5 best defensive midfielders in the Premier League right now

Fabinho (left) and Kante (right) have been excellent for their clubs
Fabinho (left) and Kante (right) have been excellent for their clubs

#3 Fabinho (Liverpool)

Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League

The Premier League has some versatile midfielders and Fabinho is definitely one of them. Fabinho has been quite an underrated player for the Reds given how he has gone about his business effectively without creating any fuss.

The Liverpool midfielder is really the engine when it comes to his performance in midfield. Fabinho has the ability to recover the ball and help in recycling possession. His strong and incisive reading of the game helps in restricting the opposition more often than not.

At Liverpool, the Brazilian has also contributed in giving Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson the liberty to attack more, dropping in as a third centre-back. The 27-year old has also been used as a centre-half in the Premier League by Jurgen Klopp when in need.

Fabinho, with his experience and technical abilities, has been a delight to watch in the Premier League. He has been an important player for the Merseyside club and remains a key part of their ambition to win silverware this season.


#2 Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)

Leicester City v Burnley FC - Premier League
Leicester City v Burnley FC - Premier League

After N'Golo Kante's departure to Chelsea in 2016, Leicester City needed a strong replacement for the Frenchman. Wilfred Ndidi was brought in from Genk in 2017 to fulfill that goal and the Nigerian hasn't disappointed a bit.

Leicester City have been a commendable team ever since their historic Premier League title win in the 2015-16 season. Post that, they have been intensely pushed to play in Europe and have been successful in that.

Ndidi, alongside Youri Tielemans, has been an interesting watch. While the Belgian is an adventurous midfielder, Ndidi likes to sit back and help the defense. The 24-year old does participate in the attack but his natural game always revolves around protecting the back-four.

He likes to help out his defenders and break the opposition's game-play. Ndidi's tackles and interceptions have been very effective in the Premier League. In his 152 appearances in the league, the Foxes' midfielder has made 591 tackles with a success ratio of 62 per cent. With his skills in midfield, the young Nigerian could attract interest from big clubs sooner rather than later.


#1 N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)

Kante (Right) - Manchester City v Chelsea - Premier League
Kante (Right) - Manchester City v Chelsea - Premier League

There are very few players in the Premier League who are loved by the fanbase of almost every club. N'Golo Kante is surely one of them. The Frenchman has always kept a positive attitude on and off the pitch.

Seldom, we see players as hardworking as Kante on the pitch. He has won the Premier League with both Leicester City and Chelsea. He's also won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, the FA Cup and the FIFA World Cup.

Over the past few years Kante has become a beast of a midfielder. He has a tireless work-rate, amazing positional sense, brilliant tactical awareness and superb ability to read the game. With all this combination, the French midfielder is a blessing to have for any team.

If you've got Kante in your team, it's like having an additional player on the pitch. In his 198 appearances in the Premier League, the 2018 World Cup winner has made 618 tackles, with a success ratio of 63 per cent. Undoubtedly, the Chelsea midfielder is arguably the best defensive midfielder in England's top tier league right now.

Quick Links