Best U23 defensive midfielders

The highest-potential U23 defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across U23 defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and G. Zechiël has been the form player this season, grading 66.2, and J. James leads the scoring with 11 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 A. Pyrka's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +37.8 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, A. Scott of Bournemouth is the most valuable name in this group at 173.5.

FC St. Pauli · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

G. Zechiël+55.9SsN

Utrecht · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	344.8%	9545.6%
2	A. Scott Defensive midfielder	Bournemouth	22	47361.4%	9118.6%
3	A. Wharton Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	22	51134.9%	908.9%
4	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	55485.1%	9017%
5	Pedri Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	23	5915.9%	908.4%
6	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	2959.1%	899.7%
7	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	538.1%	894.7%
8	Y. Yarmolyuk Defensive midfielder	Brentford	22	42128.4%	899.8%
9	M. Perrone Defensive midfielder	Como	23	4674.1%	889.2%
10	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	64107.4%	884.5%
11	I. Moriba Defensive midfielder	Celta Vigo	23	4854.2%	884.8%
12	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	4592.7%	8739.7%
13	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	23788.5%	8715.7%
14	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	3463.9%	8714.6%
15	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	50132.4%	8612.8%
16	L. Avdullahu Defensive midfielder	1899 Hoffenheim	22	32	86
17	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	46242.5%	8618.1%
18	Jon Gorrotxategi Defensive midfielder	Real Sociedad	23	468.9%	8514.5%
19	Mikel Jauregizar Defensive midfielder	Athletic Club	22	446.6%	852.1%
20	L. Ugochukwu Defensive midfielder	Burnley	22	41±0%	845.1%
21	T. Morton Defensive midfielder	Lyon	23	4515.1%	8412.3%
22	C. Baleba Defensive midfielder	Brighton	22	2256.7%	848.2%
23	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	2938.3%	844.2%
24	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	4952%	8212.9%
25	J. Bellingham Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	20	3032.2%	826.2%
26	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	66542.7%	8226.1%
27	M. Lewis-Skelly Defensive midfielder	Arsenal	19	575.4%	815.9%
28	T. Iroegbunam Defensive midfielder	Everton	23	33144.1%	816.3%
29	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Atletico Madrid	20	1850.3%	8170.5%
30	S. El Mourabet Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	20	44	80
31	A. Pavlović Defensive midfielder	Bayern München	22	3047.3%	801.6%
32	D. Methalie Defensive midfielder	Toulouse	20	43	80
33	R. Matondo Defensive midfielder	Paris FC	18	286875%	8024.7%
34	José María Andrés Baixauli Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	21	31	8012.4%
35	K. Sano Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	5755.2%	809.9%
36	L. Bogarde Defensive midfielder	Aston Villa	22	1192.7%	794.1%
37	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	42336.1%	7919.6%
38	C. Casadei Defensive midfielder	Torino	23	35166.9%	7910.5%
39	Hugo Bueno Defensive midfielder	Wolves	23	40140.4%	7912.7%
40	Andrey Santos Defensive midfielder	Chelsea	22	2156.4%	7811.9%
41	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	3610.5%	783.5%
42	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	50303.3%	7815.8%
43	M. Prati Defensive midfielder	Cagliari	22	31477.4%	7714.1%
44	L. Miller Defensive midfielder	Udinese	19	1566.2%	7746.6%
45	D. Rensch Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	23	2617.8%	7715%
46	T. Le Bris Defensive midfielder	Lorient	23	3973.4%	7726.8%
47	Marc Casadó Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	22	1261.6%	7710.9%
48	A. Kemlein Defensive midfielder	Union Berlin	21	27131.6%	779.6%
49	G. Gineitis Defensive midfielder	Torino	22	260.8%	763.1%
50	M. Culbreath Defensive midfielder	Bayer Leverkusen	18	14	76