Best Budget Defenders in UCL Fantasy 2026/27: €4.0m and €4.5m Picks
A good budget defender does more than make the squad affordable. Pick the right one and you can collect clean sheets, attacking returns and recovery points while keeping enough money for your preferred captaincy options.
The €4.0m and €4.5m brackets offer plenty of possibilities in UCL Fantasy this season, including defenders playing further forward, attacking full-backs and inexpensive routes into some of Europe’s strongest teams.
The challenge is deciding which bargains you can trust. Here are the names we would prioritise, the risks worth weighing up and the cheaper options to keep in mind for later matchdays.
Best €4.0m defenders in UCL Fantasy
Nathaniel Brown (€4.0m): attacking upside at the minimum price
A Bayern Munich defender playing behind the striker is always going to attract attention. Brown has been used in attacking midfield early in the season, giving him a much more adventurous role than his Fantasy classification suggests.
That combination makes him one of the most exciting budget picks. The question is how long the role lasts and whether he keeps his place as competition for minutes increases. We would be happy to consider him for upside, but would pair him with dependable starters elsewhere in defence.
Sergi Altimira (€4.0m): a different route to value
Altimira also benefits from playing further forward than his defensive classification, although his central-midfield role at Sporting CP offers a different appeal to Brown’s.
His early league involvement and a goal already this season put him firmly on the shortlist. Recoveries could be particularly useful here: a midfielder regularly involved in winning possession can contribute even when a clean sheet disappears. We would judge him primarily on minutes and that steady involvement, with attacking returns a welcome extra.
Iván Fresneda (€4.0m) offers an alternative in the same defence. His recent starts are encouraging, but competition at right-back means we would avoid treating his place as guaranteed.
Como: several ways to save
Como’s pricing makes them an obvious team to investigate. Jacobo Ramón (€4.0m), Álex Valle (€4.0m) and Yan Couto (€4.0m) all offer inexpensive access to Cesc Fàbregas’ side.
Ramón’s regular involvement last season gives him a strong case for managers prioritising starts. Valle has also been involved from the outset this campaign, while Couto adds another full-back option.
Our preference would be to buy the clearest route to sustained minutes. With several defenders available at the same price, there is little reason to accept avoidable rotation risk. Como could help fund an upgrade elsewhere without leaving you dependent on a non-playing substitute.
Joane Gadou (€4.0m): Dortmund value if the starts continue
Gadou’s attraction is straightforward: a minimum-price centre-back in a Dortmund side with an appealing opening schedule. If he retains a starting role, he could be a useful way to target their clean-sheet opportunities.
That “if” matters. He belongs on the shortlist, but recent involvement should not be mistaken for a season-long guarantee. Managers buying him should have enough reliable cover to absorb a surprise omission.
PSV and Club Brugge: attacking full-backs or central defenders?
Mauro Júnior (€4.0m) brings attacking appeal to the PSV defence and has already scored this season. Armando Obispo (€4.0m) provides a centre-back alternative for managers looking towards recoveries.
Neither needs PSV to become an elite defensive side to justify the outlay. At this price, regular minutes plus contributions beyond clean sheets can be enough, especially when the fixtures are favourable.
At Club Brugge, Kyriani Sabbe (€4.0m) catches the eye after six league attacking returns last season. Han-Beom Lee (€4.0m) is another option following his early involvement at centre-back. Sabbe is the more obvious choice for attacking potential; Lee deserves attention if his place looks more secure.
Other €4.0m defenders to monitor
Tiago Santos (€4.0m) offers attacking promise at Lille after scoring in pre-season and in the opening league match. He is worth considering if you want a full-back capable of contributing when his side concedes.
Villarreal’s Carlos Romero (€4.0m) is an appealing name for later in the league phase. His nine attacking returns last season make him interesting, but a tougher opening schedule reduces the urgency to buy. Santiago Mouriño (€4.0m) is another cheap route into their defence when the fixtures improve.
