Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)
Trending
It has been a stellar debut season in Saints colours for van Dijk. Brought in from Celtic by Ronald Koeman, the Dutchman has been terrific at the heart of the Southampton defence. His tall and broad figure has made him a tough figure to compete against when dealing with long-balls.
In addition to his positives in defence, he has been effective at set-pieces too with his crucial goals that have helped his side clinch a couple of results in their favour. His assuredness at the back have given Southampton a massive chance of going through to the Europa League for the second season running.
| Appearances | 34 |
| Passes Intercepted | 96 |
| Clearances | 260 |
| Goals | 3 |
Nathan Ake (Watford)
Since joining Chelsea in 2012, Ake has struggled to force his way into the Blues’ first team thanks to Cesar Azpilicueta’s consistent displays. He finally earned his opportunity this season when he was loaned to newly promoted Watford by Jose Mourinho. He has shone in Hornets’ colours – his ability to match wingers for pace and read crosses coming in the key aspects of his game this season.
Though not quite Rory Delap, he can throw the ball long, which has at times unsettled opposition defences since players cannot be ruled offside off a throw-in. A really productive season which has seen the Dutchman come out of the frustration of playing in the reserve teams for lengthy periods.
| Appearances | 24 |
| Passes Intercepted | 76 |
| Crosses Blocked | 36 |
