Best defensive midfielders in Eredivisie

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

At a glance

S. Ouaissa of NEC Nijmegen is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in Eredivisie, with a Field Insider Rating of 82, and J. Veerman has been the form player this season, grading 75.3, and G. Zechiël leads the scoring with 9 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: G. Zechiël has improved his Season rating most, up +55.9 on last season, while M. Linday's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +32.9 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, G. Zechiël of Utrecht is the most valuable name in this group at 99.2.

Heerenveen · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

G. Zechiël+55.9SsN

Utrecht · 24/25→25/26

42 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	4952%	8212.9%
2	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	66542.7%	8226.1%
3	K. Sano Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	5755.2%	809.9%
4	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	42336.1%	7919.6%
5	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	3610.5%	783.5%
6	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	50303.3%	7815.8%
7	J. Breum Defensive midfielder	GO Ahead Eagles	22	455.1%	745%
8	A. Engwanda Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	23	43129.7%	7410.8%
9	O. Targhalline Defensive midfielder	Feyenoord	24	53319%	7311.3%
10	J. Kitolano Defensive midfielder	Sparta Rotterdam	24	50124.9%	739.8%
11	T. de Jonge Defensive midfielder	Groningen	23	4271.3%	7214.9%
12	P. Brittijn Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	22	5395.6%	7224.9%
13	T. van den Belt Defensive midfielder	Twente	25	446.5%	714.4%
14	M. Linday Defensive midfielder	Heerenveen	23	4142.2%	6991.1%
15	T. Noslin Defensive midfielder	Telstar	23	4527.6%	6915.5%
16	G. Yah Defensive midfielder	FC Volendam	22	47230.1%	6844.1%
17	G. Offerhaus Defensive midfielder	Telstar	25	4020.8%	6815.1%
18	É. Michut Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	23	3060.4%	677.4%
19	A. Santos Defensive midfielder	Sparta Rotterdam	20	28	67
20	J. Veerman Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	27	75173.8%	662.9%
21	Z. Buurmeester Defensive midfielder	PEC Zwolle	24	37105%	661.4%
22	M. Balard Defensive midfielder	NAC Breda	25	3322.4%	656.2%
23	S. Scheperman Defensive midfielder	Heracles	24	4938.7%	621%
24	P. Koopmeiners Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	26	4229.9%	6217%
25	M. Meulensteen Defensive midfielder	GO Ahead Eagles	27	57121.6%	6111.3%
26	J. Baas Defensive midfielder	Sparta Rotterdam	24	152%	611.1%
27	D. Nejašmić Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	27	47	60
28	N. Fichtinger Defensive midfielder	PEC Zwolle	22	1928.8%	603.7%
29	S. van Ottele Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	24	1561%	5816%
30	J. Žambůrek Defensive midfielder	Heracles	25	2454.5%	58±0%
31	R. Zerrouki Defensive midfielder	Twente	28	51137.6%	581%
32	A. Carlén Defensive midfielder	Excelsior	26	197.5%	5362.5%
33	L. Brouwers Defensive midfielder	Heerenveen	28	4114%	5213.5%
34	J. Schouten Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	29	46145.5%	515.2%
35	S. Horemans Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	28	2546%	4925.8%
36	J. Hardeveld Defensive midfielder	Telstar	31	6617.3%	411%
37	P. Clement Defensive midfielder	Sparta Rotterdam	30	3014.5%	3918.6%
38	J. van Overeem Defensive midfielder	Heerenveen	32	55125%	3725.5%
39	R. Thomas Defensive midfielder	PEC Zwolle	31	45138.3%	356.7%
40	Jamiro Monteiro Defensive midfielder	PEC Zwolle	32	4731.7%	3117%
41	J. Clasie Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	35	294.6%	219.9%
42	J. Toornstra Defensive midfielder	Sparta Rotterdam	37	962.7%	854%