RisingTransfers
AI DNA Similarity

Best Alternatives to Ryan Leonard

Players most similar to Ryan Leonard (Defender, €1.1M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Top 3 Alternatives to Ryan Leonard

  1. 1.Dan Ballard85% DNA match·Sunderland€20.0M
  2. 2.Giovanni Leoni84% DNA match·Liverpool€25.0M
  3. 3.Chadi Riad84% DNA match·Crystal Palace€12.0M

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

RT

Intelligence Verdict

Chances MissedTop 0%
???Bottom 16%

A Physical Stopper....

See Full Verdict + Share Card →

Playing Style Analysis

Physical Stopper

A Physical Stopper. Statistically, he stands out as an aggressive ball-winner (3.0 tackles/90), wins the physical battle (57% duel success), penetrates with forward passing (11.8 final-third passes/90), wins the ball cleanly (2.0 successful tackles/90), uses long balls frequently (8.5/90), active off the ball (2.3 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions and top 10% tackler in the league. The three most similar players to Ryan Leonard by playing style are:

  • Dan Ballard(85% match)A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (7.8 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (59% duel success), strong in aerial duels (4.4 aerials won/90) and uses long balls frequently (6.6/90).
  • Giovanni Leoni(84% match)A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.6 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (89% pass accuracy) and wins the physical battle (61% duel success).
  • Chadi Riad(84% match)A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, commanding in the air (4.4 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (90% pass accuracy) and wins the physical battle (58% duel success).

Transfer Intelligence

Dan Ballard delivers 85% of the same playing style, at a 1718% premium over Ryan Leonard, with 1.38 tackles won per 90 at age 26.

Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →

R
Comparison Base
Ryan Leonard
DefenderEngland€1.1M
Full profile →

Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

#1
D
Dan Ballard
Sunderland · Premier League
Northern Ireland26yContract 2028
Tkl/901.38
KP/900.67
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable
vs Leonard: €19M more expensive · 7y younger
85% match
€20.0M
#2
G
Giovanni Leoni
Liverpool · Premier League
Italy19yContract 2031
Tkl/901.05
KP/900.07
Ball-Playing CBAerial
vs Leonard: €24M more expensive · 14y younger
84% match
€25.0M
#3
C
Chadi Riad
Crystal Palace · Premier League
Morocco22yContract 2029
Tkl/901.62
KP/900.23
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable
vs Leonard: €11M more expensive · 11y younger
84% match
€12.0M
#4
J
Jake O'Brien
Everton · Premier League
Republic of Ireland24yContract 2028
Tkl/901.66
KP/900.48
Aerial
Last 5: → Stable
83% match
€16.0M
#5
P
Pedro Lima
Wolverhampton Wanderers · Premier League
Brazil19yContract 2029
Tkl/902.49
KP/901.07
Small Sample
Last 5: → Stable
84% match
€4.0M
#6
C
Chris Richards
Crystal Palace · Premier League
United States26yContract 2027
Tkl/901.76
KP/900.30
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable
83% match
€25.0M
#7
E
Emanuele Valeri
Parma · Serie A
Italy27yContract 2027
Tkl/901.51
KP/901.59
Active Full-Back
84% match
€3.0M
#8
D
David Møller Wolfe
Wolverhampton Wanderers · Premier League
Norway24yContract 2030
Tkl/900.91
KP/900.81
Active Full-BackSmall Sample
Last 5: ↑ Hot
84% match
€10.0M
#9
J
Jorge Cuenca
Fulham · Premier League
Spain26yContract 2028
Tkl/901.64
KP/900.29
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↓ Dip
83% match
€8.0M
#10
M
Morato
Nottingham Forest · Premier League
Brazil24yContract 2029
Tkl/902.08
KP/900.15
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip
83% match
€14.0M
#11
J
Jackson Tchatchoua
Wolverhampton Wanderers · Premier League
Belgium24yContract 2030
Tkl/901.42
KP/901.08
Active Full-Back
Last 5: → Stable
83% match
€12.0M
#12
M
Murillo
Nottingham Forest · Premier League
Brazil23yContract 2029
Tkl/901.48
KP/900.38
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable
82% match
€12.0M

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 Ryan Leonard.

Ask AI about Ryan Leonard

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Ryan Leonard?
The top alternatives to Ryan Leonard based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Dan Ballard, Giovanni Leoni, Chadi Riad, Jake O'Brien, Pedro Lima. 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 Ryan Leonard in 2026?
Players with a similar profile to Ryan Leonard in 2026 include Dan Ballard (€20.0M), Giovanni Leoni (€25.0M), Chadi Riad (€12.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Ryan Leonard play and who plays similarly?
Ryan Leonard plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Dan Ballard (Northern Ireland, €20.0M); Giovanni Leoni (Italy, €25.0M); Chadi Riad (Morocco, €12.0M); Jake O'Brien (Republic of Ireland, €16.0M).
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.