Best Centre-Backs in the Championship (Apr 2026)

Ranked by Analytical Strength Score

Market Overview: Championship Centre-Backs 2024-25

Our database tracked 85 Championship Centre-Backs in the 2024-25 season, representing 28 clubs with a combined market value of €221.3M. The average market value for Championship Centre-Backs was €2.6M, with the average age at 27.7 years old.

The most valuable centre-back in the Championship was Taylor Harwood-Bellis, worth €22.0M and played for Southampton FC at 24 years old. The top 5 Centre-Backs averaged €16.2M in market value, including Jacob Greaves and Dara O'Shea.

Age distribution showed the youngest tracked centre-back was Dylan Smith (19 years, Ross County FC, €250K), while the oldest was Angelo Ogbonna (37 years, Without Club, €200K). Research shows Centre-Backs typically peak at age 27.

Historical analysis showed 23 Centre-Backs (27%) increased in market value over the following 12 months based on age-curve trajectories, then-current performance trends, and playing time analysis. The Championship market for Centre-Backs remained actively developing with emerging talent in the 2024-25 season.

💡 Use the search bar below to find specific players, or apply filters to narrow results by club, age range, or market value. Click the chart icon next to any player to view their historical value trajectory and forecast.

Market Intelligence

Explore Market Size by Position in Championship

Interactive bubble chart showing predicted 2-year growth vs current age for all Championship Centre-Backs. Identify undervalued assets and track market momentum across 28 clubs with €221.3M combined value.

Players Tracked

By League

Premier League La Liga Bundesliga Serie A Ligue 1

By Position

GK CB LB RB CDM

More Positions

CM CAM LW RW ST

By Season

2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23

Age Distribution: Championship Centre-Backs

The Championship CB market shows 5 distinct age segments, with the largest cohort in the 27-29 bracket (30 players, 35% of market). The 24-26 age group holds the most value at €93.0M, averaging €5.2M per player.

U21 years3 players (4%)

€3.6MAvg: €1.2M

Top player: Ashley Phillips (€2.8M)

21-23 years10 players (12%)

€17.6MAvg: €1.8M

Top player: Nathan Wood (€4.0M)

24-26 years18 players (21%)

€93.0MAvg: €5.2M

Top player: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (€22.0M)

27-29 years30 players (35%)

€86.4MAvg: €2.9M

Top player: Dara O'Shea (€15.0M)

30+ years24 players (28%)

€20.7MAvg: €861K

Top player: Jannik Vestergaard (€2.0M)

Top Centre-Backs by Age Bracket

U21 Years (3 players)

1. Ashley Phillips(20yo)

€2.8M

2. Max Alleyne(20yo)

€600K

3. Dylan Smith(19yo)

€250K

21-23 Years (10 players)

1. Nathan Wood(23yo)

€4.0M

2. Joshua Quarshie(21yo)

€4.0M

3. Bosun Lawal(22yo)

€2.2M

4. Caleb Taylor(23yo)

€2.0M

5. James Abankwah(22yo)

€1.5M

24-26 Years (18 players)

1. Taylor Harwood-Bellis(24yo)

€22.0M

2. Jacob Greaves(25yo)

€18.0M

3. Caleb Okoli(24yo)

€12.0M

4. Eiran Cashin(24yo)

€8.0M

5. Christoph Klarer(25yo)

€5.0M

27-29 Years (30 players)

1. Dara O'Shea(27yo)

€15.0M

2. Wout Faes(28yo)

€14.0M

3. Ben Godfrey(28yo)

€6.0M

4. Harry Souttar(27yo)

€6.0M

5. Alfie Jones(28yo)

€4.0M

Market Value Distribution

Elite Tier Concentration

48%of market value

The top 9 Centre-Backs (11% of players) control €106.0M

1. Taylor Harwood-Bellis€22.0M

2. Jacob Greaves€18.0M

3. Dara O'Shea€15.0M

4. Wout Faes€14.0M

5. Caleb Okoli€12.0M

Market Tiers

High (€15-30M)3 players (4%)

€55.0M

Mid (€5-15M)7 players (8%)

€56.0M

Emerging (<€5M)75 players (88%)

€110.3M

Market structure shows distributed value with high (€15-30m) tier representing 4% of the Championship CB pool.