Napoli pair Alessandro Buongiorno (€4.0m) and Sam Beukema (€4.0m) need stronger reassurance over fitness and starts before we would prioritise them. A cheap defender is much less useful if the first decision after buying him is how to replace him.
Marc Pubill (€4.0m) and Gerard Martín (€4.0m) offer budget access to Atlético Madrid and Barcelona respectively, but neither should be selected purely for the badge. Establishing their likelihood of starting is the key.
Zaidu Sanusi (€4.0m) also belongs on the watchlist. Porto’s schedule becomes more attractive after Matchday 1, although his recent injury means fitness must come first.
Best €4.5m defenders in UCL Fantasy
Dean Huijsen (€4.5m): an affordable route into Real Madrid
Huijsen is one of the first names we would examine in this bracket. Starting Real Madrid’s opening three league matches is an encouraging sign, and €4.5m is a modest outlay for access to their defence.
He makes particular sense for managers who have taken a chance on a cheaper attacking option elsewhere and now want a centre-back with a promising early record for minutes. His current role is the appeal, rather than simply assuming every Real Madrid defender represents good value.
Riccardo Calafiori (€4.5m): Arsenal’s attacking budget option
Calafiori’s early attacking contributions make him especially interesting. He has opened the campaign with a Community Shield goal and assists in each of Arsenal’s first two league fixtures.
There is plenty to like about an affordable full-back contributing at both ends, although Arsenal’s depth introduces rotation risk. He is a strong candidate when expected to start, rather than a player we would select without checking the likely line-up.
Ezri Konsa (€4.5m) is another route into the same backline following his move from Aston Villa. The decision between them should come down to expected minutes and whether Calafiori’s greater attacking appeal compensates for any additional uncertainty.
Maximilian Mittelstädt (€4.5m): target the opening fixtures
Stuttgart begin against Viking and Slovan Bratislava, making Mittelstädt an attractive short-term consideration. His forward runs and involvement in attacking situations give him more to offer than clean-sheet potential alone.
Stuttgart’s defence is not the only part of the equation. When a full-back can create chances and contribute around the opposition penalty area, favourable fixtures can improve his attacking prospects too. He fits particularly well into a squad built around the opening matchdays.
David Raum (€4.5m) and Matthieu Udol (€4.5m): creative options
Raum’s appeal comes from his delivery. Ten league goal contributions last season and involvement at corners give the Leipzig full-back several ways to reward investment.
Udol offers a similar reason to look beyond the usual heavyweight clubs. His wing-back role at Lens encourages him to get forward, and seven assists last season underline the creative potential.
Both deserve consideration when their fixtures suit. For managers reluctant to depend entirely on clean sheets, attacking involvement can be a useful deciding factor between similarly priced defenders.
Waldemar Anton (€4.5m): paying more for reassurance
Anton offers another way into Dortmund’s promising early schedule. The attraction is his more established role, particularly for managers uncomfortable taking a chance on Gadou.
The extra €0.5m is worth considering if it materially improves your confidence in a start. Saving money only helps when the cheaper player can actually contribute.
Amir Rrahmani (€4.5m): one to consider beyond Matchday 1
Napoli open against Arsenal, so there is no need to force Rrahmani into a squad built solely for the first matchday. The schedule becomes more inviting afterwards, making him a useful name for transfer planning.
His established place in the backline and threat at attacking set pieces give him a stronger all-round case than a defender selected only in the hope of a clean sheet.
More options at €4.5m
Aston Villa’s Matty Cash (€4.5m) and Pau Torres (€4.5m) are worth comparing for their early fixtures. Cash offers the full-back route, while Torres provides a central-defensive alternative.
Dávid Hancko (€4.5m) has started Atlético Madrid’s opening matches, making him another candidate for managers prioritising involvement. Roma’s Gianluca Mancini (€4.5m) combines defensive appeal with a threat from set plays.
