2) Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid)
Diego Simeone has entrusted the 20-year-old to feature at the heart of his defence, which could have represented a daunting task for a youngster to come into a side that he was on the periphery when they won La Liga and reached a Champions League final last season, but the Argentinian has risen to the challenge expertly.
1) Phil Jones (Manchester United)
According to this study, Phil Jones is the best U23 defender across Europe. The 23-year-old has spent some of the season injured, so perhaps it is no coincidence that United’s upturn in form has coincided with a long-term run in the side.