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#3 Nemanja Vidic
Nemanja Vidic joined Manchester United in the 2005-06 Premier League season. United beat several clubs to his signature, paying a reported £7 million to acquire the Serbian's services.
Vidic formed a formidable centre-back partnership with Rio Ferdinand. His record with Manchester United was phenomenal, as the Serb won five Premier League titles and three League Cups. He also won the UEFA Champions League in 2008, with United defeating their Premier League rivals Chelsea in the final.
Revered for his fearlessness, Nemanja Vidic was a massive force in defence. His calmness under pressure and aerial prowess made him one of the best defenders in the game at the time. His exploits earned the Serb the Premier League Player of the Season award on two different occasions, making him just one of four defenders to win the award and the only player in history to win it twice.
Vidic parted ways with United in 2014 to join Inter Milan, where he spent two years before his retirement. Many critics argue that Vidic has still not been adequately replaced at Manchester United. But there is another school of thought suggesting that a player of Vidic's calibre can never be replaced as he remains one of the best overseas defenders to have played on English shores.
#2 Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand is arguably one of the best defenders in Premier League history. Ferdinand had a trophy-laden career, winning six Premier League titles and two League Cups with Manchester United. He also won the UEFA Champions League with United in 2008.
Originally from the West Ham academy, Ferdinand was scouted by Leeds. They signed the Englishman in 2000 for a massive £18 million fee, which made Ferdinand the world's most expensive defender. He went on to captain Leeds before his eventual move to Manchester United in 2002.
United paid approximately £30 million to acquire the defender's services, making him the world's most expensive defender for the second time. He immediately impressed for the Red Devils and went on to spend 12 years at Old Trafford.
Arguably one of the best defenders in Manchester United's history, Ferdinand received widespread praise for his defensive acumen. His distribution and ball progression were key elements to his game.
After his Manchester stint, Ferdinand moved to Queens Park Rangers in 2014, where he played for a year before announcing his retirement.
#1 John Terry
John Terry was a Chelsea man for most of his career, winning every club-level competition with the Blues.
Starting off in Chelsea's youth system, Terry earned a first-team spot in the 2000-01 season. He became a regular the same year and continued to impress defensively. The arrival of Jose Mourinho in 2004 saw Terry become the club captain.
Terry led the Blues to several trophies, including their historic Premier League triumph in 2004-05. This season was simply phenomenal as Terry and the Blues conceded a record-low 15 goals.
Terry impressed for England as well, wearing the captain's armband before being replaced by Ferdinand in 2010. The Englishman was well known for his no-nonsense style of defending and his aerial ability. Commanding in the box, Terry was adept in dealing with aerial threats because of his physical strength.
John Terry played for Chelsea till 2017 before he moved to Aston Villa. He spent a year with them before his retirement and subsequent venture into management. He is currently the assistant manager at Aston Villa. While Terry is one of the best defenders to have graced the Premier League, it remains to be seen what he achieves on the other side of the touchline.