Luke Shaw (€4.5m) is also worth monitoring at Manchester United, with fitness and regular starts central to his case.
How many budget defenders should you pick?
We would start by finding two or three cheaper defenders we genuinely expect to play, then decide whether the remaining budget is best spent in defence or further forward.
There is room for an adventurous pick such as Brown, particularly alongside more established starters. The danger is stacking several uncertain selections in the same squad and discovering that the savings have left you short of usable players.
Our shortlist begins with Brown for attacking upside, Altimira for his midfield role and Huijsen for affordable access to a leading defence. Calafiori and Mittelstädt offer alternatives for managers willing to spend another €0.5m on attacking potential.
Before finalising the five, compare expected starts, the next few fixtures and how the savings improve the rest of your squad. The best budget defender is the one who earns his place in your team as well as helping you afford somebody else.
€4.0m defenders: club-by-club list
Use the lists below to compare options within each price bracket. Check the latest in-game prices before confirming your squad, as further players may be added.
| Club | Players |
|---|---|
| AEK Athens | Martin Georgiev (€4.0m) |
| Aston Villa | Lamare Bogarde (€4.0m) |
| Atlético Madrid | Marc Pubill (€4.0m) |
| Barcelona | Gerard Martín (€4.0m), Héctor Fort (€4.0m) |
| Bayern Munich | Nathaniel Brown (€4.0m), Sacha Boey (€4.0m), Hiroki Ito (€4.0m) |
| Borussia Dortmund | Filippo Mané (€4.0m), Luca Reggiani (€4.0m), Joane Gadou (€4.0m) |
| Bodø/Glimt | Haitam Aleesami (€4.0m) |
| Club Brugge | Kyriani Sabbe (€4.0m), Hugo Siquet (€4.0m), Jorne Spileers (€4.0m), Han-Beom Lee (€4.0m) |
| Como | Yan Couto (€4.0m), Ignace Van der Brempt (€4.0m), Álex Valle (€4.0m), Ivan Smolčić (€4.0m), Jacobo Ramón (€4.0m), Marc Kempf (€4.0m), Kaiki Bruno (€4.0m), Edoardo Goldaniga (€4.0m), Andrés Cuenca (€4.0m) |
| Feyenoord | Gijs Smal (€4.0m), Bart Nieuwkoop (€4.0m), Jordan Lotomba (€4.0m), Mats Deijl (€4.0m), Thomas Beelen (€4.0m) |
| Galatasaray | Wilfried Singo (€4.0m), Eren Elmalı (€4.0m), Kaan Ayhan (€4.0m), Metehan Baltacı (€4.0m) |
| Inter | Carlos Augusto (€4.0m) |
| LASK | Manoel Verhaeghe (€4.0m) |
| RB Leipzig | Lukas Klostermann (€4.0m), Benjamin Henrichs (€4.0m), Max Finkgräfe (€4.0m), Maxime Estève (€4.0m), El Chadaille Bitshiabu (€4.0m) |
| Lens | Nidal Čelik (€4.0m), Kyllian Antonio (€4.0m), Saud Abdulhamid (€4.0m) |
| Lille | Calvin Verdonk (€4.0m), Ousmane Touré (€4.0m), Tiago Santos (€4.0m), Tanguy Nianzou (€4.0m) |
| Liverpool | Joe Gomez (€4.0m), Kostas Tsimikas (€4.0m) |
