There is a slight football food-chain element to this feature, with ‘untouchable’ stars at Brentford and Everton featuring in our ranking of the 10 best centre-backs available to sign this summer.
The centre-back market is not expected to be as hectic as the winger and striker markets, but there will surely be plenty of movement in the summer transfer window.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best centre-backs available this summer.
10) Nathan Collins (Brentford)
Manchester United were linked with a surprise move that wasn’t actually that surprising when you thought about it. Collins has been fantastic for Brentford, who paid a then club-record £23million for the Irish defender in 2023.
Brentford will surely want at least double that three years on from Collins’ arrival, and we think he is well equipped to make the step up.
9) John Stones (Free agent)
Here starts a run of three English centre-backs: one reportedly close to joining a new club, one attracting interest and the subject of multiple offers, and another whose future has gone very quiet after an injury-ravaged season.
Stones impressed for England at the World Cup, which has done his prospects no harm after entering free agency following the expiry of his Manchester City contract.
Inter are reportedly closing in on the signing of Stones, who has also been discussed as a potential target for Arsenal. His experience and ability make him a very attractive signing, but his painful injury record is, of course, well documented.
8) Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea)
Chalobah will surely leave Chelsea this summer. The Blues are close to announcing Maxence Lacroix and already have an array of central defenders.
Como are reportedly in negotiations to sign Chalobah and have offered €30million for the England international, which Chelsea insist is not enough wonga.
As an Arsenal fan, it’s annoying to see Chelsea digging their heels in because I just know Ben White will end up leaving for £15m. Ugh.
7) Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton)
A very promising young defender, Branthwaite missed a lot of football last season and was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad as a result. It was a fair decision, as the England man was never going to be close to starting. Levi Colwill was also omitted, with both players viewed as long-term options and likely to be involved at Euro 2028 if they continue on their current trajectory.
Branthwaite was a top Manchester United target last year, but rumours of a move to Old Trafford have quietened down. That is good news for Everton, but also an indication that his stock has dipped slightly.
6) Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta)
Separating Scalvini and the English trio was unnecessarily difficult, but we are content with the ranking as we know, deep down, that nobody gives a s**t.
The Italian would be a long-term investment, but is also a player good enough and experienced enough to make an instant impact.
The jump from Serie A to the Premier League is not too significant, though Scalvini’s injury record is rather concerning.
5) Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)
Poor Sporting could lose both of their starting centre-backs this summer. We have been saying that for about three years now, mind…
Inacio could start alongside Ruben Dias – a player we considered including amid reports he wants to follow Pep Guardiola out of Manchester City – at the World Cup. He was a regular during last year’s Nations League Finals but not at Euro 2024, so we are not 100 per cent sure.
Premier League clubs will be sniffing around Inacio, while there is also reported interest from AC Milan. That feels right, doesn’t it?
4) Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig)
Leipzig have an incredible knack for unearthing brilliant French centre-backs. It’s quite weird.
Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano went on to bigger and better things after establishing themselves there, while Mohamed Simakan joined Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr last year, and Lukeba is next in line to earn himself a big-money move.
It could happen this summer.
3) Murillo (Nottingham Forest)
One of the quickest and strongest players in the Premier League, we’d be surprised to see Murillo at Nottingham Forest next year.
His stock hasn’t fallen but he has fallen behind other Premier League centre-backs in clubs’ list of centre-back targets. Still, Murillo should be able to leave Forest for around quadruple the £15m they paid to sign him from Corinthians.
2) Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Having to be convinced to merely show up for Tottenham’s do-or-die final-day game at home to Everton was not a great sign. The Spurs captain was set to be in home country to watch his boyhood club Belgrano play in the Argentine Primera Division final, but a U-turn meant he was there to support his team-mates and thank his current club’s loyal supporters after a quite frankly, f**king embarrassing campaign.
Does he deserve any credit? Does he f**k.
It could be the end for both Micky van de Ven and Romero at Spurs, but the latter feels more likely to leave given the constant links and what transpired in the final week of the 2025/26 domestic season.
He is very, very, very Atletico Madrid but Inter – the reported frontrunners – are also a good fit.
Romero is a top player and would be a top signing for literally anyone. He could do with growing up a bit and getting sent off less, but where’s the fun in that?
1) Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
The best option out there, Schlotterbeck has been excellent in four years at Dortmund and is arguably the best centre-back in the Bundesliga.
We are probably taking liberties by suggesting Dortmund would be open to selling him, as Schlotterbeck recently signed a new five-year contract, but money talks, and if a truly elite club like Real Madrid come calling, he should not need too much convincing.
The best thing about him? He’s left-footed. Clubs love left-footed centre-backs.
READ MORE: Every Premier League transfer confirmed in the summer of 2026