Takehiro Tomiyasu

Tomiyasu's biggest asset is rarely a single standout skill, it is the fact he can fill almost any role across the back line without the defence needing rebuilding around him. He defends one on one situations with patience, delaying an attacker rather than diving into an early challenge. His two footedness lets him play a pass or clear a ball with whichever foot the situation demands.

The trade off with a player this adaptable is that he rarely gets to specialise in the position that suits him best. Some defenders build a reputation through repetition in one exact role, while Tomiyasu's value shows up more in the gaps he quietly covers for other people. Watch which position he is asked to fill first when the team has a settled week. That tends to reveal where he is actually rated highest.