| Manchester City | Rico Lewis (€4.0m), Vitor Reis (€4.0m) |
| Manchester United | Leny Yoro (€4.0m), Ayden Heaven (€4.0m) |
| Napoli | Alessandro Buongiorno (€4.0m), Mathías Olivera (€4.0m), Sam Beukema (€4.0m), Pasquale Mazzocchi (€4.0m) |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Illia Zabarnyi (€4.0m), Lucas Beraldo (€4.0m) |
| Porto | Zaidu Sanusi (€4.0m), Nehuén Pérez (€4.0m), Martim Fernandes (€4.0m), Francisco Moura (€4.0m) |
| PSV Eindhoven | Mauro Júnior (€4.0m), Yarek Gasiorowski (€4.0m), Armando Obispo (€4.0m), Joel Berg (€4.0m), Adamo Nagalo (€4.0m), Fabian Merien (€4.0m) |
| Real Betis | Valentín Gómez (€4.0m), Natan (€4.0m) |
| Roma | Jan Ziółkowski (€4.0m), Devyne Rensch (€4.0m), Daniele Ghilardi (€4.0m) |
| Sabah | Aden McCarthy (€4.0m), Tellur Mutallimov (€4.0m) |
| Slovan Bratislava | Samuel Košlovský (€4.0m), Kevin Wimmer (€4.0m) |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | Pedro Henrique (€4.0m), Vinícius Tobias (€4.0m), Marlon Santos (€4.0m), Oleksandr Karavaiev (€4.0m), Giorgi Gocholeishvili (€4.0m), Alaa Ghram (€4.0m), Irakli Azarov (€4.0m), Diego Arroyo (€4.0m) |
| Slavia Praha | Youssoupha Mbodji (€4.0m), Štěpán Chaloupek (€4.0m), Tomáš Vlček (€4.0m), Daiki Hashioka (€4.0m), Ange N’Guessan (€4.0m), Neil Glossoa (€4.0m), Samuel Kelechi (€4.0m), Dominik Javorček (€4.0m), David Jurásek (€4.0m) |
| Sporting CP | Iván Fresneda (€4.0m), Sergi Altimira (€4.0m) |
| Stuttgart | Ameen Al-Dakhil (€4.0m), Lorenz Assignon (€4.0m), Ramon Hendriks (€4.0m), Maximilian Herwerth (€4.0m), Luca Jaquez (€4.0m), Dominik Nothnagel (€4.0m), Leonidas Stergiou (€4.0m), Josha Vagnoman (€4.0m), Dan-Axel Zagadou (€4.0m) |
| Viking | Anders Bærtelsen (€4.0m), Sondre Bjørshol (€4.0m), Martin Roseth (€4.0m), Jesper Daland (€4.0m), Viljar Vevatne (€4.0m), Kristoffer Haugen (€4.0m) |
| Villarreal | Santiago Mouriño (€4.0m), Sergi Cardona (€4.0m), Alex Freeman (€4.0m), Willy Kambwala (€4.0m), Carlos Romero (€4.0m) |
€4.5m defenders: club-by-club list
| Club | Players |
|---|---|
| AEK Athens | Filipe Relvas (€4.5m), Harold Moukoudi (€4.5m), Stavros Pilios (€4.5m), Lazaros Rota (€4.5m) |
| Arsenal | Piero Hincapié (€4.5m), Myles Lewis-Skelly (€4.5m), Riccardo Calafiori (€4.5m), Ezri Konsa (€4.5m) |
| Aston Villa | Matteo Ruggeri (€4.5m), Matty Cash (€4.5m), Victor Lindelöf (€4.5m), Ian Maatsen (€4.5m), Tyrone Mings (€4.5m), Pau Torres (€4.5m) |
| Atlético Madrid | Dávid Hancko (€4.5m), Robin Le Normand (€4.5m) |
| Barcelona | Eric García (€4.5m), Alejandro Balde (€4.5m), Andreas Christensen (€4.5m) |
| Bayern Munich | Josip Stanišić (€4.5m), Kim Min-jae (€4.5m) |
| Borussia Dortmund | Ramy Bensebaini (€4.5m), Waldemar Anton (€4.5m), Daniel Svensson (€4.5m), Emre Can (€4.5m) |
