Defensive midfielders with the Best Potential in HNL

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

Best goalkeepers in HNL Best defenders in HNL Best midfielders in HNL Best attackers in HNL Most in-form defensive midfielders in HNL Top-scoring defensive midfielders in HNL

At a glance

Ante Kavelj of HNK Gorica is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in HNL, with a Field Insider Rating of 40, and Iker Pozo has been the form player this season, grading 48.8.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: Ž. Trontelj has improved his Season rating most, up +28 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, Iker Pozo of HNK Gorica is the most valuable name in this group at 8.8.

HNK Hajduk Split · 23/24→25/26

Most improved

Ž. Trontelj+28SsN

HNK Gorica · 24/25→25/26

32 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	Ante Kavelj Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	20	40	40
2	T. Duvnjak Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	23	31	39
3	Iker Pozo Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	26	4959%	3930.9%
4	M. Subotić Defensive midfielder	NK Lokomotiva Zagreb	18	19	39
5	A. Pajaziti Defensive midfielder	HNK Hajduk Split	23	22317%	381%
6	B. Boskovic Defensive midfielder	NK Lokomotiva Zagreb	23	30	37
7	I. Canjuga Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	20	14	37
8	A. Maurić Defensive midfielder	Istra 1961	22	20	36
9	Ž. Trontelj Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	26	40239.3%	358.1%
10	I. Ayuma Defensive midfielder	Istra 1961	20	10	34
11	V. Čaić Defensive midfielder	Vukovar	21	17	34
12	A. Barco Defensive midfielder	HNK Rijeka	24	7	34
13	A. Husic Defensive midfielder	HNK Rijeka	25	1825.9%	3319.1%
14	E. Shabani Defensive midfielder	Vukovar	23	20	3348.8%
15	O. Bakić Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	23	15	33
16	J. Gurlica Defensive midfielder	Vukovar	22	14	32
17	D. Mejía Defensive midfielder	NK Osijek	23	9	32
18	Hugo Guillamón Defensive midfielder	HNK Hajduk Split	26	11189.7%	3152%
19	V. Bubanja Defensive midfielder	NK Osijek	27	20	27
20	M. Agbekpornu Defensive midfielder	NK Slaven Belupo	27	17	26
21	I. Bennacer Defensive midfielder	Dinamo Zagreb	28	155.6%	2558.7%
22	B. Bogojević Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	28	24	25
23	H. Babec Defensive midfielder	NK Osijek	27	15	25
24	F. Maglica Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	29	27	25
25	O. Petrusenko Defensive midfielder	NK Osijek	28	1356.8%	2434.9%
26	M. Caimacov Defensive midfielder	NK Slaven Belupo	28	109.5%	2315.4%
27	F. Krovinović Defensive midfielder	HNK Hajduk Split	30	174.6%	2263.9%
28	A. Borsic Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	30	20	21
29	L. Štulac Defensive midfielder	Istra 1961	31	469.5%	1461%
30	M. Marina Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	37	19	10
31	M. Ticinovic Defensive midfielder	Vukovar	34	17	10
32	D. Puclin Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	34	1223.7%	870.7%