Best defensive midfielders in Serie A

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

At a glance

Martinelli of Fluminense is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in Serie A, with a Field Insider Rating of 72.4, and Lucas Sasha has been the form player this season, grading 47.2, and Rony leads the scoring with 6 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: Lucas Sasha has improved his Season rating most, up +28.7 on last season, while E. Martínez's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +19.9 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, Martinelli of Fluminense is the most valuable name in this group at 95.6.

Palmeiras · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

Lucas Sasha+28.7SsN

Fortaleza EC · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	Martinelli Defensive midfielder	Fluminense	24	4034.8%	724.2%
2	Ramon Defensive midfielder	Vitoria	25	2821.2%	693.6%
3	Maik Defensive midfielder	Sao Paulo	21	23	69
4	Zé Lucas Defensive midfielder	Sport Recife	18	25	67
5	Cauan Barros Defensive midfielder	Vasco DA Gama	22	30719.4%	668.3%
6	Natanael Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	24	2712.1%	662.5%
7	Pablo Maia Defensive midfielder	Sao Paulo	24	22865.2%	6612.7%
8	Evertton Araújo Defensive midfielder	Flamengo	23	126.4%	643.9%
9	Fabinho Defensive midfielder	RB Bragantino	24	18131.2%	622.4%
10	Alexsander Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	22	1921.3%	6210.3%
11	Luis Otávio Defensive midfielder	Internacional	19	111400%	612.2%
12	Danilo Santos Defensive midfielder	Botafogo	25	18426.5%	6113.6%
13	Pierre Defensive midfielder	Fortaleza EC	24	188900%	618%
14	Gustavinho Defensive midfielder	RB Bragantino	22	646.2%	603.7%
15	E. Martínez Defensive midfielder	Palmeiras	26	2129.4%	5950.4%
16	A. Franco Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	27	33135.2%	591.3%
17	Newton Defensive midfielder	Botafogo	26	1957.5%	588.7%
18	Vinicius Zanocelo Defensive midfielder	Ceara	25	1552.5%	569.4%
19	Igor Gomes Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	27	3274.5%	568.1%
20	F. Vera Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	26	1745.7%	5414.7%
21	Matheus Henrique Defensive midfielder	Cruzeiro	28	165.8%	4716.2%
22	Nonato Defensive midfielder	Fluminense	28	23224.3%	475.4%
23	Camilo Defensive midfielder	Gremio	27	950.3%	4666.3%
24	Guilherme Arana Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	29	31135.1%	465.3%
25	M. Villasanti Defensive midfielder	Gremio	29	3033.6%	4421.2%
26	Raniele Defensive midfielder	Corinthians	29	3935.9%	4421.2%
27	Matheus Fernandes Defensive midfielder	RB Bragantino	28	1618.9%	4312.1%
28	Dieguinho Defensive midfielder	Ceara	30	38185.6%	428.9%
29	Marlon Freitas Defensive midfielder	Botafogo	31	4017%	4116%
30	Dodi Defensive midfielder	Gremio	30	2919.7%	4117.3%
31	Pepê Defensive midfielder	Vitoria	28	957.3%	4025.7%
32	Rony Defensive midfielder	Atletico-MG	31	44110%	3911.3%
33	Caíque Defensive midfielder	Juventude	30	34104.8%	3812.2%
34	Arthur Defensive midfielder	Gremio	29	1114.9%	3829.1%
35	L. Romero Defensive midfielder	Cruzeiro	32	4435.6%	379.3%
36	Ronaldo Defensive midfielder	Internacional	29	1537.8%	3628%
37	Marcelo Hermes Defensive midfielder	Juventude	31	4774.3%	3626.2%
38	Andreas Pereira Defensive midfielder	Palmeiras	30	1452.9%	3542.4%
39	Saúl Defensive midfielder	Flamengo	31	2037.7%	3134.2%
40	E. Pulgar Defensive midfielder	Flamengo	32	275.5%	3021.9%
41	Lucas Silva Defensive midfielder	Cruzeiro	33	34101.2%	308.9%
42	Lucas Kal Defensive midfielder	Sport Recife	30	683.1%	2930.3%
43	Yago Felipe Defensive midfielder	Mirassol	31	101055.6%	2714%
44	João Schmidt Defensive midfielder	Santos	33	4148.7%	268.6%
45	Gregore Defensive midfielder	Botafogo	32	1762.6%	2541.7%
46	Gabriel Defensive midfielder	RB Bragantino	34	3415.3%	252%
47	Lucas Sasha Defensive midfielder	Fortaleza EC	36	47155.1%	2453.2%
48	Willian Oliveira Defensive midfielder	Vitoria	33	2249.9%	2241.4%
49	Ricardo Ryller Defensive midfielder	Vitoria	32	945.6%	2231.4%
50	R. Cáceres Defensive midfielder	Vitoria	34	3285.9%	2126.2%