Football Manager 2024: Best defenders to sign

Aryan Singh
Players celebrating in Football Manager 2024

Defenders provide stability and solidity to teams in Football Manager 2024. Whether you’re looking for high-flying fullbacks or no-nonsense center-halves, here are the best defenders to sign in FM24.



Football Manager 2024 gives players full control of their club’s squad planning. The game’s expansive database offers plenty of options when it comes to transfers including world-class stars and wonderkids. To win the biggest titles, each position in your team needs to be filled with reliable players, especially the back line.

Constantly leaking goals can see your team’s morale decline rapidly which could immediately derail your season. So here are the best defenders to sign in Football Manager 2024.

FM24: Best defenders to sign

Football Manager 2024 locker room
Signing the right players is important in FM24.

Our picks for the best defenders to sign in Football Manager 2024 take into account the player’s Current Ability (CA) rating. The list below also features their transfer costs according to SortitoutSI.

NameAgePositionTeamCost
Virgil van Dijk31D (C)Liverpool£300m
Ruben Dias26D (C)Manchester City£300m
Ronaldo Araujo24D (RC)Barcelona£300m
John Stones29D (RC), DMManchester City£179m
Eder Militao25D (C)Real Madrid£157m
William Saliba22D (C)Arsenal£300m
Kyle Walker33D/WB (R)Manchester City£300m
Marquinhos29D (C), DMPSG£300m
David Alaba31D (LC), M (C)Real Madrid£300m
Antonio Rudiger30D (C)Real Madrid£223m
Kim Min-Jae26D (C)Bayern Munich£268m
Raphael Varane30D (C)Manchester United£243m
Oleksandr Zinchenko26D/WB (L), DMArsenal£300m
Achraf Hakimi24D/WB/M (R)PSG£248m
Reece James23D (RC)Chelsea£277m
Lucas Hernandez27D (LC)PSG£255m
Jules Kounde24D (RC)Barcelona£240m
Matthijs de Ligt23D (C)Bayern Munich£103m
Alphonso Davies22D/WB/AM (L)Bayern Munich£283m
Jose Gimenez28D (C)Athletico Madrid£217m
Giovanni Di Lorenzo29D/WB/M (R)Napoli
(Parthenope)
£117m
Luke Shaw27D (LC)Manchester United£234m
Trent Alexander-Arnold24D/WB (R), DMLiverpool£219m
Theo Hernandez25D/WB/M (L)AC Milan£209m
Milan Skriniar28D (C)PSG£113m

Those were the best defenders to sign in Football Manager 2024. For more on football simulation games, check out our other guides:

EA Sports FC Icons | EA Sports FC Heroes | Can you transfer FIFA Points to EA Sports FC? | Is EA Sports FC crossplay? | Best defenders in EA FC 24 | Best young players in EA FC 24 | EA FC 24 Best free agents & contract expiry players I Is Football Manager 2024 coming to Xbox Game Pass? I Best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024 I Is Football Manager 2024 crossplay? I Football Manager 2024: Best bargain signings