Jorge Cuenca

Key strength: Aerial dominance

Defensive anchor

Sitting in 12th place in the Premier League, Fulham FC are quietly assembling a defensive unit built for longevity, and Jorge Cuenca has become a cornerstone of Marco Silva's rebuild. The 26-year-old Spanish centre-back arrived from Villarreal for €5m in August 2024—a shrewd piece of business that has already yielded 7 appearances and 270 minutes of composed defending. At 1.90m, Cuenca brings the aerial dominance and ball-playing calmness that modern possession-based systems demand. Though yet to register goals or assists in his early Fulham career, his defensive contributions and ability to initiate play from the back have been evident in Silva's tactical setup. With a contract running until 2028 and earning £85k weekly, Fulham have secured a player in his prime years who blends experience with untapped potential. As the Whites look to climb from mid-table obscurity toward European conversation, Cuenca's €4m market value and steady presence at the heart of defense suggest this could prove one of the summer's most astute acquisitions. The coming months will reveal whether he can become the defensive anchor Fulham desperately need.