Best £4.0m FPL defenders 2026/27

Who are the best £4.0m defenders in FPL 2026/27?

Expert Fantasy Premier League manager Abdul Rehman (FPL Salah) has narrowed down dozens of options into his ultimate shortlist.

This season, there are a massive 46 defenders priced at £4.0m, including every one from a promoted club.

We'll be keeping this list of £4.0m defenders regularly updated before the Gameweek 1 deadline, so make sure to bookmark this page.

And check out our Ultimate Guide to FPL for all our best player articles and much more.

Last updated: 12/08/26

Best FPL £4.0m defenders 2026/27

Keep an eye on transfer proceedings and pre-season friendlies. There will be plenty of activity from now until the start of the season and new options will emerge.

Here are our top selections:

Milan van Ewijk (£4.0m) - Coventry

Van Ewijk offers something completely different to Hughes.

Rather than relying on clean sheets or defensive contributions, Coventry's first-choice right-back brings genuine attacking potential.

He started 43 Championship matches last season and registered eight assists - his marauding runs from right-back make him a useful attacking option.

His defensive contribution numbers aren't especially strong (6 per 90), so managers shouldn't expect regular extra points.

Instead, you're selecting Van Ewijk for his attacking upside. Among the £4.0m defenders, he arguably has the highest assist potential and looks the most nailed defender to start for Coventry.

Leif Davis (£4.0m) - Ipswich

Davis is one of the more attacking attacking £4.0m defenders in the game.

FPL managers will remember his exploits two seasons ago and while his first Premier League campaign wasn't quite as productive, his underlying creativity remains decent.

Despite missing nine Championship matches last season, Davis still finished with two goals and four assists while remaining involved from set-pieces, including corners.

The arrival of a new manager in Gary O'Neil creates a little uncertainty, particularly regarding formation.

A switch to wing-backs would suit Davis perfectly, allowing him to spend even more time in advanced positions.

Defensive returns may be difficult to predict but if you're looking for attacking upside from a £4.0m defender, Davis has it.

Issa Diop (£4.0m) - Ipswich

Diop could be one of the most interesting £4.0m defenders this season.

Ipswich have changed manager, creating uncertainty around their preferred defensive setup.

Diop has arrived with Premier League experience and could challenge for a starting place immediately, although pre-season will provide a much clearer indication of his role.

If Ipswich switch to a back three, there is every chance Diop and club captain Dara O'Shea (£4.0m) could play together.

That uncertainty means he's not quite as secure as some of the other options discussed here - but if he nails down a starting role, he becomes another excellent £4.0m route into a defence with a decent fixture rotation.

Bobby Thomas (£4.0m) - Coventry

If I had to recommend just one £4.0m defender, it would probably be Thomas.

The Coventry centre-back offers a little bit of everything.

He has some set-piece threat, scoring three goals and providing four assists last season, while also producing healthy defensive contribution numbers (8.4 per start).

He has consistently shown he can attack dead-ball situations and already has an impressive scoring record for a centre-back over the past two campaigns.

There is some competition for places following Coventry's defensive recruitment this summer, so pre-season line-ups remain important.

Assuming Thomas keeps his place however, he looks the standout all-round package.

Unlike Van Ewijk, who relies on attacking returns, or Hughes, whose value comes primarily from defensive contributions, Thomas has multiple routes to points.

Thomas currently is not nailed to start and the safest route to the Coventry defence does seem to be his teammate Van Ewijk.

With Aurèle Amenda (£4.0m) arriving and both him and Thomas being right-footed there is a bit of doubt now.

Charlie Hughes (£4.0m) - Hull

If you're looking for defensive contribution points, Hughes immediately catches the eye.

Hull's centre-back posted the best defensive contribution rate of any promoted defender last season, averaging an impressive 11 defensive contributions per start.

That makes him an excellent candidate for picking up the extra two FPL points awarded for reaching the required defensive action threshold. It's likely defenders will be even busier in the Premier League.

The concern however is Hull themselves.

Despite earning promotion, they conceded plenty of chances in the Championship and their underlying defensive numbers were poor.

Even so, if Hughes remains a regular starter, he should consistently accumulate defensive contribution points and could become one of the best £4.0m bench warmers.

It is worth noting that Hughes is now looking likely to be ruled out for Gameweek 1 amid hernia complications. There is not a return date for him, so be cautious.

Best FPL £4.0m defenders 2025/26: Top tips

The £4.0m price point is only available for defenders and goalkeepers in Fantasy Premier League. It is a great spot to use to save a bit of money, and invest more into your starting 11.

If you are picking a £4.0m defender, it's usually a good idea to have them as your third substitute and make sure your other two subs are sure starters.

It’s a very risky strategy if you are using your £4.0m defender as a starting player.

Even if they are nailed to start every game, the chances of them scoring many points are slim, although the introduction of defensive contributions and the sheer amount of options this season strengthens their appeal.

Their main purpose is as a means to bolster the rest of your squad, while having a starter on your bench to come in if needed.

Although this spot in your squad should only be looked at once you have assembled the rest of your team, it should still be researched, and we should aim to pick the best one.

I would value the best £4.0m defenders as those who have the best chance of starting.

We have had some £4.0m gems in the past such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the 2018/19 season - and who can forget £4.0m hero John Lundstram, who scored 144 points with five goals and four assists in 2019/20?

Another factor in picking the best £4.0m defender in FPL is that the best pick is more likely to either increase in price or not go down, thus preserving our team value.

Best FPL £4.0m defenders: Abdul's rankings

I will now rank this season's options, exclusively for Hub members.

Rankings are given with respect to the player's FPL potential looking at price, fixtures and overall value.