High (€15-30M)

1. Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Southampton FC€22.0M

2. Jacob Greaves

Ipswich Town€18.0M

3. Dara O'Shea

Ipswich Town€15.0M

Mid (€5-15M)

1. Wout Faes

Leicester City€14.0M

2. Caleb Okoli

Leicester City€12.0M

3. Eiran Cashin

Birmingham City€8.0M

4. Ben Godfrey

Sheffield United€6.0M

5. Harry Souttar

Leicester City€6.0M

Emerging (<€5M)

1. Nathan Wood

Southampton FC€4.0M

2. Alfie Jones

Middlesbrough FC€4.0M

3. Dael Fry

Middlesbrough FC€4.0M

4. Joshua Quarshie

Southampton FC€4.0M

5. Bobby Thomas

Coventry City€3.5M

Club Distribution: Championship Centre-Backs

Among 28 Championship clubs, Ipswich Town leads with 3 Centre-Backs worth €35.5M (averaging €11.8M per player). The top 10 clubs account for 45% of tracked Centre-Backs.

Ipswich Town

3 players • €35.5M

Leicester City

5 players • €34.5M

Southampton FC

4 players • €31.5M

Birmingham City

4 players • €16.7M

Stoke City

4 players • €10.8M

West Bromwich Albion

4 players • €10.3M

Sheffield United

3 players • €9.2M

Middlesbrough FC

3 players • €8.8M

Coventry City

3 players • €8.5M

#10

Watford FC

5 players • €7.3M

Ipswich Town (3 Centre-Backs)

Jacob Greaves(25yo)

€18.0M

Dara O'Shea(27yo)

€15.0M

Cédric Kipré(29yo)

€2.5M

Leicester City (5 Centre-Backs)

Wout Faes(28yo)

€14.0M

Caleb Okoli(24yo)

€12.0M

Harry Souttar(27yo)

€6.0M

Jannik Vestergaard(33yo)

€2.0M

Ben Nelson(22yo)

€500K

Southampton FC (4 Centre-Backs)

Taylor Harwood-Bellis(24yo)

€22.0M

Nathan Wood(23yo)

€4.0M

Joshua Quarshie(21yo)

€4.0M

Jack Stephens(32yo)

€1.5M

Birmingham City (4 Centre-Backs)

Eiran Cashin(24yo)

€8.0M

Christoph Klarer(25yo)

€5.0M

Phil Neumann(28yo)

€3.0M

Jack Robinson(32yo)

€700K

Player Rankings

Ranked by APE Strength Score. Click any player to view full profile, or click the chart icon to see value history.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Southampton FC • 24 years old

