All 24 EFL Championship club's best centre-back named and ranked | OneFootball

FLW has ranked each Championship side's best centre-back in comparison with their counterparts

Once again, the Championship is home to several high-quality players at several clubs across an array of different positions.

That certainly applies to those who feature at centre-back for all 24 sides, with there being a strong mix of seasoned second-tier campaigners as well as highly-rated talents who are destined for bigger and better things as their respective careers progress.

It will always be a debate as to who truly is the number one centre-back at each side in the Championship, whilst it is even harder, for many, to determine who takes the crown of being the best central defender in the division.

With that being said, Football League World has attempted to do just that, with the main/best centre-back at each club selected and ranked in comparison to their defensive counterparts.

24 Dominic Iorfa - Sheffield Wednesday

Unfortunately, someone has to come at the bottom of the pile, although Dominic Iorfa's vast experience in the division could prove invaluable to Sheffield Wednesday this season amid a well-documented lack of squad depth.

The 30-year-old has over 220 Championship appearances worth of knowhow to call upon, and his physical presence alongside Yan Valery and Max Lowe in a back three is yet another important asset for Henrik Pedersen.

Due to a severe lack of options, Wednesday will also hope the centre-back is able to stay injury-free after just 22 league appearances last season.

23 Lloyd Jones - Charlton Athletic

Next up is Lloyd Jones of Charlton Athletic, with the 29-year-old mainstay a crucial figure in the Addicks' promotion back to the Championship last term.

The former Liverpool defender was named in the League One Team of the Season as a result, and his efforts have already been showcased by several successful blocks and clearances in his side's early-season encounters.

Despite being an extremely experienced head in the side, Jones will hope to finally make his mark on the second-tier after featuring just four times for Luton Town in the 2019/20 campaign.

22 Sean McLoughlin - Blackburn Rovers

The centre-back department isn't exactly a strong point for Blackburn Rovers this season in terms of depth, although the acquisition of Sean McLoughlin from Hull City was rather shrewd.

The Irishman had been a long-term target for the Lancashire outfit, and he certainly proved a point against his old side in a 3-0 win at the MKM Stadium in August, although the following fixture against Norwich City couldn't have gone much worse for the 28-year-old, as he was sent off in the 2-0 defeat.

His versatility could also be an asset for Valerien Ismael, having featured at left-back for Hull during large periods of last season.

Next up is Lewis Gibson of Preston North End, with Lilywhites supporters certainly of the view that he is underrated outside the Deepdale circle.

The 25-year-old signed from Plymouth Argyle in January, and immediately became one of North End's most consistent performers despite a plight down the Championship table.

After netting his first goal for the club against Hull City in April, the former Everton man's interventions in his natural position have now been key in Preston's solid start to the campaign, keeping the likes of Ipswich Town at bay.

20 Liam Morrison - Queens Park Rangers

Liam Morrison has quickly become one of Julien Stephan's first names on the teamsheet as Queens Park Rangers boss, with the Scottish defender justifying exactly why he was rewarded with a contract extension in the early weeks of the season.

The 22-year-old had previously flourished in League One with Wigan Athletic after coming through the Bayern Munich youth setup, and he will hope to continue going from strength to strength in order to eventually realise the top-flight potential which the Bavarian giants previously saw in him.

Matt Clarke has been one of Derby County's most consistent performers during his second spell at Pride Park.

The Rams have added several new defenders to their squad this summer, such as Dion Sanderson and Danny Batth, but it is the 28-year-old who has shone above the rest in what has been an inconsistent start to the season.

His influence was immediately showcased during an initial loan return to DE24, as they conceded just 14 times in as many games in the latter stages of last term, making it a no-brainer for Clarke to be handed a new three-year contract in the off-season.

18 Josh Knight - Portsmouth

Josh Knight had previously been one of Peterborough United's hottest properties, and plenty of eyes are likely to be cast on his performances at Portsmouth after returning to English football from Hannover 96.

During his solitary campaign for the Bundesliga.2 outfit, the 28-year-old continued to showcase his goalscoring nous as well as his obvious defensive strengths.

After conceding 71 times last season - the second-most in the Championship - supporters at Fratton Park will certainly see the ex-Leicester City man as a welcome addition to the squad.

17 James Abankwah - Watford

Next up is James Abankwah, who is back at Watford for a second successive season on loan from Serie A side, Udinese.

After making an initial loan switch in January, the 21-year-old immediately showcased his talent in the second-tier in just 19 appearances under Tom Cleverley, before returning to Vicarage Road under the newly-appointed Paulo Pezzolano.

Abankwah's defensive awareness against a multitude of experienced frontmen earned him a first senior call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad in June, and his positive form this calendar year has only continued into the early weeks of this season.

16 Tristan Crama - Millwall

Tristan Crama's performances for Millwall have also gone under the radar, with the Frenchman going from strength to strength in the opening months of his spell at the Den after moving from Brentford.

The 23-year-old predominantly featured as a right-back following his move across London, but has since slotted in at centre-back on a much more regular basis following the departure of Japhet Tanganga to Sheffield United.

However, it remains to be seen if his starting place is under threat following the recent addition of Caleb Taylor from West Bromwich Albion.

15 Ash Phillips - Stoke City

After a fine initial loan spell at the Bet365 Stadium, Ash Phillips is hoping to continue making a name for himself on loan at Stoke City from Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite recently just turning 20, the centre-back is no stranger to the Championship after coming through the Blackburn Rovers ranks, as well as another loan stint with Plymouth Argyle.

Phillips was arguably Stoke's best defensive performer last term, and he has also started this campaign in similar fashion, proving exactly why new Spurs boss, Thomas Frank, was initially eager to integrate him into the first-team picture in North London.