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Most Improved defenders in J1 League 2027

The most improved defenders in J1 League in 2027, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in J1 LeagueMost improved midfielders in J1 LeagueMost improved attackers in J1 LeagueBest defenders in J1 LeagueMost in-form defenders in J1 LeagueTop-scoring defenders in J1 League

At a glance

R. Handa of Gamba Osaka is the standout for raw talent across defenders in J1 League, with a Field Insider Rating of 56.5, and T. Koga has been the form player this season, grading 69.2, and Y. Kimoto leads the scoring with 2 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: T. Koga has improved his Season rating most, up +45.3 on last season, while R. Handa's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +3.7 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, R. Handa of Gamba Osaka is the most valuable name in this group at 20.7.

Best talent
R. Handa56.5RTG
Gamba Osaka
In form
T. Koga69.2SsN
Kashiwa Reysol
Rising potential
R. Handa+3.7RTG
Gamba Osaka · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
T. Koga+45.3SsN
Kashiwa Reysol · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
Y. Kimoto2goals
Mito Hollyhock
Most valuable
R. Handa20.7val
Gamba Osaka
35 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1T. KogaCentre-backKashiwa Reysol27+45.3
24/25→25/26
69±0%50±0%
2Y. TatsutaCentre-backFagiano Okayama28+25.3
24/25→25/26
33±0%38±0%
3H. ArakiCentre-backSanfrecce Hiroshima30+25.2
24/25→25/26
54±0%35±0%
4H. TaniguchiCentre-backKawasaki Frontale26+25
24/25→25/26
57±0%515.2%
5R. HandaFull-backGamba Osaka24+18.1
24/25→25/26
4666.1%577%
6S. SasakiCentre-backSanfrecce Hiroshima36+9.8
24/25→25/26
51±0%22±0%
7N. UedaFull-backKashima31+7.2
24/25→25/26
50±0%34±0%
8A. ScholzCentre-backFC Tokyo33+7
24/25→25/26
20±0%16±0%
9S. HatanakaCentre-backCerezo Osaka31+6.9
24/25→25/26
21±0%3212.2%
10Y. SuzukiCentre-backKyoto Sanga34+6.5
24/25→25/26
32±0%2411.1%
11T. DengCentre-backYokohama F. Marinos29+5.7
24/25→25/26
2627.5%3123.9%
12T. YamakawaFull-backVissel Kobe28+5.4
24/25→25/26
45±0%44±0%
13D. SuzukiCentre-backJEF United Chiba36+5.1
20/21→25/26
1278.5%1054%
14Y. MiyamotoCentre-backUrawa26+4.6
24/25→25/26
29±0%492%
15K. SatoFull-backKyoto Sanga26+4.2
24/25→25/26
29±0%47±0%
16R. YamaharaFull-backKawasaki Frontale27+3.5
22/23→25/26
22±0%443.5%
17T. OkaCentre-backFC Tokyo25+1.2
24/25→25/26
15±0%472.9%
18K. MatsubaraCentre-backYokohama F. Marinos33+0.2
24/25→25/26
191.1%1641.4%
19Dion-Johan CoolsCentre-backCerezo Osaka30-1.9
21/22→25/26
8±0%24±0%
20D. SugiokaFull-backKashiwa Reysol28-1.9
24/25→25/26
18±0%4012.4%
21G. ShōjiCentre-backMachida Zelvia33-2.2
24/25→25/26
47±0%25±0%
22S. NakataniFull-backGamba Osaka30-5.3
24/25→25/26
35±0%34±0%
23DiegoFull-backVissel Kobe31-5.5
24/25→25/26
22±0%281.4%
24R. OgawaFull-backKashima29-6.9
24/25→25/26
18±0%31±0%
25H. FujiiCentre-backNagoya Grampus25-8.4
24/25→25/26
8±0%43±0%
26Y. KimotoCentre-backMito Hollyhock33-9
24/25→25/26
87.1%915.3%
27K. SuzukiCentre-backTokyo Verdy24-9.3
24/25→25/26
3±0%422.2%
28R. InoueCentre-backCerezo Osaka29-10.5
24/25→25/26
7±0%27±0%
29Matheus ThulerFull-backVissel Kobe27-11.4
24/25→25/26
35±0%45±0%
30K. AnzaiFull-backKashima31-13.8
24/25→25/26
2733.5%2634.8%
31M. YamaneFull-backUrawa32-14.4
24/25→25/26
1612.4%160.6%
32K. ChidaCentre-backTokyo Verdy31-17.5
24/25→25/26
1258.5%1846.3%
33S. MuroyaFull-backFC Tokyo32-18.5
24/25→25/26
17±0%19±0%
34T. MaseFull-backMito Hollyhock28-19.3
21/22→25/26
13±0%283.4%
35R. HatsuseFull-backGamba Osaka29-27.6
24/25→25/26
3±0%27±0%