| Bodø/Glimt | Fredrik André Bjørkan (€4.5m), Villads Nielsen (€4.5m) |
| Club Brugge | Brandon Mechele (€4.5m), Joaquin Seys (€4.5m), Joel Ordóñez (€4.5m) |
| Feyenoord | Anel Ahmedhodžić (€4.5m), Givairo Read (€4.5m), Jerry St. Juste (€4.5m), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (€4.5m) |
| Galatasaray | Davinson Sánchez (€4.5m), Abdülkerim Bardakcı (€4.5m), Ismail Jakobs (€4.5m) |
| Inter | Yann Bisseck (€4.5m), Benjamin Pavard (€4.5m) |
| LASK | Andrés Andrade (€4.5m), George Bello (€4.5m) |
| RB Leipzig | Lutsharel Geertruida (€4.5m), Castello Lukeba (€4.5m), Willi Orbán (€4.5m), David Raum (€4.5m) |
| Lens | Ruben Aguilar (€4.5m), Samson Baidoo (€4.5m), Jhoanner Chávez (€4.5m), Ismaëlo Ganiou (€4.5m), Jonathan Gradit (€4.5m), Matthieu Udol (€4.5m) |
| Lille | Alexsandro (€4.5m), Nathan Ngoy (€4.5m), Romain Perraud (€4.5m), Loun Srdanović (€4.5m) |
| Liverpool | Conor Bradley (€4.5m), Ronald Araújo (€4.5m), Giovanni Leoni (€4.5m) |
| Manchester City | Abdukodir Khusanov (€4.5m) |
| Manchester United | Matthijs de Ligt (€4.5m), Diogo Dalot (€4.5m), Lisandro Martínez (€4.5m), Luke Shaw (€4.5m), Noussair Mazraoui (€4.5m) |
| Napoli | Leonardo Spinazzola (€4.5m), Amir Rrahmani (€4.5m), Rafa Marín (€4.5m), Luca Marianucci (€4.5m) |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Lucas Hernández (€4.5m), Lucas Digne (€4.5m) |
| Porto | Alberto Costa (€4.5m), Jan Bednarek (€4.5m), Jakub Kiwior (€4.5m), Dominik Prpić (€4.5m) |
| PSV Eindhoven | Ryan Flamingo (€4.5m), Kiliann Sildillia (€4.5m) |
| Real Betis | Fran García (€4.5m), Marc Bartra (€4.5m), Héctor Bellerín (€4.5m), Diego Llorente (€4.5m), Junior Firpo (€4.5m) |
| Real Madrid | Dean Huijsen (€4.5m), Raúl Asencio (€4.5m), Éder Militão (€4.5m), Ferland Mendy (€4.5m) |
| Roma | Angeliño (€4.5m), Mario Hermoso (€4.5m), Gianluca Mancini (€4.5m), Evan Ndicka (€4.5m), Wesley França (€4.5m) |
| Sabah | Steve Solvet (€4.5m), Akim Zedadka (€4.5m) |
| Slovan Bratislava | Kenan Bajrić (€4.5m), César Blackman (€4.5m), Svetozar Marković (€4.5m), Sandro Cruz (€4.5m) |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | Valeriy Bondar (€4.5m), Mykola Matviyenko (€4.5m) |
| Slavia Praha | David Zima (€4.5m), Tomáš Holeš (€4.5m), Igoh Ogbu (€4.5m) |
| Sporting CP | Gonçalo Inácio (€4.5m), Eduardo Quaresma (€4.5m), Zeno Debast (€4.5m), Georgios Vagiannidis (€4.5m) |
| Stuttgart | Jeff Chabot (€4.5m), Alexander Groiß (€4.5m), Maximilian Mittelstädt (€4.5m), Christopher Olivier (€4.5m), Yanik Spalt (€4.5m) |
| Viking | Henrik Falchener (€4.5m), Herman Haugen (€4.5m), Henrik Heggheim (€4.5m), Gianni Stensness (€4.5m) |
| Villarreal | Renato Veiga (€4.5m), Juan Foyth (€4.5m), Pau Navarro (€4.5m), Logan Costa (€4.5m) |