Fastest-rising U21 defensive midfielders

The fastest-rising U21 defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across U21 defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and J. Manzambi has been the form player this season, grading 55, and M. Madjed leads the scoring with 7 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: J. Manzambi has improved his Season rating most, up +45.6 on last season, while S. Ebonog's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +36.2 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the most valuable name in this group at 171.2.

Le Havre · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Manzambi+45.6SsN

SC Freiburg · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by biggest risers (potential)Customise →

#	Player	Team	Age	ΔRTG	Season	Rating
1	S. Ebonog Defensive midfielder	Le Havre	21	+36.2 24/25→25/26	27682.9%	7594.3%
2	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	+35.4 24/25→25/26	441603.8%	7395.2%
3	M. Yalcouyé Defensive midfielder	Swansea	20	+31.9 24/25→25/26	141.4%	6596.7%
4	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	+29.8 24/25→25/26	344.8%	9545.6%
5	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	+24.8 24/25→25/26	4592.7%	8739.7%
6	L. Miller Defensive midfielder	Udinese	19	+24.4 24/25→25/26	1566.2%	7746.6%
7	Kofi Jeremy Amoako Defensive midfielder	Dynamo Dresden	21	+22.8 24/25→25/26	33257%	6357%
8	Cameron Bragg Defensive midfielder	Southampton	21	+22.4 24/25→25/26	7318.7%	6256.9%
9	K. WÃ¤tjen Defensive midfielder	VfL Bochum	20	+22.4 24/25→25/26	22397.8%	6256.1%
10	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	+17.1 24/25→25/26	28171.8%	5052%
11	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	+16.3 24/25→25/26	2644.5%	5047.9%
12	M. Dorgeles Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	21	+15.5 24/25→25/26	1656.6%	6233.7%
13	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	+14.2 24/25→25/26	3811.4%	6229.9%
14	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	+13.1 24/25→25/26	55485.1%	9017%
15	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	+13 24/25→25/26	42336.1%	7919.6%
16	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	+12.2 24/25→25/26	40925.6%	4933.6%
17	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	+11.8 24/25→25/26	23788.5%	8715.7%
18	N. Mbamba Defensive midfielder	Dender	21	+11.4 24/25→25/26	451105.4%	6123.2%
19	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	+11 24/25→25/26	3463.9%	8714.6%
20	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	+10.6 24/25→25/26	48135%	7017.8%
21	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	+9.8 24/25→25/26	50132.4%	8612.8%
22	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	+9.4 24/25→25/26	4952%	8212.9%
23	A. Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Malaga	19	+8.3 24/25→25/26	14153.7%	6714.2%
24	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	+7.9 24/25→25/26	2959.1%	899.7%
25	D. Ozoh Defensive midfielder	Derby	21	+7.8 24/25→25/26	30156.8%	6912.7%
26	Izan Merino Defensive midfielder	Malaga	20	+7.7 24/25→25/26	1525.8%	7012.4%
27	A. Kemlein Defensive midfielder	Union Berlin	21	+6.7 24/25→25/26	27131.6%	779.6%
28	J. LÃ¤hteenmÃ¤ki Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	20	+6.2 24/25→25/26	33201.8%	4615.5%
29	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	+6.1 24/25→25/26	32298.8%	4117.6%
30	S. Džodić Defensive midfielder	Almeria	21	+6 24/25→25/26	33717.5%	689.7%
31	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	+5.8 24/25→25/26	4671.4%	4116.6%
32	M. Tait Defensive midfielder	Livingston	20	+5.7 23/24→25/26	29455.8%	5012.9%
33	J. Bellingham Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	20	+4.8 24/25→25/26	3032.2%	826.2%
34	G. Apostolakis Defensive midfielder	OFI	21	+4.7 24/25→25/26	22279.3%	4113.1%
35	A. Mayor Defensive midfielder	Cambridge United	21	+4.6 24/25→25/26	19	3515%
36	F. Dicke Defensive midfielder	MVV	21	+4.5 24/25→25/26	133.1%	4810.3%
37	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	+4.3 24/25→25/26	46151.4%	657.1%
38	L. Pedersen Defensive midfielder	Randers FC	20	+4.3 24/25→25/26	27205.7%	4410.7%
39	A. Piedfort Defensive midfielder	KVC Westerlo	21	+3.9 24/25→25/26	44132.5%	606.9%
40	R. Walters Defensive midfielder	Port Vale	20	+3.9 23/24→25/26	14	439.9%
41	S. Skeide Defensive midfielder	Kristiansund BK	21	+3.8 23/24→25/26	1086.5%	3811.3%
42	Anass Zarrouk Defensive midfielder	Willem II	19	+3.6 24/25→25/26	914%	517.5%
43	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	+3.4 24/25→25/26	2938.3%	844.2%
44	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	20	+2.4 24/25→25/26	4321.9%	505.1%
45	Jacob Wright Defensive midfielder	Norwich	20	+2.1 24/25→25/26	1674.4%	663.3%
46	J. Martini Defensive midfielder	Sudtirol	21	+2 24/25→25/26	16124.6%	583.6%
47	Joel McGregor Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	20	+1.3 24/25→25/26	1958.2%	334.2%
48	Jake Thomas Batty Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	21	+1.2 24/25→25/26	1238.6%	323.9%
49	R. Donkor Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	+1.1 24/25→25/26	18117.1%	422.7%
50	Robert Defensive midfielder	FC Copenhagen	21	+1.1 24/25→25/26	2595.3%	462.5%