Who should replace James Sands?
CM/CDMFC St. Pauli · 2025/26 · ranked by tactical + market fitJames Sands's profile ↗
If a club needs to replace James Sands, the best-fitting central midfielders are Carlos Benavídez, Eric Martel, Lucas Torró. Carlos Benavídez (Deportivo Alavés) matches the role at 93/100 on tactical profile (75/100 overall). A cheaper option: Yohann Magnin at about €900k. Data as of July 2026.
Best replacements for James Sands
| # | Player | Club | Age | Value | Tactical | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Benavídezsimilar↗ | Deportivo Alavés | 25 | €1.0m | 93 | 75 |
| 2 | Eric Martelsimilar↗ | 1. FC Köln | 23 | €8.2m | 93 | 76 |
| 3 | Lucas Torrósimilar↗ | Osasuna | 30 | €2.7m | 92 | 74 |
| 4 | Óscar Valentínsimilar↗ | Rayo Vallecano | 29 | €1.9m | 92 | 71 |
| 5 | Yohann Magninsimilar↗ | Clermont Foot | 26 | €900k | 91 | 76 |
| 6 | Ryan Yatessimilar↗ | Nottingham Forest | 26 | €7.2m | 90 | 75 |
| 7 | Kervin Arriagasimilar↗ | Levante UD | 27 | €2.1m | 90 | 72 |
| 8 | Chema Andréssimilar↗ | VfB Stuttgart | 20 | €19m | 90 | 73 |
| 9 | Philipp Sandersimilar↗ | Borussia M'gladbach | 27 | €4.2m | 90 | 75 |
| 10 | Nicolás Domínguezsimilar↗ | Nottingham Forest | 26 | €14m | 90 | 72 |
| 11 | Yannick Engelhardtsimilar↗ | Borussia M'gladbach | 24 | €6.5m | 89 | 73 |
| 12 | Alexis Blinsimilar↗ | Lecce | 27 | €600k | 89 | 71 |
* estimated market value · scores 0–100, league-strength adjusted · data: Sofascore, last 3 seasons
Why these players match James Sands
≈ 100% James Sands · strong: Tackles + interceptions, Finishing (npG − npxG · medium reliability
Strengths: Tackles + interceptions /90, Finishing (npG − npxG /90), Duels won /90
≈ 100% James Sands · strong: Clearances, Aerial duels won · low reliability
Strengths: Clearances /90, Aerial duels won /90, Duels won /90
≈ 100% James Sands · strong: Aerial duels won, Duels won · low reliability
Strengths: Aerial duels won /90, Duels won /90, Aerial duels won %
FAQ
Who is the best replacement for James Sands?
By Doppel's tactical-fit score, Carlos Benavídez (Deportivo Alavés) does the closest job to James Sands, at 93/100 on profile. Eric Martel and Lucas Torró follow.
Is there a cheaper player who can replace James Sands?
Yes — Yohann Magnin (Clermont Foot) plays a similar central midfielder role at roughly €900k, a 76/100 match.
How does Doppel find replacements for James Sands?
Doppel learns James Sands's role profile from his 2025/26 season and ranks central midfielders across the big-5 leagues and more by how closely they do the same job, adjusted for league strength.
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