Image Credit: Getty, UEFA
5. Hiroki Sakai
The Japanese defender joined Marseille from Hannover 96 at the start of the 2016-17 season, and immediately became a first-team regular. He made 35 league appearances last season, helping the French club to finish fifth in the Ligue 1 table. His defending performances were highly praised, with him making an average of 2,6 tackles and 1,8 interception per games. He maintained a relatively high rating of 7.13 out of 10 throughout the season.