Why Diego Carlos is the ideal solution to our centre-back problem

In his debut article, Ethan Stockham argues the case for Fulham snapping up the Brazilian defender.

Fulham are still on the hunt for a right-sided centre-back to replace Tosin Adarabaiyo. Aston Villa’s Diego Carlos seems to be one of the most concrete of links, and gives an idea as to where Fulham are to be looking in terms of their replacement. The Brazilian centre-back fell out of favour at Aston Villa in his first season at the club due to a poor injury record, however he managed to regain some form in patches during last season. Carlos could be on the lookout for more regular football this summer with Unai Emre seemingly favouring Pau Torres as his key right-sided centre-half and no promise of minutes for the 31-year-old.

European pedigree and aerial dominance

Diego Carlos has made a name for himself playing across all three tiers of European football, most recently in the Conference League with Aston Villa. He also helped Sevilla to the Europa League in 2019 and earned more than 14 caps in the Champions League. According to an FBref report, in the 2022/23 Premier League season, Carlos managed an average of 2.1 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes as well as a 61.2% success rate in aerial duels.

Standing at 6’1″ and strong on the ball, Diego Carlos is an imposing figure on the pitch and very physical. In the 2022/23 Premier League season, Carlos won 2.7 aerial duels per game at a success, making him one of the more dominant presences in the air among Premier League defenders. The departed Tosin managed a massive 3.12 aerial duels per 90 in the 23/24 season, ranking him in the top 88% of centre-backs across Europe’s top fvie leagues so Carlos could be the right fit with similar aerial numbers. Fulham scored 10 times from set pieces last season, four fewer than the season before, so with the loss of Tosin, who scored two of those 10 goals, Carlos could be the one to fill that gap in the defence.

Experience and leadership

The current average age of Fulham’s central defenders, after Tim Ream’s departure, is 25.5 years. Being 31, Diego Carlos brings much-needed experience, having played in the top European leagues and international competitions across his career. He was an important part in the Sevilla defence that let in only 0.92 goals per game in the 2019/20 La Liga season. His experience in high-pressure situations, such as European finals and important league games, something Fulham would benefit from with such an experienced head in the dressing room alongside our younger talents.

Injury resilience and recovery

The 2022/23 season at Aston Villa is a slight concern in terms of his injury record. Diego Carlos suffered a massive setback early in his Aston Villa career with an Achilles tendon injury, which kept him out for most of the season. He managed only five appearances that season, with just three being in competitive football. However, Fulham’s track record with our medial team is one we should have faith in; both Ryan Sessegnon and Emile Smith-Rowe have struggled massively with injuries in their past so it is clear that the prospect of developing a players fitness is something Fulham have already been looking at.

Fulham’s pursuit of Carlos could be the missing piece that elevates the defence and adds a real sense of depth across both centre-back positions. His leadership qualities and atrial abilities are exactly what Fulham should be looking for in an ideal Tosin replacement. The addition of another Brazilian would be on brand for Fulham and would be a nice fit for the already Portuguese-speaking dressing room.