5. Pepe – FC Porto to Real Madrid, £25.2m
The Portuguese centre-back joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2007 and although has had relative success in the Spanish capital, at times has also been controversial.
Pepe has stuck it out at the Bernabeu however and has won two La Liga titles and the Copa Del Rey.
4. Alessandro Nesta – Lazio to AC Milan, £26.1m
In the traditional Italian style Nesta spent a decade at the San Siro when signing from Serie A rivals Lazio in 2002.
The centre-back went onto play in three Champions League finals for the club – winning two – and also lifted two Italian league titles.
3. Rio Ferdinand – Leeds United to Manchester United, £30m
The Englishman remained the most expensive defender in history for a decade and was also the British transfer record when joining United in 2002.
Ferdinand is now in the Englishman’s 11th season at Old Trafford and at 34-years-old is still going strong and made the 2013 PFA Team of the Year.
2. Marquinhos – AS Roma to Paris Saint-Germain, £30.1m
The 19-year-old became a huge acquisition for PSG when the Brazilian was signed from Roma and joins a triplet of Brazilian centre-backs at the club.
Marquinhos is a hot prospect for the future and could well turn out to be the most accomplished defender in the world in a few years time.
1. Thiago Silva – AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain, £35.3m
Silva became the most expensive defender of all time in the summer of 2012 when making the switch from Milan to Paris.
The Brazil international helped PSG to their first title in 17 years in the South American’s first season at the club and looks on top of the 28-year-old’s game.
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