€19.0M

€22.0M

+15.6%

€19.8M€25.2M

Expected: €22.5M

74.4

Jacob Greaves

Ipswich Town • 25 years old

€15.6M

€18.0M

+15.6%

€15.5M€19.7M

Expected: €17.6M

71.5

Dara O'Shea

Ipswich Town • 27 years old

€15.9M

€15.0M

-5.4%

€11.6M€14.7M

Expected: €13.1M

68.8

Wout Faes

Leicester City • 28 years old

€18.1M

€14.0M

-22.6%

€10.8M€13.7M

Expected: €12.3M

68.1

Caleb Okoli

Leicester City • 24 years old

€10.4M

€12.0M

+15.6%

€10.8M€13.8M

Expected: €12.3M

66.9

Eiran Cashin

Birmingham City • 24 years old

€6.9M

€8.0M

+15.6%

€7.2M€9.2M

Expected: €8.2M

58.2

Ben Godfrey

Sheffield United • 28 years old

€7.7M

€6.0M

-22.6%

€4.6M€5.9M

Expected: €5.3M

53.9

Harry Souttar

Leicester City • 27 years old

€6.3M

€6.0M

-5.4%

€4.6M€5.9M

Expected: €5.3M

53.8

Christoph Klarer

Birmingham City • 25 years old

€4.3M

€5.0M

+15.6%

€4.3M€5.5M

Expected: €4.9M

51.9

#10

Ben Wilmot

Stoke City • 26 years old

€4.3M

€5.0M

+15.6%

€4.5M€5.8M

Expected: €5.1M

51.5

#11

Nathan Wood

Southampton FC • 23 years old

€3.5M

€4.0M

+15.6%

€3.8M€4.8M

Expected: €4.3M

50.1

#13

Alfie Jones

Middlesbrough FC • 28 years old

€5.2M

€4.0M

-22.6%

€3.1M€3.9M

Expected: €3.5M

48.9

#12

Dael Fry

Middlesbrough FC • 28 years old

€5.2M

€4.0M

-22.6%

€3.1M€3.9M

Expected: €3.5M

48.9

#14

Joshua Quarshie

Southampton FC • 21 years old

€3.5M

€4.0M

+15.6%

€3.8M€5.0M

Expected: €4.4M

48.9

#15

Bobby Thomas

Coventry City • 25 years old

€3.0M

€3.5M

+15.6%

€3.0M€3.8M

Expected: €3.4M

47.5

#16

Nat Phillips

West Bromwich Albion • 29 years old

€4.5M

€3.5M

-22.6%

€2.6M€3.2M

Expected: €2.9M

47.3

#17

Chris Mepham

West Bromwich Albion • 28 years old

€4.5M

€3.5M

-22.6%

€2.7M€3.4M

Expected: €3.1M

47.2

#18

Luke McNally

Bristol City • 26 years old

€3.0M

€3.5M

+15.6%

€3.2M€4.0M

Expected: €3.6M

47.0

#20

Krystian Bielik

West Bromwich Albion • 28 years old

€3.9M

€3.0M

-22.6%

€2.3M€2.9M

Expected: €2.6M

41.7

#19

Phil Neumann

Birmingham City • 28 years old

€3.9M

€3.0M

-22.6%

€2.3M€2.9M

Expected: €2.6M

41.7

Showing 1-20 of 85

Scout Tools

Advanced analytics for scouting and recruitment decisions. Each tool provides unique insights into player value, potential, and market dynamics.

Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Identifies pre-peak players offering exceptional value relative to their age bracket. Higher PPVE = better value.

Understanding Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Southampton FC's Taylor Harwood-Bellis at 24 years old has the highest Pre-Peak Value Efficiency at 8.80×. That means Taylor Harwood-Bellis is valued 8.80× higher than the median player in the 24-26 age bracket—representing exceptional value before reaching peak age.

In second is Ipswich Town's Jacob Greaves, who is 25 years old, with a 7.20× PPVE. Third is Caleb Okoli of Leicester City, who is 24 years old with a 4.80× PPVE.

How PPVE is calculated: PPVE compares a player's current market value to the median value of all players in their age bracket. A PPVE of 8.80× means the player is worth 780% more than typical players their age—making them high-value targets before they reach peak value.

