AI DNA Similarity
Best Alternatives to Hjalmar Ekdal
Players most similar to Hjalmar Ekdal (Defender, €6.0M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
Top 3 Alternatives to Hjalmar Ekdal
- 1.Kevin Danso87% DNA match·Tottenham Hotspur€22.0M
- 2.James Tarkowski86% DNA match·Everton€7.0M
- 3.Sepp van den Berg86% DNA match·Brentford€28.0M
Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
RT
Intelligence Verdict
Aerials WonTop 6%
???Bottom 18%
“A Ball-Playing CB....”
See Full Verdict + Share Card →Playing Style Analysis
Ball-Playing CBAerial
A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (7.3 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (85% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (64% duel success) and dominant in the air (3.0 aerials won/90, 63%). The three most similar players to Hjalmar Ekdal by playing style are:
- Kevin Danso(87% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as active in the tackle (1.9 tackles/90), commanding in the air (8.3 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (62% duel success), central to possession (78 touches/90), dominant in the air (4.8 aerials won/90, 63%) and uses long balls frequently (6.0/90).
- James Tarkowski(86% match) — A Physical Stopper. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (6.6 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (68% duel success), dominant in the air (4.0 aerials won/90, 68%) and uses long balls frequently (6.7/90).
- Sepp van den Berg(86% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (6.2 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (88% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (66% duel success) and dominant in the air (4.6 aerials won/90, 68%).
Transfer Intelligence
Kevin Danso delivers 87% of the same playing style, at a 267% premium over Hjalmar Ekdal, with 1.84 tackles won per 90 at age 27.
Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →
Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity
#1
K
Kevin Danso
Tottenham Hotspur · Premier League
Austria27yContract 2030
Tkl/901.84
KP/900.20
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stablevs Ekdal: €16M more expensive
87% match
€22.0M
#2
J
James Tarkowski
Everton · Premier League
England33yContract 2026
Tkl/901.31
KP/900.51
Physical StopperAerial
Last 5: → Stablevs Ekdal: 6y older
86% match
€7.0M
#3
S
Sepp van den Berg
Brentford · Premier League
Netherlands24yContract 2029
Tkl/900.64
KP/900.20
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stablevs Ekdal: €22M more expensive · 3y younger
86% match
€28.0M
#4
J
Jaka Bijol
Leeds United · Premier League
Slovenia27yContract 2030
Tkl/901.30
KP/900.36
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip85% match
€18.0M
#5
J
Jan Paul van Hecke
Brighton & Hove Albion · Premier League
Netherlands25yContract 2027
Tkl/901.54
KP/900.36
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
€35.0M
#6
M
Murillo
Nottingham Forest · Premier League
Brazil23yContract 2029
Tkl/901.48
KP/900.38
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable84% match
€12.0M
#7
M
Malick Thiaw
Newcastle United · Premier League
Germany24yContract 2029
Tkl/901.29
KP/900.19
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot84% match
€45.0M
#8
B
Bafodé Diakité
AFC Bournemouth · Premier League
France25y
Tkl/901.41
KP/900.21
Ball-Playing CBAerial
84% match
€30.0M
#9
K
Kristoffer Ajer
Brentford · Premier League
Norway28yContract 2028
Tkl/901.87
KP/900.26
Physical StopperAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip84% match
€18.0M
#10
P
Pascal Struijk
Leeds United · Premier League
Netherlands26yContract 2027
Tkl/901.17
KP/900.38
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable84% match
€22.0M
#11
L
Ladislav Krejci
Wolverhampton Wanderers · Premier League
Czech Republic27yContract 2026
Tkl/901.10
KP/900.33
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot84% match
€22.0M
#12
M
Maxence Lacroix
Crystal Palace · Premier League
France26yContract 2029
Tkl/901.75
KP/900.21
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable84% match
€35.0M
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Ask AI: Why are these players similar?
Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Hjalmar Ekdal.
Ask AI about Hjalmar Ekdal →Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best alternatives to Hjalmar Ekdal?▼
The top alternatives to Hjalmar Ekdal based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Kevin Danso, James Tarkowski, Sepp van den Berg, Jaka Bijol, Jan Paul van Hecke. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Hjalmar Ekdal in 2026?▼
Players with a similar profile to Hjalmar Ekdal in 2026 include Kevin Danso (€22.0M), James Tarkowski (€7.0M), Sepp van den Berg (€28.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Hjalmar Ekdal play and who plays similarly?▼
Hjalmar Ekdal plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Kevin Danso (Austria, €22.0M); James Tarkowski (England, €7.0M); Sepp van den Berg (Netherlands, €28.0M); Jaka Bijol (Slovenia, €18.0M).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.