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Defence
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi | Internazionale
Achraf Hakimi left Real Madrid for Internazionale, and while many initially felt he had a future with Los Blancos, the move turned out to be a superb one for him. The Moroccan took to Antonio Conte's system with utter ease. He quickly became one of the most important Nerazzurri players, particularly on the counter-attack alongside Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez.
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Hakimi was already regarded as one of the most exciting wing-backs in Europe during his time at Borussia Dortmund, but he took his game to the next level under Antonio Conte.
His emphasis on wide players has helped Hakimi grow into one of Europe's most dangerous wing-backs. The 22-year-old has had a brilliant return of seven goals and eight assists in his 37 league games.
Centre-half: Ruben Dias | Manchester City
The man who's arguably been one of the best defenders in Europe this year, Ruben Dias, is an easy choice at centre-half. The Portuguese star has single-handedly changed the landscape of the Manchester City defence since his arrival, helping his side to the Premier League title and a UCL final.
He's been one of the catalysts for City's defence becoming one of the hardest backlines to bypass. In terms of the solidity he's instilled into City's defensive unit, Dias' impact has been truly majestic.
He's been a leader at the back for them, calling the shots by being vocal and organising the defence while not allowing opposition attackers any breathing room. Dias has flung himself at incoming shots and put his body on the line to protect his goal like a true leader. The 23-year-old has had a phenomenal season.
Centre-half: Alessandro Bastoni | Internazionale
Alessandro Bastoni, the second Inter player on this list, has had a remarkable campaign at the heart of defence. He entered the fray towards the midway point of the 2019-20 campaign, but in 2020-21, he's been a part of Inter's core, one of the players Antonio Conte built his title win on.
The elegant left-footer excelled at bringing the ball out from the back and spraying it across the pitch. Only four players in Serie A have traveled more distance with the ball than Bastoni's 6299 yards.
The Nerazzurri have made their fair share of questionable decisions in the market in the recent past but signing him for €31m at the age of 19 looks more and more like a bargain. The 22-year-old looks ready to dominate for the next decade or so at the highest level.
Left-back: Luke Shaw | Manchester United
Manchester United's Luke Shaw has arguably been one of the most improved players in Europe in the 2020-21 campaign. Since his then-record move from Southampton, the Englishman has endured a mixed spell and notably struggled under Jose Mourinho. However, after a sturdy first full campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the left-back has exploded onto the scene once again in 2020-21.
Shaw has grown from strength to strength under the Norwegian. While he's been reliable at the back, Shaw's attacking prowess has been the highlight of his season.
The 25-year-old has been one of the Red Devils' most consistent attacking outlets. Shaw has created more chances than any defender in the Premier League and has had an absolutely surreal year at Manchester United.