PPVE by Age Bracket

Taylor Harwood-BellisSouthampton FC

24-26 • 24yo8.80×

€22.0M • 780% above median

Jacob GreavesIpswich Town

24-26 • 25yo7.20×

€18.0M • 620% above median

Caleb OkoliLeicester City

24-26 • 24yo4.80×

€12.0M • 380% above median

Ashley PhillipsStoke City

U21 • 20yo4.67×

€2.8M • 367% above median

Eiran CashinBirmingham City

24-26 • 24yo3.20×

€8.0M • 220% above median

Nathan WoodSouthampton FC

21-23 • 23yo2.67×

€4.0M • 167% above median

Joshua QuarshieSouthampton FC

21-23 • 21yo2.67×

€4.0M • 167% above median

Christoph KlarerBirmingham City

24-26 • 25yo2.00×

€5.0M • 100% above median

Bosun LawalStoke City

21-23 • 22yo1.47×

€2.2M • 47% above median

Bobby ThomasCoventry City

24-26 • 25yo1.40×

€3.5M • 40% above median

Caleb TaylorMillwall FC

21-23 • 23yo1.33×

€2.0M • 33% above median

James AbankwahWatford FC

21-23 • 22yo1.00×

€1.5M • 0% above median

Formose MendyWatford FC

24-26 • 25yo1.00×

€2.5M • 0% above median

Max AlleyneWatford FC

U21 • 20yo1.00×

€600K • 0% above median

Lewis GibsonPreston North End

24-26 • 25yo0.88×

€2.2M • -12% above median

Rank	Player	Age	Bracket	Current Value	Bracket Median	PPVE
#1	Taylor Harwood-Bellis Southampton FC	24	24-26	€22.0M	€2.5M	8.80×
#2	Jacob Greaves Ipswich Town	25	24-26	€18.0M	€2.5M	7.20×
#3	Caleb Okoli Leicester City	24	24-26	€12.0M	€2.5M	4.80×
#4	Ashley Phillips Stoke City	20	U21	€2.8M	€600K	4.67×
#5	Eiran Cashin Birmingham City	24	24-26	€8.0M	€2.5M	3.20×
#6	Nathan Wood Southampton FC	23	21-23	€4.0M	€1.5M	2.67×
#7	Joshua Quarshie Southampton FC	21	21-23	€4.0M	€1.5M	2.67×
#8	Christoph Klarer Birmingham City	25	24-26	€5.0M	€2.5M	2.00×
#9	Bosun Lawal Stoke City	22	21-23	€2.2M	€1.5M	1.47×
#10	Bobby Thomas Coventry City	25	24-26	€3.5M	€2.5M	1.40×
#11	Caleb Taylor Millwall FC	23	21-23	€2.0M	€1.5M	1.33×
#12	James Abankwah Watford FC	22	21-23	€1.5M	€1.5M	1.00×
#13	Formose Mendy Watford FC	25	24-26	€2.5M	€2.5M	1.00×
#14	Max Alleyne Watford FC	20	U21	€600K	€600K	1.00×
#15	Lewis Gibson Preston North End	25	24-26	€2.2M	€2.5M	0.88×
#16	Kévin Keben Watford FC	22	21-23	€1.2M	€1.5M	0.80×
#17	Kaelan Casey Swansea City	21	21-23	€1.0M	€1.5M	0.67×
#18	Di'Shon Bernard Sheffield Wednesday	25	24-26	€1.6M	€2.5M	0.64×
#19	Mattie Pollock Watford FC	24	24-26	€1.5M	€2.5M	0.60×
#20	Leon King Ayr United FC	22	21-23	€800K	€1.5M	0.53×

Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Recovery potential from current value to forecasted peak. Shows how much upside remains for players approaching their prime.

Understanding Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Ross County FC's Dylan Smith at 19 years old has the highest Return-to-Peak Potential at +40%. That means Dylan Smith is projected to appreciate 40% as they reach their peak age in 7 years—representing significant upside before entering their prime.

In second is Stoke City's Ashley Phillips, who is 20 years old, with a +35% RPP (6 years to peak). Third is Max Alleyne of Watford FC, who is 20 years old with a +35% RPP (6 years to peak).

How RPP is calculated: RPP compares a player's current market value to their forecasted peak value, calculating the percentage appreciation potential. A 40% RPP means the player is expected to gain 40% value as they enter their prime—making them excellent growth investments.

