#1 Ilya Kutepov
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Age: 23
Club: Spartak Moscow
Position: Centre back
Interceptions per game: 4.9
At first place on this list is also the youngest player on this list, 23-year-old Ilya Kutepov. The Russian made his debut just last season for Spartak, playing 10 games in total. However, this season, he has been nothing short of sensational. In 17 games, Kutepov has made 4.9 interceptions and 2.1 tackles per game.
That figure of 4.9 means that he is potentially the best reader of the game in Europe. He is also the second player on this list from the Russian Premier League, not to mention the second player from a Moscow club, so Russia may not be a bad place for clubs to recruit top-notch defenders.
Achieving these kinds of numbers at the age of 23 is mind-boggling, especially considering that as a defender, he has a longer shelf life than most players. A national team call-up cannot be far away, and he could yet be Russia’s most important asset in the 2018 World Cup.
