Ballard's current-season form is level with last season (Season 33→33), while his Rating held around 75. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 39).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Sunderland · 13th	1	0	0	6.3	75	33
2025/26	Sunderland · 7th	29	2	0	6.83	75	33
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

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons and 9 youth-team spells in the full career.

Northern Ireland · international

Side	Apps	G
Northern Ireland	33	5
Northern Ireland U21	3	1
Northern Ireland U19	2	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Top-tier performerCentral defender

D. Ballard is a 26-year-old central defender at Sunderland, rated 74.6 overall by Field Insider's model. In his prime years, he has been a regular starter this season (62.8% 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.

On the season, Ballard graded 33 for current form (age-blind), on 7 clean sheets and 3.226 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 33 → 33). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 75. At 26 Ballard is in his prime years, and a market index of 89.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2023/24 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2023/24Holding levelBreakout: 2025/26Stepped up 2021/22Injury-hit 2025/26

74.6

Ratingi

elite — among the best in the position

33.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

62.8%

Minutes

a regular starter

3.23

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Sunderland finished 7th of 20 · a mid-table side

Apps

3.23

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

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.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 62.8% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Pedigree. Performing in a top-tier setting (team strength 96.8/100).

Watch points

Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

Rated 74.6 overall — elite — among the best in the position. 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.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %62.8%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.084

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.084

Defensive actions / 903.226

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Cards / 900.209

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

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 (~90), then tapers with age. At 26, Ballard sits on 89.5, at or near its peak. The blue line is Ballard's projected Rating — 74.6 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.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Premier League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles33

Interceptions20

Blocks24

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards1

Transfer history

€2.3M total transfer fees · 4 moves

SunderlandJul 2022 – now€ 2.3M

Millwall(on loan)Jul 2021 – Jul 2022

Arsenal(back from loan)Jun 2021 – Jul 2021

Blackpool(on loan)Oct 2020 – Jun 2021

Arsenaluntil Oct 2020

About D. Ballard

Daniel George Ballard is a 26-year-old centre-back who plays for Sunderland, born on September 22, 1999 in Stevenage, standing 187 cm tall. He is from Northern Ireland. Sunderland currently sit 13th of 20 in the Premier League.

This season

In the current season, D. Ballard has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 90 minutes, averaging a 6.3 match rating over his last 1 rated games, with 1 yellow card.

Recent matches

August 22, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Ipswich (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)

D. Ballard's next match is on August 30, 2026, when Sunderland face Fulham at home in the Premier League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates D. Ballard at 74.6 with a Season form score of 33.1. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the FA Cup and the Premier League 2. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 11 recorded seasons, D. Ballard has totalled 229 club appearances with 16 goals and 3 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 43 appearances for Sunderland.

D. Ballard's career has also included time at Millwall, Arsenal and Blackpool.

On the international stage, D. Ballard has represented Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland U21, Northern Ireland U19 — 38 caps and 6 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.