Recovery Potential by Player

Dylan SmithRoss County FC

7yr to peak+40%

€250K → €415K

Ashley PhillipsStoke City

6yr to peak+35%

€2.8M → €4.3M

Max AlleyneWatford FC

6yr to peak+35%

€600K → €927K

Joshua QuarshieSouthampton FC

5yr to peak+30%

€4.0M → €5.7M

Kaelan CaseySwansea City

5yr to peak+30%

€1.0M → €1.4M

Ben NelsonLeicester City

4yr to peak+25%

€500K → €668K

Kévin KebenWatford FC

4yr to peak+25%

€1.2M → €1.6M

Leon KingAyr United FC

4yr to peak+25%

€800K → €1.1M

Bosun LawalStoke City

4yr to peak+25%

€2.2M → €2.9M

James AbankwahWatford FC

4yr to peak+25%

€1.5M → €2.0M

Nathan WoodSouthampton FC

3yr to peak+20%

€4.0M → €5.0M

Caleb TaylorMillwall FC

3yr to peak+20%

€2.0M → €2.5M

Liam MorrisonQueens Park Rangers

3yr to peak+20%

€400K → €497K

Caleb OkoliLeicester City

2yr to peak+14%

€12.0M → €13.9M

Eiran CashinBirmingham City

2yr to peak+14%

€8.0M → €9.2M

Rank	Player	Age	Years to Peak	Current	Peak Forecast	RPP %
#1	Dylan Smith Ross County FC	19	7	€250K	€415K	+40%
#2	Ashley Phillips Stoke City	20	6	€2.8M	€4.3M	+35%
#3	Max Alleyne Watford FC	20	6	€600K	€927K	+35%
#4	Joshua Quarshie Southampton FC	21	5	€4.0M	€5.7M	+30%
#5	Kaelan Casey Swansea City	21	5	€1.0M	€1.4M	+30%
#6	Ben Nelson Leicester City	22	4	€500K	€668K	+25%
#7	Kévin Keben Watford FC	22	4	€1.2M	€1.6M	+25%
#8	Leon King Ayr United FC	22	4	€800K	€1.1M	+25%
#9	Bosun Lawal Stoke City	22	4	€2.2M	€2.9M	+25%
#10	James Abankwah Watford FC	22	4	€1.5M	€2.0M	+25%
#11	Nathan Wood Southampton FC	23	3	€4.0M	€5.0M	+20%
#12	Caleb Taylor Millwall FC	23	3	€2.0M	€2.5M	+20%
#13	Liam Morrison Queens Park Rangers	23	3	€400K	€497K	+20%
#14	Caleb Okoli Leicester City	24	2	€12.0M	€13.9M	+14%
#15	Eiran Cashin Birmingham City	24	2	€8.0M	€9.2M	+14%
#16	Mattie Pollock Watford FC	24	2	€1.5M	€1.7M	+14%
#17	Amadou Salif Mbengue Queens Park Rangers	24	2	€900K	€1.0M	+14%
#18	Taylor Harwood-Bellis Southampton FC	24	2	€22.0M	€25.4M	+14%
#19	Tristan Crama Millwall FC	24	2	€800K	€925K	+14%
#20	Morgan Boyes St. Johnstone FC	25	1	€175K	€188K	+7%

Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Upside potential weighted against forecast uncertainty. Higher RAU = better risk-reward profile.

Understanding Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Ross County FC's Dylan Smith has the highest Risk-Adjusted Upside at 58.0. That means Dylan Smith has 19% upside potential with only 0% forecast uncertainty—representing excellent risk-reward for value appreciation.

In second is Stoke City's Ashley Phillips with a 46.3 RAU (15% upside, 0% uncertainty). Third is Max Alleyne of Watford FC with a 46.3 RAU (15% upside, 0% uncertainty).

How RAU is calculated: RAU divides upside potential by forecast uncertainty (RAU = Upside % ÷ Uncertainty %). A RAU of 58.0 means the upside is 58.0× greater than the uncertainty—making it a high-confidence growth opportunity. Target RAU ≥2.0 for balanced risk-reward.

Risk-Adjusted Upside by Player

Dylan SmithRoss County FC

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €257K - €339K

Ashley PhillipsStoke City

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €2.8M - €3.7M

Max AlleyneWatford FC

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €593K - €783K

Joshua QuarshieSouthampton FC

↑10% / ±0%33.7

Range: €3.8M - €5.0M

Kaelan CaseySwansea City

↑10% / ±0%33.7

Range: €950K - €1.3M

Nathan WoodSouthampton FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €3.8M - €4.8M

Caleb TaylorMillwall FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €1.9M - €2.4M

