Best defensive midfielders

The highest-potential defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and J. Veerman has been the form player this season, grading 80.7, and L. Haraslín leads the scoring with 13 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: G. Zechiël has improved his Season rating most, up +60.5 on last season, while D. Svensson's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +41.4 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, J. Garner of Everton is the most valuable name in this group at 131.4.

Borussia Dortmund · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

G. Zechiël+60.5SsN

Utrecht · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	3210.3%	9545.6%
2	R. Gravenberch Defensive midfielder	Liverpool	24	6228.9%	945.9%
3	A. Scott Defensive midfielder	Bournemouth	22	47417.8%	9118.6%
4	A. Wharton Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	22	51142%	908.9%
5	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	59512.5%	9017%
6	J. Garner Defensive midfielder	Everton	25	66195.9%	9016.2%
7	Pedri Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	23	6317.2%	908.4%
8	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	2979.5%	899.7%
9	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	6017.3%	894.7%
10	Y. Yarmolyuk Defensive midfielder	Brentford	22	41150.3%	899.8%
11	M. Caicedo Defensive midfielder	Chelsea	24	6021.1%	887.9%
12	L. da Cunha Defensive midfielder	Como	25	5441.9%	8810.8%
13	M. Perrone Defensive midfielder	Como	23	4881.4%	889.2%
14	M. Sangaré Defensive midfielder	Lens	24	63798.6%	8870.6%
15	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	66107.2%	884.5%
16	I. Moriba Defensive midfielder	Celta Vigo	23	4858.3%	884.8%
17	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	48106%	8739.7%
18	M. Koné Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	25	4741.7%	875.7%
19	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	24895.8%	8715.7%
20	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	3262.4%	8714.6%
21	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	51144.8%	8612.8%
22	L. Avdullahu Defensive midfielder	1899 Hoffenheim	22	30	86
23	W. Burger Defensive midfielder	1899 Hoffenheim	25	6386.4%	8629.6%
24	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	50277.9%	8618.1%
25	Jon Gorrotxategi Defensive midfielder	Real Sociedad	23	468.4%	8514.5%
26	Mikel Jauregizar Defensive midfielder	Athletic Club	22	425.2%	852.1%
27	K. Thuram Defensive midfielder	Juventus	25	453.4%	853%
28	L. Ugochukwu Defensive midfielder	Burnley	22	424.3%	845.1%
29	T. Morton Defensive midfielder	Lyon	23	4512.1%	8412.3%
30	C. Baleba Defensive midfielder	Brighton	22	1961%	848.2%
31	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	3040.7%	844.2%
32	F. Rieder Defensive midfielder	FC Augsburg	24	51265.7%	8417.8%
33	F. Nmecha Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	25	4727.3%	847.6%
34	J. Leweling Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	25	65319.2%	8311.5%
35	A. Onana Defensive midfielder	Aston Villa	24	3524%	833.2%
36	R. Ndiaye Defensive midfielder	Le Havre	24	56197.9%	8224.2%
37	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	5462.2%	8212.9%
38	J. Bellingham Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	20	2837.3%	826.2%
39	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	71570.8%	8226.1%
40	D. Svensson Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	24	38174.1%	82103.2%
41	Samú Costa Defensive midfielder	Mallorca	25	6565.6%	811.9%
42	M. Lewis-Skelly Defensive midfielder	Arsenal	19	478%	815.9%
43	A. Stiller Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	25	515.7%	813.3%
44	Nico González Defensive midfielder	Manchester City	24	2313.1%	8123.4%
45	T. Iroegbunam Defensive midfielder	Everton	23	32143.5%	816.3%
46	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Atletico Madrid	20	1750.3%	8170.5%
47	S. El Mourabet Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	20	43	80
48	A. Pavlović Defensive midfielder	Bayern München	22	3157.6%	801.6%
49	D. Methalie Defensive midfielder	Toulouse	20	43	80
50	R. Matondo Defensive midfielder	Paris FC	18	289366.7%	8024.7%