Domestic-league season · Sunderland.
Missed 7 of Sunderland's ~38 games this season through 4 injury absences and 3 suspensions (groin, muscle). He still appeared 29 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Premier League | 29 | 2 | 0 | 2148 | 6.83 |
 FA Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 6.3 |
Ballard's current-season form is up 193% on last season (Season 14→41), while his Rating climbed 63→78. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.
| Season | Club | Apps | G | A | Match | RTG | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Sunderland · 7th | 29 | 2 | 0 | 6.83 | 78 | 41 |
| 2024/25 | Sunderland · 4th | 23 | 3 | 1 | 7.04 | 63 | 14 |
| 2023/24 | Sunderland · 16th | 43 | 3 | 0 | 7.1 | 71 | 39 |
| 2022/23 | Sunderland · 6th | 19 | 0 | 1 | 6.96 | 64 | 21 |
| 2021/22 | Millwall · 9th | 31 | 1 | 0 | 6.96 | 70 | 38 |
| 2020/21 | Blackpool · 3rd | 28 | 2 | 1 | 7.08 | 50 | 36 |
Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year.
| Competition | Apps | G |
|---|---|---|
| Friendlies | 2 | 0 |
Caps & goals this season.
D. Ballard is a 26-year-old central defender at Sunderland, rated 78.1 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 158th of 418 in the Premier League. In his prime years, he has been a regular starter this season (77% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.23 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Ballard.
Judged on this season alone, Ballard graded 41 — a strong campaign that ranks top 24% of the 81 centre-backs in the Premier League, on 7 clean sheets and 3.226 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 14 → 41). Across the 6 seasons we hold, it's his best return yet.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 78, top 26% of the 81 centre-backs in the Premier League. At 26 Ballard is in his prime years, and a market index of 156.2 reflects that trajectory.
Read the appearance count in context: Ballard missed 4 games through injury and 3 suspensions (groin, muscle) out of roughly 38 this season. The 29 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.
Below his 2023/24 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
3.23 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 7 clean sheets across 29 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
With a Rating of 78.1, Ballard carries the 21st-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Premier League (top 26%). Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.23 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around.
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~156), then tapers with age. At 26, Ballard sits on 156.2, at or near its peak. The blue line is Ballard's projected Rating — 78.1 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.
€2.3M total transfer fees · 4 moves
No transfer news found for this player.
