U21 midfielders with the Best Potential

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

Best goalkeepers Best defenders Best attackers Most in-form midfielders Top-scoring midfielders Most valuable midfielders

At a glance

K. Karetsas of Borussia Dortmund is the standout for raw talent across U21 midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 94.3, and S. El Mala has been the form player this season, grading 56.1, and Julian Dean Rijkhoff leads the scoring with 16 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: N. Aséko Nkili has improved his Season rating most, up +48.4 on last season, while Nathan De Cat's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +45.6 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, M. Palestra of Chelsea is the most valuable name in this group at 94.3.

Nathan De Cat+45.6RTG

1899 Hoffenheim · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

N. Aséko Nkili+48.4SsN

Eintracht Frankfurt · 24/25→25/26

Top scorer

Julian Dean Rijkhoff16goals

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	K. Karetsas Attacking midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	18	2722.9%	9457.4%
2	Nathan De Cat Central midfielder	1899 Hoffenheim	18	4425.1%	9396%
3	J. Manzambi Attacking midfielder	Aston Villa	20	36279.2%	9118.4%
4	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	3052.8%	9119.9%
5	A. Nusa Central midfielder	RB Leipzig	21	3914.1%	884.4%
6	Senny Mayulu Attacking midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	20	30102.7%	878%
7	M. Palestra Central midfielder	Chelsea	21	421895.2%	8721.7%
8	Estêvão Central midfielder	Chelsea	19	2364.7%	874.1%
9	S. El Mala Winger	1. FC Köln	20	5646.9%	8676.3%
10	L. Karl Winger	Bayern München	18	32	84
11	Joshua King Central midfielder	Fulham	19	21±0%	84±0%
12	Franco Mastantuono Winger	Fiorentina	19	714.5%	836.1%
13	T. Bischof Attacking midfielder	Bayern München	21	2373.9%	833.1%
14	R. Bardghji Central midfielder	Barcelona	20	10	83110.2%
15	N. Pisilli Attacking midfielder	AS Roma	21	19±0%	82±0%
16	C. Uzun Winger	Eintracht Frankfurt	20	37112.1%	81±0%
17	A. Ouédraogo Attacking midfielder	RB Leipzig	20	23	8021.3%
18	J. Bahoya Attacking midfielder	Eintracht Frankfurt	21	2542.5%	80±0%
19	A. Vermeeren Defensive midfielder	RB Leipzig	21	1543.4%	783.6%
20	O. Vargas Central midfielder	Atletico Madrid	21	3915.2%	7864.8%
21	Kevin Zeroli Central midfielder	AC Milan	21	131377.8%	7820.1%
22	D. Methalie Defensive midfielder	Toulouse	20	37	78
23	José María Andrés Baixauli Central midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	21	32	778.3%
24	Pedro Fernández Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	18	12	77
25	M. Culbreath Defensive midfielder	Bayer Leverkusen	18	14	76
26	K. Merah Central midfielder	Lyon	19	15	75
27	Breno Central midfielder	Corinthians	21	3627%	745.6%
28	C. Echeverri Central midfielder	Manchester City	20	1071.4%	7422.4%
29	Andre Attacking midfielder	Corinthians	19	34439.7%	7418.3%
30	M. Detourbet Attacking midfielder	Monaco	19	30	7339.2%
31	A. Vossah Central midfielder	Toulouse	18	16	73
32	N. Aséko Nkili Central midfielder	Eintracht Frankfurt	20	512104.3%	7293.8%
33	O. HÃ¸jlund Central midfielder	Eintracht Frankfurt	21	2046%	725.4%
34	H. Amass Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	19	26541.5%	721.9%
35	Hennes Behrens Central midfielder	FC Augsburg	21	264166.7%	7215.6%
36	E. Akinsanmiro Defensive midfielder	Monza	21	2033.8%	7226%
37	L. Lipani Defensive midfielder	Sassuolo	21	1563.3%	7111.4%
38	Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka Attacking midfielder	SV Elversberg	19	35	71
39	A. Touré Central midfielder	Metz	20	20185.7%	7121%
40	E. Bajraktarevic Central midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	21	25±0%	71±0%
41	Gabriel Bontempo Central midfielder	Santos	21	2938.9%	719.8%
42	Berkay Yilmaz Central midfielder	SC Freiburg	21	51193.6%	7116.3%
43	D. Ozoh Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	21	23102.6%	7014.5%
44	T. Land Winger	PSV Eindhoven	20	31±0%	700.7%
45	Geovany Tcherno Quenda Winger	Chelsea	19	2213.5%	696.2%
46	G. Justino Central midfielder	Botafogo	19	19	67
47	Joseph Okopu Attacking midfielder	Swansea	21	5046.4%	6624.6%
48	A. Ochoa Attacking midfielder	Malaga	19	12143.8%	6612.6%
49	D. Mazou-Sacko Central midfielder	Millwall	21	1958.3%	6619.4%
50	S. Castañeda Central midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	21	1930%	662.8%