'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQb/2gAIAQEAAAAAhi//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAdEAABBAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMEEgAFEWKx/9oACAEBAAE/ANfBEYlZrIG7VVs04op8w9NNuXEhc76z/8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgABEf/aAAgBAgEBPwAtbc//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIi/9oACAEDAQE/ALrKP//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Honourable mentions
Jaap Stam - Manchester United
Jaap Stam was one of the world's best ball-playing centre backs at his peak in 90's. After winning the Eredivisie title with PSV Eindhoven, he joined Manchester United in 1998 for £10.6 million, making him the most expensive defender in the world.
Trending
He spent 3 seasons at the club, and won 3 Premier League titles. His last year was marred by injuries and Ferguson sold him to Lazio following allegations Stam had made in his autobiography.
Even though his stint in England was brief, Stam will go down as one of United's greatest ever defenders.
Virgil van Dijk - Southampton and Liverpool
What hasn't been said about Virgil van Dijk in the last couple of years? Liverpool's notoriety for signing Southampton players led several fans to rule his £75 million transfer as a huge mistake, but he's proven to be anything but that.
At the age of 28, van Dijk leads Liverpool with a maturity far beyond his years. He's brought a calm stability to a backline besieged by chaos, helping the Reds lift a record 6th Champions League title last season.
It'll be hard to speak of van Dijk in the same terms as these other Dutch legends if he doesn't win the league title, but Liverpool's 14 point lead at the top means that probably won't be the case.
