⬡ AI DNA · Live season

Fulham· 2025/2026 · Premier League · PARTIAL

Best Alternatives to Tom Cairney

Central MidfieldScotland35y€750KFull profile →

MetronomeSmall Sample

1.30KP/90

0.24G/90

0.00A/90

Based on 764 min · 2025/2026 · Premier League · PARTIAL

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — playing style, pressing, and tactical fit. Below: the closest replacements with per-90 stats and form.

DNA matchPrioritizes Premier League & top-tier peers

Top 3 alternatives to Tom Cairney

Andrew Irving96% match
West Ham United · Premier League · €4.5M
Declan Rice80% match
Arsenal · Premier League · €120.0M
Enzo Fernández80% match
Chelsea · Premier League · €90.0M

Ranked by RT Player DNA + league/value credibility. Scroll for full list, per-90 stats, and share cards.

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Playing Style Analysis

MetronomeSmall Sample

A Metronome. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, a capable chance creator (1.3 key passes/90), a regular goalscorer (0.24 goals/90), meticulous in distribution (93% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (59% duel success), heavily involved in possession (82 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (8.0 final-third passes/90), central to possession (92 touches/90) and active off the ball (2.3 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. Note: this profile is based on 764 minutes of playing time this season. The three closest DNA matches to Tom Cairney:

Andrew Irving(96% match) — A Metronome. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, an elite creator (2.3 key passes/90), a reliable supplier (0.23 assists/90), meticulous in distribution (87% pass accuracy), heavily involved in possession (61 passes/90), creates high-quality scoring opportunities (0.70 big chances/90), penetrates with forward passing (9.1 final-third passes/90), central to possession (78 touches/90), switches play with precision (5.2 long balls/90, 68% accuracy), a high-intensity presser (press score 3.0/90), constantly disrupting opposition build-up and top 10% creator in the league.
Declan Rice(80% match) — A Metronome. Statistically, he stands out as an elite creator (1.9 key passes/90), a reliable supplier (0.15 assists/90), active in the tackle (2.1 tackles/90), meticulous in distribution (87% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (61% duel success), heavily involved in possession (62 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (8.5 final-third passes/90), central to possession (80 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (5.3/90), active off the ball (2.7 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions and top 10% creator in the league.
Enzo Fernández(80% match) — A Creator. Statistically, he stands out as an elite creator (2.0 key passes/90), a regular goalscorer (0.29 goals/90), meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy), penetrates with forward passing (8.4 final-third passes/90), central to possession (75 touches/90) and top 10% creator in the league.

Similarity uses per-90 performance across playing-style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →

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Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

Andrew Irving

West Ham United · Premier League

Scotland26yContract 2026

KP/902.32

G/900.00

MetronomeCreativeSteady form

vs Cairney: 9y younger

96% match

€4.5M

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Tom Cairney?▼

The top alternatives to Tom Cairney based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Andrew Irving, Declan Rice, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Bruno Guimarães. 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 Tom Cairney in 2026?▼

Players with a similar profile to Tom Cairney in 2026 include Andrew Irving (€4.5M), Declan Rice (€120.0M), Enzo Fernández (€90.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.

What position does Tom Cairney play and who plays similarly?▼

Tom Cairney plays as a Midfielder. Players with a comparable positional profile include Andrew Irving (Scotland, €4.5M); Declan Rice (England, €120.0M); Enzo Fernández (Argentina, €90.0M); Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, €85.0M).

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.

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