Best U21 central midfielders

The highest-potential U21 central midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

Lucas Emanoel of Fortaleza U20 is the standout for raw talent across U21 central midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 92.5, and T. Jørgensen has been the form player this season, grading 57.4, and V. Kostov leads the scoring with 12 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: Max Marie has improved his Season rating most, up +36.4 on last season, while S. Fusire's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +34.1 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, Marcelinho Braz of RB Bragantino U20 is the most valuable name in this group at 180.7.

Sheffield Wednesday · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

Max Marie+36.4SsN

Eintracht Braunschweig · 24/25→25/26

Marcelinho Braz180.7val

RB Bragantino U20

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	Lucas Emanoel Central midfielder	Fortaleza U20	20	38	93
2	A. Ouédraogo Central midfielder	RB Leipzig	20	42	8731.6%
3	Estêvão Central midfielder	Chelsea	19	2162%	875.5%
4	Allex Central midfielder	Internacional U20	20	22	85
5	A. Gray Central midfielder	Tottenham	20	2471.8%	855.3%
6	D. Bartesaghi Central midfielder	AC Milan	20	301682.4%	8524.6%
7	João Neves Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	21	4424.6%	844.4%
8	Joshua King Central midfielder	Fulham	19	20915%	8415.8%
9	T. Rosborough Central midfielder	New York RB II	18	13	82
10	A. Jarvis Central midfielder	New York RB II	19	5	80
11	Victor Mow Froholdt Central midfielder	FC Porto	20	5645%	7959%
12	Sydie Peck Central midfielder	Sheffield Utd	21	5183.6%	785.2%
13	C. Ndour Central midfielder	Fiorentina	21	29239.3%	7863.5%
14	Rodrigo Mendoza Central midfielder	Elche	21	2182.9%	7719.5%
15	Pedro Fernández Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	18	13	77
16	A. Devine Central midfielder	Preston	21	4653%	7629.3%
17	T. Rothe Central midfielder	Union Berlin	21	2838.2%	767.9%
18	C. Echeverri Central midfielder	Girona	20	973.7%	7422.4%
19	O. HÃ¸jlund Central midfielder	Eintracht Frankfurt	21	2473.9%	743.1%
20	Bahereba Guirassy Central midfielder	Nantes	19	20154.5%	744.1%
21	Álvaro Montoro Central midfielder	Botafogo	19	30800%	7348.1%
22	E. Akinsanmiro Central midfielder	Pisa	21	2886.1%	7328.2%
23	N. Rossen Central midfielder	Telstar	20	40±0%	7317.2%
24	B. Clark Central midfielder	Derby	21	392869.2%	724.1%
25	E. Bajraktarevic Central midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	21	2664%	7265.4%
26	I. Osman Central midfielder	Auxerre	21	2012.9%	723.5%
27	A. Touré Central midfielder	Metz	20	22179.7%	7222.2%
28	L. Lipani Central midfielder	Sassuolo	21	1575.9%	7111.4%
29	Breno Central midfielder	Corinthians	21	2970.9%	711.9%
30	N. Irankunda Central midfielder	Watford	20	29	71
31	Euder Galdino da Silva Central midfielder	Vasco da Gama U20	21	27	71
32	Matteo Cichella Central midfielder	Frosinone	20	32310.4%	7125.4%
33	İ. Vural Central midfielder	Pisa	20	813.5%	7024.9%
34	T. Small Central midfielder	Preston	21	2633.5%	6935.3%
35	Índio Central midfielder	Atlético Mineiro U17	18	11	69
36	O. Maamma Central midfielder	Watford	20	33391%	691%
37	A. Blake Central midfielder	Utrecht	21	1428.8%	6937.3%
38	O. Pietuszewski Central midfielder	FC Porto	18	25	6898.8%
39	J. Solis Central midfielder	Birmingham	21	23152.8%	677.7%
40	D. Mazou-Sacko Central midfielder	Millwall	21	1960.2%	6619.4%
41	Tiago Central midfielder	Grêmio U20	18	13	66
42	S. Castañeda Central midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	21	2226.1%	662.8%
43	Max Marie Central midfielder	Eintracht Braunschweig	21	44491.9%	6622.1%
44	N. Bukala Central midfielder	FC Volendam	20	40	6650.6%
45	Zé Phelipe Central midfielder	Atlético Mineiro U20	21	20	65
46	I. Fakili Central midfielder	Clermont Foot	20	30	6531.9%
47	Gabriel Bontempo Central midfielder	Santos	21	23	65
48	Kieran Morgan Central midfielder	QPR	20	1639.3%	653.7%
49	L. Ulrich Central midfielder	1. FC Magdeburg	21	43137.4%	6445.5%
50	Ibai Aguirre Central midfielder	Real Sociedad II	19	19	64