Best U21 midfielders

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

At a glance

J. Pearman of Australia U20 is the standout for raw talent across U21 midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 100, and Lamine Yamal has been the form player this season, grading 90.8.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: P. Nuamah has improved his Season rating most, up +48 on last season, while E. Diouf's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +48.8 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.

West Ham · 23/24→25/26

Most improved

P. Nuamah+48SsN

Catanzaro · 24/25→25/26

Marcelinho Braz180.7val

RB Bragantino U20

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	J. Pearman Central midfielder	Australia U20	20	75	100
2	Lamine Yamal Winger	Barcelona	19	9148.9%	100±0%
3	N. O'Reilly Full-back	Manchester City	21	56432.1%	9717.9%
4	N. Paz Attacking midfielder	Como	21	5935.9%	954.5%
5	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	344.8%	9545.6%
6	P. Dorgu Attacking midfielder	Manchester United	21	3543.4%	9520.4%
7	Y. Minteh Attacking midfielder	Brighton	21	2719.3%	943.7%
8	A. Güler Attacking midfielder	Real Madrid	21	4397.7%	947.6%
9	J. Hinshelwood Attacking midfielder	Brighton	21	329.3%	944.7%
10	E. Diouf Full-back	West Ham	21	34146.3%	93110.2%
11	Lucas Emanoel Central midfielder	Fortaleza U20	20	38	93
12	Senny Mayulu Full-back	Paris Saint Germain	20	60323.2%	9112.4%
13	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	55485.1%	9017%
14	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	2959.1%	899.7%
15	A. Reynders Central midfielder	OH Leuven W	18	31	89
16	L. Zikhali Central midfielder	Richards Bay	21	47	89
17	M. Mahlamäki Central midfielder	JJK	18	23	88
18	Lachlan Middleton Central midfielder	Sydney FC U23	20	35	88
19	L. Miley Full-back	Newcastle	20	21172.4%	889.2%
20	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	4592.7%	8739.7%
21	Mohamed Okasha Central midfielder	Petrojet	0	24	87
22	A. Ouédraogo Central midfielder	RB Leipzig	20	42	8731.6%
23	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	23788.5%	8715.7%
24	A. Jegorov Central midfielder	Narva U21	20	18	87
25	A. Nusa Winger	RB Leipzig	21	311.9%	873.1%
26	Estêvão Central midfielder	Chelsea	19	2162%	875.5%
27	L. Karl Attacking midfielder	Bayern München	18	35	87
28	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	3463.9%	8714.6%
29	M. Palestra Attacking midfielder	Cagliari	21	21800%	8620.9%
30	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	50132.4%	8612.8%
31	Zhong Wen Central midfielder	Shenzhen 2028	21	29	86
32	Santiago Sandoval Central midfielder	Guadalajara Chivas	18	30	86
33	T. Bischof Full-back	Bayern München	21	2967.1%	86±0%
34	M. France Central midfielder	Sydney FC U23	19	31	86
35	Allex Central midfielder	Internacional U20	20	22	85
36	Jesús Rodríguez Attacking midfielder	Como	20	34238%	856.2%
37	A. Gray Central midfielder	Tottenham	20	2471.8%	855.3%
38	F. Talladira Central midfielder	Adelaide United II	20	21	85
39	S. El Mala Centre-forward	1. FC Köln	19	5546.9%	8472%
40	João Neves Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	21	4424.6%	844.4%
41	C. Uzun Attacking midfielder	Eintracht Frankfurt	20	49188.2%	844.3%
42	Weli Qurban Central midfielder	Jiangxi Liansheng	20	22	84
43	C. Rigg Attacking midfielder	Sunderland	19	874.5%	848.8%
44	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	2938.3%	844.2%
45	J. Bodnár Central midfielder	Zalaegerszegi TE	21	21	84
46	Joshua King Central midfielder	Fulham	19	20915%	8415.8%
47	G. Arrigoni Central midfielder	AC Milan W	21	20	83
48	M. Hellisdal Central midfielder	B36 Torshavn	20	14	83
49	M. Fofana Attacking midfielder	Lyon	21	2423.7%	83±0%
50	T. Rosborough Central midfielder	New York RB II	18	13	82