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#1 Raphael Varane - Real Madrid (€80million)
One does not simply become the most expensive defender in the world, as Raphael Varane has worked extremely hard this year in order to set his own price tag at its place.
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With him winning the UEFA Champions League for a third time in a row and the FIFA World Cup this year, Varane is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or.
As a player, the Frenchmen has transitioned in many ways from being one of the most underrated talents to becoming a key to the Real Madrid defence.
His leadership qualities have given him an edge and are something that separates him from the rest of the defenders in the world, pulling his team out of the tricky situations in order to build the game from the back.
In addition, Varane is also known for his agility and pace, a trait that is not common among all the centre-backs.
All Stats via transfermarkt
