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If you had followed the rumor mill in the recent transfer windows, you would have noticed that there is a lot of demand for left-footed centre-backs. We all know that left-footed players are a minority in the world of football and they lend a certain amount of dynamism to their teams.
Left-footed centre-backs are in demand right now
They help bring about a lot of balance to their sides and that's exactly what managers try to do with their defence as well. It's ideal to have a right-footed centre-back partnering up with a left-footer at the heart of defence.
Having a left-right combination helps massively when a team is playing out from the back. It is much easier to shift the ball from side to side as the combination opens up more passing angles. This allows teams to progress the ball faster and also stroke it around at a faster pace.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best left-footed centre-backs in the game right now.
#5 Pau Torres (Villarreal)
Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres has attracted plenty of attention from top European clubs in recent years. The Spanish international is renowned for his ball-playing abilities and he played a starring role in the Yellow Submarine's Europa League triumph last term.
The 24-year-old excels at carrying the ball forward and provides a lot of thrust from deep. He has averaged 58 passes per game in the last year and is pretty adept at aerial duels as well. Tackling isn't exactly a strong suit for Torres, but he makes up for it with his tactical intelligence and blocking abilities.
European giants such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs that have been credited with an interest in Torres.
#4 Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan)
Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni started out as a full-back before eventually making the transition to centre-back. The 22-year-old has been a mainstay in Inter's backline and was a standout performer for them in their Serie A triumph in the 2020-21 season.
Bastoni is yet another left-footed centre-back whose distribution skills are pretty incredible. He averages 5.72 progressive carries per 90 minutes in the last year and ranked fifth among all players in the Serie A for the same in the 2020-21 season.
Bastoni has become a regular starter for the Nerazzurri. He has started 17 games for Inter Milan this term and has also provided two assists.
#3 Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain)
France has produced an array of highly talented young centre-backs in recent times. Presnel Kimpembe is chief among them. The Paris Saint-Germain defender is a physically imposing, aggressive centre-back who has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best attackers in the game.
Kimpembe is very tidy in possession and averages 70 passes per game over the last year. He boasts an incredibly high pass completion rate of 95.7% in the Ligue 1 this term. At 26 years of age, Kimpembe is set to hit his peak soon and there's no doubt that he will get even better in the coming years.
In addition to being a great passer of the ball, Kimpembe is pretty good at tackling and at aerial duels.
#2 Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Manchester City have quite a few world-class centre-backs on their payroll. Chief among them is Aymeric Laporte. Interestingly, the Spaniard had been linked with an exit this past summer after falling down the pecking order last term.
Multiple injuries and fitness issues caused Laporte to be sidelined for extended periods of time in the 2020-21 season. As a result, John Stones had taken his place in the starting XI. But Laporte has managed to earn back his place in the starting XI.
He has been excellent for Manchester City this term alongside Ruben Dias. Laporte, like the other centre-backs on this list, is a wonderful distributor of the ball. He has attempted 88.25 passes on average per 90 minutes in the last year and has completed 95.2% of his passes in the Premier League this season.
Laporte is easily one of the most coveted centre-backs in the world right now.
#1 David Alaba (Real Madrid)
David Alaba has proven to be an inspired signing for Real Madrid. The Austrian international is one of the most versatile footballers on the planet and that is, in no short part, thanks to his incredible technical ability.
Alaba was an out-and-out left-back in his younger days. He can play as a left winger and as a central midfielder. So obviously his passing and game intelligence are on a different level altogether. His technical qualities have helped him become one of the best centre-backs in the world.
He is a very assured presence in the backline and doesn't dive into tackles. Alaba is also excellent at keeping the ball and at distributing it. He has completed 92.7% of his attempted passes for Real Madrid in La Liga this season.
In addition to being a well-rounded defender, Alaba can also contribute in the final third. He has scored a goal and provided three assists in 18 league appearances for Los Blancos this season.
