WhoScored names Gabriel Magalhães as Premier League’s top-rated centre-back this season

Analytics site WhoScored has published a new ranking of the Premier League’s best-performing centre-backs, with Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães leading the list ahead of Marcos Senesi and Trevoh Chalobah – while Virgil van Dijk surprisingly misses out on the podium.

WhoScored’s latest metrics for the 2025/26 Premier League campaign place Gabriel Magalhães at the top of the rankings for centre-backs, with an average match rating of 7.30 – the highest among all players in his position this season. The Brazilian, a key pillar in Mikel Arteta’s defensive setup at Arsenal, is followed by Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi on 7.23 and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah on 7.16, according to a graphic shared by WhoScored on social media.

The data-driven list underlines the growing influence of London clubs in the defensive statistics tables. Gabriel has been widely praised this season for combining aggressive front-foot defending with composure in possession and aerial strength on set pieces, and separate analysis has already highlighted him as one of the standout defenders in England and a key factor in Arsenal’s title challenge. Senesi’s ranking reflects Bournemouth’s improved solidity at the back, while Chalobah’s inclusion confirms the impact of his return to a more prominent role at Chelsea after earlier injury setbacks.

One of the striking elements of the WhoScored table is the absence of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, who has often topped similar rankings in previous seasons and is frequently described as the Premier League’s benchmark centre-back. The current numbers suggest that, at least statistically, form defenders such as Gabriel, Senesi and Chalobah are setting the pace this year.

For betting analysts, fantasy players and scouts, the updated ranking offers a snapshot of where defensive value is currently concentrated in the league. While such ratings do not replace detailed video and tactical analysis, they highlight centre-backs whose performance level – in duels, positioning, distribution and set-piece threat – has been consistently above average and may influence markets from clean-sheet odds to player performance props in the second half of the season.