The most improved player on this list? Jerome Boateng. The Bayern Munich defender has seen his stock rise from the paltry 82 he was afforded last year to a lofty 85, which is somewhat puzzling. Boateng was used mostly as a squad player by Bayern last season, making just 25 appearances, of which he started and finished only 22. We can only imagine Germany's World Cup campaign has inflated Boateng's rating, which is overly generous as he is not THAT much better than Giorgio Chiellini. The Germans of course won the tournament in Brazil with Boateng playing all seven of his country's games en route to the final, which is the only explanation we can think of for a boost in rating. Boateng has had a mixed career. He went to Manchester City in 2010 and never cut it in the Premier League, lasting just a season and making 16 appearances. He has likewise been in and out of the team at Bayern since moving to the Allianz Arena in 2011 and has done little to suggest he's worthy of being rated among the best defenders on the game, besides his recent World Cup performances.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
