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#3 Leighton Baines
Leighton Baines' exploits in the Premier League are still fresh in memory, with the player having just called time on his spell last summer. The Englishman had almost everything you could ask for in a modern-day full-back. The only thing that was missing was recognition for his hard work.
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Baines was one of the finest left-backs in the English elite division during his active playing days. He joined Everton as a 22-year-old in the summer of 2007 but ended up leaving as a club legend upon his retirement in July 2020.
The defender racked up 32 goals and 60 assists in 420 appearances in the Premier League. He was known for his incredible set-piece abilities but other than that, he barely got the attention of the fans.
#2 Sami Hyypia
The centre-back was relatively unknown when Liverpool signed him for a meager £2.5 million from Dutch outfit Willem II ahead of the 1999-2000 season. However, his transfer turned out to be a huge bargain for the club.
Sami Hyypia instantly became a pivotal figure for the Reds, featuring in all of their 38 Premier League matches in his first season. He formed a decent partnership with Stephane Henchoz at the heart of the defense. They ran riot together and proved to be a perfect match for even the best attacking teams in the division for a couple of years.
The Finnish international spent 10 successful years at Liverpool. By the time he parted ways with the Reds in 2009, he already had 318 appearances under his belt, with 22 goals and eight assists. However, attention has always eluded him.
#1 Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin was one of the key performers for Manchester United during the 90s. Signed for just £625,000 from Oldham Athletic on July 1, 1990, the Irish left-back became a success at Old Trafford from his first season.
Irwin was a huge revelation on the left flank, contributing massively to attack and defense, while proving to be a tough nut to crack. Such was his brilliance that despite attracting interest from many clubs, Manchester United kept him at Old Trafford for a whopping 12 years.
He eventually left for Wolves in 2002 where he retired after playing for just two seasons. In summary, the defender made 328 appearances in the Premier League, with a record of 18 goals and 21 assists to his name. Like other names on the list, Denis Irwin rarely gets mentioned among the Premier League's elite defenders.
