Best defensive midfielders in League One

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

At a glance

B. Mumba of Plymouth is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in League One, with a Field Insider Rating of 52.2, and L. Wing has been the form player this season, grading 64.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: K. Lofthouse has improved his Season rating most, up +34.2 on last season, while B. Khela's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +17.1 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, B. Mumba of Plymouth is the most valuable name in this group at 32.4.

Peterborough · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

K. Lofthouse+34.2SsN

Burton Albion · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	B. Mumba Defensive midfielder	Plymouth	24	3394%	5221.4%
2	K. Lofthouse Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	25	44335.3%	5224%
3	A. Robertson Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	23	3211.3%	5125.1%
4	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	2644.5%	5047.9%
5	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	28171.8%	5052%
6	J. Brown Defensive midfielder	Blackpool	25	3923.8%	491%
7	Jonathan Bland Defensive midfielder	Barnsley	20	25	48
8	C. Webster Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	22	263%	481.3%
9	O. Bailey Defensive midfielder	Stockport County	26	33261.1%	476.1%
10	J. Neufville Defensive midfielder	Bradford	26	44105.6%	4731.2%
11	K. Chauke Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	23	2117.7%	47±0%
12	I. Varfolomeev Defensive midfielder	Lincoln	22	18	4741.8%
13	A. Collins Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	26	4333.6%	46±0%
14	Daniel Gore Defensive midfielder	Rotherham	21	261361.1%	4610%
15	Vimal Yoganathan Defensive midfielder	Barnsley	20	212842.9%	4614.1%
16	J. Weir Defensive midfielder	Wigan	24	26113.2%	463.1%
17	L. Connell Defensive midfielder	Barnsley	25	4024.8%	463.6%
18	X. Simons Defensive midfielder	Bolton	23	1815.1%	4625.7%
19	H. Roberts Defensive midfielder	Reading	24	1648.1%	4530.9%
20	E. Erhahon Defensive midfielder	Bolton	25	224.8%	452.8%
21	L. Sørensen Defensive midfielder	Huddersfield	26	2958.9%	453.3%
22	T. Taylor Defensive midfielder	Northampton	25	2890.4%	442.1%
23	Kyle James McAdam Defensive midfielder	Northampton	21	20	44
24	D. Phillips Defensive midfielder	Stevenage	25	213.6%	445.4%
25	M. Smith Defensive midfielder	Wigan	25	2648.9%	441.2%
26	F. Murray Defensive midfielder	Wigan	27	5054.5%	447.6%
27	K. Abrefa Defensive midfielder	Reading	22	134.9%	442.7%
28	J. Armer Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	25	261.1%	445.2%
29	A. Morley Defensive midfielder	Wycombe	26	2878.6%	436.9%
30	R. Walters Defensive midfielder	Port Vale	20	14	439.9%
31	J. McKiernan Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	24	1810.7%	421.4%
32	A. Abdulai Defensive midfielder	Leyton Orient	23	1960.3%	428.1%
33	T. Allen Defensive midfielder	Wycombe	26	1936.2%	414.1%
34	C. Cummins Defensive midfielder	Exeter City	21	6	40
35	A. Smith Defensive midfielder	AFC Wimbledon	27	362.2%	409.5%
36	K. Spence Defensive midfielder	Rotherham	25	1839.9%	4022.2%
37	T. Bayliss Defensive midfielder	Lincoln	27	286.8%	4012.2%
38	Armando Quitirna Defensive midfielder	Wycombe	26	249.1%	408.5%
39	S. Revan Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	23	1075.4%	409.3%
40	E. Henderson Defensive midfielder	Wycombe	26	1644.2%	4028.3%
41	R. Ledson Defensive midfielder	Huddersfield	28	45192.8%	3922.7%
42	J. Wormleighton Defensive midfielder	Northampton	22	6	39
43	D. Turnbull Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	27	22149.4%	3828.9%
44	L. Reed Defensive midfielder	Mansfield Town	28	3620.2%	365.7%
45	T. Bakinson Defensive midfielder	Leyton Orient	27	27456.3%	369.8%
46	L. Walsh Defensive midfielder	Luton	28	32143.9%	3629%
47	R. Wintle Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	29	34236.3%	3524.2%
48	T. Francois Defensive midfielder	Wigan	26	850%	3510.6%
49	D. Yearwood Defensive midfielder	Rotherham	26	1328.7%	358.7%
50	J. Doyle-Hayes Defensive midfielder	Exeter City	27	19	345.2%