Best Alternatives to Simon Graves

Top 3 Alternatives to Simon Graves

1. 1.Wouter Goes85% DNA match·AZ€12.0M
2. 2.Tsuyoshi Watanabe85% DNA match·Feyenoord€10.0M
3. 3.Bram Nuytinck85% DNA match·NEC Nijmegen€3.0M

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

Playing Style Analysis

A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (8.1 clearances/90), central to possession (72 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (7.8/90) and active off the ball (2.1 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. The three most similar players to Simon Graves by playing style are:

• Wouter Goes(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.2 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (89% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (64% duel success), heavily involved in possession (63 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (8.7 final-third passes/90), central to possession (76 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (7.2/90) and active off the ball (2.4 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
• Tsuyoshi Watanabe(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (5.0 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (89% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (61% duel success), heavily involved in possession (62 passes/90), central to possession (75 touches/90), strong in aerial duels (3.2 aerials won/90), uses long balls frequently (5.2/90) and active off the ball (2.1 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
• Bram Nuytinck(85% match) — Nuytinck is the quintessential Eredivisie "old head" whose value lies in the safety of his distribution rather than the dynamism of his defending. While he lacks the mobility of modern elite center-backs, his 89.7% pass accuracy puts him in the top 30% of the league, marking him as a reliable metronome for a Tier C side looking to build from the back without risk. Counterintuitively, despite his reputation as a physical presence, his 52.6% duel win rate is merely average, suggesting he relies more on positioning than raw power to survive.

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