%
18T. KishimotoFull-backGamba Osaka29-1.2
24/25→25/26
1436.3%28±0%
19S. MuroyaFull-backFC Tokyo32-1.5
24/25→25/26
34101.8%19±0%
20S. MiuraFull-backKawasaki Frontale26-1.7
24/25→25/26
1053.8%528.1%
21Y. MiyamotoCentre-backUrawa26-2.5
24/25→25/26
2224.1%492%
22R. OgawaFull-backKashima29-3.5
24/25→25/26
2119.4%31±0%
23Y. HondaCentre-backShimizu S-pulse35-3.7
24/25→25/26
1528.9%135.1%
24H. FujiiCentre-backNagoya Grampus25-4.1
24/25→25/26
1352.4%43±0%
25G. SakaiCentre-backVissel Kobe35-4.3
24/25→25/26
3514.1%18±0%
26S. SasakiCentre-backSanfrecce Hiroshima37-4.4
24/25→25/26
3628.1%2227.5%
27K. ChidaCentre-backTokyo Verdy32-5.2
24/25→25/26
2517.4%1846.3%
28Matheus ThulerFull-backVissel Kobe27-9.3
24/25→25/26
375.9%45±0%
29T. YamakawaFull-backVissel Kobe29-10.1
24/25→25/26
2934.6%4410.3%
30Y. KimotoCentre-backMito Hollyhock33-12.2
24/25→25/26
544.7%915.3%
31T. KogaCentre-backKashiwa Reysol27-13.3
24/25→25/26
1184.7%50±0%
32D. SugiokaFull-backKashiwa Reysol28-13.7
24/25→25/26
764.5%4012.4%
33R. YamaharaFull-backKawasaki Frontale27-13.9
22/23→25/26
577.7%443.5%
34Y. SuzukiCentre-backKyoto Sanga34-14.3
24/25→25/26
1264.4%2411.1%
35K. SatoFull-backKyoto Sanga26-15.9
24/25→25/26
970.3%47±0%
36N. HayashiCentre-backTokyo Verdy28-16.1
24/25→25/26
1445.4%32±0%
37Danilo BozaCentre-backUrawa28-16.3
24/25→25/26
783.3%43±0%
38T. HaraCentre-backNagoya Grampus28-18.4
22/23→25/26
475.6%37±0%
39R. HatsuseFull-backGamba Osaka29-18.7
24/25→25/26
12342.3%27±0%
40H. TaniguchiCentre-backKawasaki Frontale27-20.6
24/25→25/26
1180.6%5114.5%
41N. UedaFull-backKashima32-23.9
24/25→25/26
1962.1%34±0%
42G. ShōjiCentre-backMachida Zelvia33-24.7
24/25→25/26
2448.1%25±0%
43T. MaseFull-backMito Hollyhock28-26
21/22→25/26
652.3%283.4%
44S. NakataniFull-backGamba Osaka30-30.4
24/25→25/26
1072.5%34±0%
45D. OkamuraFull-backMachida Zelvia29-33.1
24/25→25/26
1566.3%38±0%