Branthwaite, Van Dijk or Saliba - pick your Premier League defender of the season

The Premier League season is venturing towards its conclusion and as a result Transfermarkt has now published its contenders for the division’s Player of the Year awards. Alongside picking the individual that deserves to stand out among all other players in the English top-flight, users can also pick their preferred candidate for goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward. 

Alongside an impressive array of midfielder and attacking options, users may wish to remind themselves of the contenders in the defender category of this season’s awards. To no great surprise, both title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City have relied heavily on their defensive players to keep them in the hunt for the league championship this season, while other teams up and down the table have seen their performances boosted by superb individual talents in the back line. As such, let’s take a look at the defenders that have been nominated for Player of the Year. 

The Defenders nominated for the 23/24 Premier League Player of the Year award

Virgil van Dijk

While some may have simply assumed that age would finally catch up with Virgil van Dijk this season, the Liverpool defender has instead been one of the Anfield club’s most impressive players and in many ways underlined the gap between what is necessary to win league titles and where other parts of the squad are lacking. Whether Van Dijk stays next season following the departure of Jürgen Klopp remains to be seen, but few could do that Liverpool are still entirely dependent on the central defender. 

Kyle Walker

The mark of a great player is when his side struggles without him and there’s little doubt that Pep Guardiola’s title contenders have often missed Kyle Walker's speed and technique on the right flank when he has been out injured this season. Nailed on to be England’s first-choice right-back at this summer’s Euros and perhaps Manchester City’s most reliable defender, Walker remains at the peak of his powers and as such an excellent Premier League player. 

William Saliba

It wasn’t so long ago that William Saliba’s future at Arsenal looked far from centre, following a string of loan spells to France. However, Following an impressive debut season in the Premier League last year, Saliba has not only established himself as Arsenal’s most valuable defender but also as one of the division’s most impressive centre backs. Should Mikel Arteta’s side win the league title this season, Saliba would be heralded as a key part of that remarkable achievement. 

Gabriel Magalhães

If Saliba is the high-profile star in Arsenal’s defence, then Gabriel is undoubtedly the under-rated defensive partner that ensures that Arteta’s team maintain the best defensive record in the division. Alongside an impressive eye for goal during attacking corners, which has seen Gabriel bag no less than four league goals this season, the Brazil international has been an impressive and necessary defensive talent in the heart of this Arsenal team. 

Ben White

The third and final Arsenal player on this season’s list of defenders is none other than Ben White, who has continued to impress as the best make-shift right-back in the English top-flight. Although White may not be as attacking as most traditional right-backs, his defensive solidity on the right has been vital to Arteta’s team grinding out results and keeping pace with Man City for the entirety of this season. 

Jarrad Branthwaite

Following a successful loan spell at PSV Eindhoven last season, Jarrad Branthwaite broke into the Everton first team at the start of this current league campaign and hasn’t looked back since. At the heart of one of the most formidable defences in the Premier League this season, Branthwaite is not only a key player to Sean Dyche’s side but arguably the player that has done more than any other in Everton’s team to steer them clear of relegation.