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Full-backs have to be some of the most industrious individuals on a football pitch. They have to shuttle the length of the field over the course of the 90 minutes. There's no place to hide and that's perhaps the reason why top managers ensure they have some quality full-backs on their squad.
We've seen some legendary left-backs over the years and today, as the modern game evolves and the role of a left-back in one team could be different from the other, one thing to note is that their importance has not faded.
There used to be a time when attackers used to be really expensive and defenders were available for cheaper rates. Gone are those days and these days full-backs can cost upwards of £50 million and it's quite commonplace.
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On that note, let's take a look at the five most valuable left-backs in the world right now.
(Figures courtesy- Transfermarkt.com)
#5 Lucas Hernandez - €50 million
The Bayern Munich left-back Lucas Hernandez was bought from Atletico Madrid by Bayern Munich for a whopping €80 million in the summer of 2019. He is a club-record signing but if you ask whether the move has worked out and whether he's been able to justify his price tag, we'll have to answer in the negative.
Lucas Hernandez suffered a ligament injury early in his first season at Bayern Munich and has struggled to break into the first team consistently. Youngster Alphonso Davies was keen to take that role off him. Hernandez has shown that he can play at centre-back as well.
However, David Alaba has been doing a stellar job for Bayern in the back three and as such Hernandez continues to fight for a spot in the back three with Jerome Boateng and Sule. As a result, it is no real surprise that his valuation has dropped to €50 million.
#4 Ben Chilwell - €50 million
Chelsea went on a spending spree this past summer transfer window and one of their priority signings was Ben Chilwell. Frank Lampard was desperate to improve the left-back position and had identified Leicester City left-back Chilwell as the ideal player to do that.
Chilwell is an attacking full-back and Chelsea wouldn't feel like they lost out on a cut-price deal for an alternative option namely Sergio Reguilon who ended up joining Tottenham Hotspur.
Chilwell has started the season well for Chelsea and he already has two goals and two assists to his name in the Premier League.
#3 Renan Lodi - €50 million
Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi's career has skyrocketed since joining the club. After signing a six-year contract with the Rojiblancos, Renan Lodi immediately became the club's first-choice left-back, starting 28 games in the La Liga in the 2019-20 campaign.
Lodi never got to represent Brazil at youth level but earned his call up to the senior squad aged 21 and has already turned in a few impressive performances. What's exciting about Lodi is the fact that he is just 22-years-old and shows a lot of maturity.
In a world where most left-backs are more equipped to go forward than defend, Lodi is a bit of an exception. He loves a tackle and never shies away from one. Don't get us wrong though, he's excellent with the ball at his dancing feet as well.
#2 Andrew Robertson - €75 million
Jurgen Klopp seems to get a better read on talents than any other big club manager in the Premier League. He roped in Robertson from Hull City in the summer of 2018 for an initial fee of £8 million.
At Anfield, under the guidance of Klopp, Robertson has blossomed into one of the finest left-backs in the world. He has made that left flank his own and has made a habit out of overseeing all kinds of activity on his side of the pitch with the grit of a war general.
Robertson's is one of the signings that transformed Liverpool from entertainers to world beaters. Together with Trent Alexander-Arnold, he forms perhaps the best fullback duo in the league. Robertson's pace and crossing ability has earned him a lot of admirers and he will continue to be a vital cog in Klopp's Liverpool side for the foreseeable future.
#1 Alphonso Davies - €80 million
The Bayern Munich youngster took the world by storm as the Bavarians cruised through a triumphant 2019-20 season where they won the continental treble.
Alphonso Davies had to step into David Alaba's shoes at left-back and he has ensured that Alaba can focus on his new role at centre-back without a care in the world about the spot he vacated on the left wing.
Bayern Munich signed Davies from MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018 for a an initial fee of £13 million rising to £22 million with performance-related bonuses. Fans who watched Bayern's humbling of Barcelona will never forget Alphonso Davies dribbling past a host of bodies before setting up Joshua Kimmich for a tap-in.
