Fantasy Premier League tips 2021/22 – best defenders to sign
Defenders can rack up huge points with clean sheets and more in Fantasy Premier League – we round up the best tips for defensive rocks to sign in FPL 2021/22.
Defenders will form the bedrock of your Fantasy Premier League team, with some top flight sides racking up around 15 clean sheets per season and plenty of star names in the mix to capitalise.
Clean sheets for defenders are worth as much as goals from forwards, and while of course the ceiling is lower for defenders in terms of how many clean sheets they can keep, their growing attacking influence can be a real boost.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold remains the most expensive defender on the list due to his outrageous attacking contributions in addition to keeping clean sheets, but he isn't the only defender capable of big points.
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Full-backs are a great place to start when building your backline. They usually have more licence to get forward and whip crosses in for assists, though centre-backs can also find themselves in the opposing box during set-pieces.
A blend of price tags is also a good starting place for your defence, and there are plenty of options to choose from.
RadioTimes.com brings you all the latest FPL tips to sign the best defenders ahead of 2021/22.
Check out our top Fantasy Premier League tips here – FPL goalkeepers | FPL midfielders | FPL forwards
Ben White (Arsenal) – £4.5m
This feels very reasonable for a £50m defender whose task will be purely to defend, defend, defend. Arsenal's defence has been surprisingly reasonable in recent years and White's presence should shore up any leaks.
He is highly-likely to start every game and should benefit from that consistency. He was a great asset for Brighton and can be expected to put up big numbers for the Gunners this season.
Luke Shaw (Man Utd) – £5.5m
There's a real chance Shaw could be the best value defender around ahead of the 2021/22 season. United are improving all the time, with Raphael Varane set to join the ranks as well.
Shaw's defensive work is solid and attacking returns have steadily grown. He is a very strong option for a very decent price. The only question mark that lingers is over his availability in GW1.
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Matt Targett (Aston Villa) – £5.0m
Aston Villa are gradually building an excellent team in the Midlands with defensive grit and attacking flair. Targett combines the best of both worlds
He picked up 16 clean sheets last season and spiced up his numbers with four assists to nudge him ahead of the likes of Tyrone Mings. Expect another handy season from a growing player in a growing team.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Vladimir Coufal (West Ham) – £5.0m
The Czech star was a revelation for West Ham last season and an integral part of David Moyes' increasingly resilient team in east London.
Coufal picked up nine clean sheets and nine assists last season for a terrific 128 points. He feels like a bargain at just £5.0m – which is £0.5m less than Aaron Cresswell.
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Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
