4 Under-the-Radar Full-Backs Premier League Clubs Must Consider This Summer

Heading into the summer transfer window, almost every Premier League team should be on the lookout for potential full-back acquisitions. With the notable exception of two or three well-endowed clubs, the lack of quality in this position across the board is clear and must be addressed.

The fresh influx of money in the Premier League will, no doubt, assist managers in need of filling problematic positions, but it will also drive up prices across the continent.

Full-back is a key position in modern football—players in these positions represent key tactical cogs in their teams’ systems, particularly when it comes to possession-oriented football—and if you want the Jose Gayas or Ricardo Rodriguezes of this world, you’re going to have to pay through the nose.

But there are always bargains to be found—TV cash inbound or not. We’ve picked out four under-the-radar full-backs that Premier League clubs must consider, and the likelihood is they’ll be on the cheaper side, too.

Cristiano Biraghi, LB, Internazionale (on loan at Granada)

Biraghi played the 2015-16 season on loan at Granada as the first-choice left-back, making 32 La Liga appearances for a combination of Jose Ramon Sandoval and Jose Gonzalez. Only one player (Andres Fernandez, the goalkeeper) made more starts than the Italian in the league.

He’s an intriguing player due to the fact that he is, in essence, a defence-first full-back: Rather than mastering the attacking side of the game first then working on the other parts—as many in 2016 do (see: Hector Bellerin)—he has learned to shut down his flank, then push on and try to influence play higher up.

Granada fought a relegation battle right up until the penultimate weekend of the season, coming under a lot of defensive pressure as a result. They shipped 69 goals in La Liga—the fourth-most in the division—but Biraghi still emerges from the campaign with credit; his flank was not the problem.

Per WhoScored.com, he was dribbled past just 0.7 times per 90 minutes, while also managing 2.5 tackles per 90. Opposing teams tended to gravitate over to the other flank and try to work Miguel Lopes at right-back, correctly identifying him as a softer target.

Like Sead Kolasinac of Schalke, Biraghi is a thick-set full-back who, if in possession of a few more inches in height, could pass for a centre-back on first glance. When he attacks, he barrels forward with power; when tracking and tackling, he is uncompromising—a trait that may need to be reined in just a tad over the next two years.

If Internazionale cannot offer him a future, Premier League clubs should see him as a very affordable, Erik Pieters-esque option on the market.

Adam Masina, Bologna

Bologna house a number of impressive young talents—particularly in the central-midfield area—but it’s full-back Adam Masina who is …

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