Liam MorrisonQueens Park Rangers

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €377K - €480K

Kévin KebenWatford FC

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €1.1M - €1.4M

Ben NelsonLeicester City

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €466K - €593K

Leon KingAyr United FC

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €745K - €948K

James AbankwahWatford FC

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €1.4M - €1.8M

Bosun LawalStoke City

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €2.0M - €2.6M

Ben WilmotStoke City

↑3% / ±0%12.0

Range: €4.5M - €5.8M

Dion SandersonDerby County

↑3% / ±0%12.0

Range: €2.3M - €2.9M

Rank	Player	Expected	Range	Upside %	RAU
#1	Dylan Smith Ross County FC	€298K	€257K-339K	+19%	58.0
#2	Ashley Phillips Stoke City	€3.2M	€2.8M-3.7M	+15%	46.3
#3	Max Alleyne Watford FC	€688K	€593K-783K	+15%	46.3
#4	Joshua Quarshie Southampton FC	€4.4M	€3.8M-5.0M	+10%	33.7
#5	Kaelan Casey Swansea City	€1.1M	€950K-1.3M	+10%	33.7
#6	Nathan Wood Southampton FC	€4.3M	€3.8M-4.8M	+7%	27.5
#7	Caleb Taylor Millwall FC	€2.1M	€1.9M-2.4M	+7%	27.5
#8	Liam Morrison Queens Park Rangers	€428K	€377K-480K	+7%	27.5
#9	Kévin Keben Watford FC	€1.3M	€1.1M-1.4M	+6%	23.0
#10	Ben Nelson Leicester City	€529K	€466K-593K	+6%	23.0
#11	Leon King Ayr United FC	€847K	€745K-948K	+6%	23.0
#12	James Abankwah Watford FC	€1.6M	€1.4M-1.8M	+6%	23.0
#13	Bosun Lawal Stoke City	€2.3M	€2.0M-2.6M	+6%	23.0
#14	Ben Wilmot Stoke City	€5.1M	€4.5M-5.8M	+3%	12.0
#15	Dion Sanderson Derby County	€2.6M	€2.3M-2.9M	+3%	12.0
#16	Luke McNally Bristol City	€3.6M	€3.2M-4.0M	+3%	12.0
#17	Joel Latibeaudiere Coventry City	€3.1M	€2.7M-3.5M	+3%	12.0
#18	Taylor Harwood-Bellis Southampton FC	€22.5M	€19.8M-25.2M	+2%	9.8
#19	Amadou Salif Mbengue Queens Park Rangers	€922K	€811K-1.0M	+2%	9.8
#20	Tristan Crama Millwall FC	€819K	€721K-918K	+2%	9.8

Roster Pressure Index (RPI)

Squad depth pressure based on Z-score distribution. Negative RPI = thin depth, positive = deep roster.

What This Shows

Z-Score explained: Measures how many standard deviations a player's strength is from the position average. Z-Score = 0 means average, +1.0 is one standard deviation above average, -1.0 is below average.

How to use: RPI < -1.0 indicates critical depth shortage. These positions need immediate reinforcement. RPI > +1.0 suggests strong depth, allowing selective, high-value additions only.

Current market: centre-back position shows weak depth (avg Z-score: -0.00). RPI: -0.00.

Position Depth Analysis

Total Players

-0.00

Avg Z-Score

-0.00

RPI Score

Weak DepthStrong Depth

-3.00+3.0

Highest Z-Scores

Taylor Harwood-Bellis+5.07

Jacob Greaves+4.03

Dara O'Shea+3.24

Wout Faes+2.98

Caleb Okoli+2.46

Lowest Z-Scores

Jack Baird-0.65

Bozo Mikulic-0.64

Shaun Hutchinson-0.64

Morgan Boyes-0.64

Akil Wright-0.63

Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Identifies players capturing disproportionate value relative to age group representation. Positive ASC = value concentration.

Understanding Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Birmingham City's Christoph Klarer in the 24-26 age bracket has the highest Age-Share Concentration at +20.8%. That means Taylor Harwood-Bellis captures 42.0% of total market value while representing only 21.2% of players in their age group—showing dominant elite status.

In second is Coventry City's Joel Latibeaudiere with a +20.8% ASC (42.0% value share vs 21.2% player share in 24-26 bracket). Third is Lewis Gibson of Preston North End with a +20.8% ASC (42.0% value vs 21.2% players in 24-26 bracket).

How ASC is calculated: ASC = (% of total value) - (% of total players) in age bracket. A +20.8% ASC means the player captures 20.8% more market value than their numerical representation—indicating marquee status. ASC > +15% = elite dominance, ASC < -15% = potential value targets.