EA FC 26 Career Mode — 25 best center backs to sign
EA FC 26Ratings, clubs, smart contract plays, and high‑potential CBs to future‑proof your back line.
Career Mode is unforgiving if your center backs aren’t up to it. You need aerial dominance, recovery speed, and the composure to handle pressure when line-breaking passes fail. Below is a concise shortlist of elite CBs to anchor your defense today, plus contract angles and high‑ceiling prospects who can carry saves deep into the 30s.
Top 25 center backs (OVR) to sign right now
The defenders below start strong out of the box. Build around them or slot them as instant upgrades in any back four or back three.
| Player | Club | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | 90 |
| Gabriel | Arsenal | 88 |
| William Saliba | Arsenal | 87 |
| Alessandro Bastoni | Lombardia FC (Inter) | 87 |
| Jonathan Tah | Bayern Munich | 87 |
| Marquinhos | Paris SG | 87 |
| Willian Pacho | Paris SG | 86 |
| Ruben Dias | Manchester City | 86 |
| Ibrahima Konaté | Liverpool | 86 |
| Antonio Rüdiger | Real Madrid | 86 |
| Nico Schlotterbeck | Borussia Dortmund | 85 |
| Bremer | Juventus | 85 |
| Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich | 85 |
| Iñigo Martínez | Al Nassr | 85 |
| Benjamin Pavard | OM (Marseille) | 84 |
| Vivian | Athletic Club | 84 |
| Éder Militão | Real Madrid | 84 |
| Willi Orban | RB Leipzig | 84 |
| Francesco Acerbi | Lombardia FC (Inter) | 84 |
| Stefan de Vrij | Lombardia FC (Inter) | 84 |
| Piero Hincapié | Arsenal | 83 |
| Murillo | Nottingham Forest | 83 |
| Ronald Araújo | Barcelona | 83 |
| David Hancko | Atlético de Madrid | 83 |
| Robin Le Normand | Atlético de Madrid | 83 |
Leverage contract timing (2026 expiries)
Ibrahima Konaté and Antonio Rüdiger are on deals that expire in 2026. That matters for two reasons:
- Immediate window: Use the approaching expiry as leverage to reduce transfer fees.
- Mid‑season 25/26: Monitor their status; pre‑contract agreements become viable if they enter the last six months.
High‑potential CBs to sign and develop
These defenders combine usable starting OVR with headroom to grow into top‑tier anchors. If you plan a multi‑season project, they’re the spine.
| Player | Club | OVR | Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Huijsen | Real Madrid | 82 | 89 |
| Piero Hincapié | Arsenal | 83 | 89 |
| Willian Pacho | Paris SG | 86 | 89 |
| William Saliba | Arsenal | 87 | 89 |
| Castello Lukeba | RB Leipzig | 80 | 88 |
| Pau Cubarsí | Barcelona | 82 | 88 |
| Nico Schlotterbeck | Borussia Dortmund | 85 | 88 |
| Luka Vušković | Hamburger SV | 72 | 87 |
| Finn Jeltsch | VfB Stuttgart | 72 | 87 |
| El Chadaille Bitshiabu | RB Leipzig | 75 | 87 |
| Ousmane Diomande | Sporting CP | 80 | 87 |
| Murillo | Nottingham Forest | 83 | 87 |
| Pietro Comuzzo | Fiorentina | 74 | 86 |
| Joel Ordoñez | Club Brugge | 75 | 86 |
| Matte Smets | Genk | 76 | 86 |
| Joane Gadou | RB Salzburg | 66 | 85 |
How to use them:
- Plug‑and‑play starters: Huijsen, Hincapié, Pacho, Saliba.
- Rotation with fast growth: Lukeba, Cubarsí, Schlotterbeck, Diomande, Murillo.
- Project players for mid‑table or long saves: Vušković, Jeltsch, Bitshiabu, Comuzzo, Ordoñez, Smets, Gadou.
Budget tiers and realistic fees
Transfer values vary by save, negotiation, and transfer strictness. Use these figures as ballpark targets for window one.
Under £5m
- Brad Manguelle (Genk) — OVR 60, POT 82. Estimated ~£500k–£625k; useful lower‑league starter with pace to recover.
- Tobias Ramirez (Argentinos Juniors) — OVR 69, POT 85. Contract can hit 12 months; ~£2.3m if you move early.
- Finn Jeltsch (VfB Stuttgart) — OVR 72, POT 87. Around £4.4m; strong tackling base and four‑star weak foot.
£5m–£20m
- Yarek (PSV) — OVR 73, POT 85. Versatile left‑sider; ~£7m is a fair outcome.
- El Chadaille Bitshiabu (RB Leipzig) — OVR 75, POT 87. Physically dominant; ~£12.5m is often achievable.
- Matte Smets (Genk) — OVR 76, POT 86. Ball‑playing profile; expect £18m after hard negotiations.
£20m and up
- Giorgio Scalvini (Bergamo Calcio) — OVR 77, POT 86. Around £22.8m; aerial presence, elite standing tackle early.
- Antonio Silva (Benfica) — OVR 78, POT 86. Roughly £28m; balanced pace/defense/physical blend.
- Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona) — OVR 82, POT 88. Budget ~£50m; ready now with elite long‑term upside.
Who should you prioritize?
- Chasing trophies in season one: Van Dijk, Saliba, Pacho, Rüdiger, Dias are plug‑ins with minimal adaptation.
- Reloading a contender: Hincapié and Huijsen grow into elite status without sacrificing early‑season stability.
- Building with budget: Jeltsch or Vušković paired with a steady veteran (Acerbi, de Vrij) balances growth and results.
- Playing a high line: Favor CBs with recovery pace (Bitshiabu, Lukeba, Murillo) alongside a drop‑off anchor.
Shortlist cheat sheet
For quicker scouting, save these groupings and check them monthly for contract changes and transfer‑listed status.
- Immediate leaders: Van Dijk (90), Gabriel (88), Saliba (87), Bastoni (87), Tah (87), Marquinhos (87).
- Contract watch (2026): Konaté (86), Rüdiger (86).
- High‑ceiling younger core: Huijsen (82→89), Hincapié (83→89), Cubarsí (82→88), Lukeba (80→88), Schlotterbeck (85→88).
- Low‑cost growth: Jeltsch (72→87), Vušković (72→87), Bitshiabu (75→87), Comuzzo (74→86), Smets (76→86), Gadou (66→85).
The meta shifts, but the fundamentals don’t: pair anticipation and strength with enough recovery speed to protect your offside line, and carry at least one defender who can pass through a mid‑block. Start with an elite from the 25‑man list, track the 2026 expiries for value, then slot a high‑potential CB beside them to keep your back line future‑proof.
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