Best defensive midfielders

The best defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

Lamine Yamal of Barcelona is the standout for raw talent across midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 100, and V. Qazaishvili leads the scoring with 27 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: João Félix has improved his Season rating most, up +69.1 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, M. Rogers of Aston Villa is the most valuable name in this group at 202.2.

West Ham · 23/24→25/26

Most improved

João Félix+69.1SsN

Al-Nassr · 24/25→25/26

Top scorer

V. Qazaishvili27goals

50 players · ranked by most clean sheetsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	CS	Season	Rating
1	Victor Mow Froholdt Central midfielder	FC Porto	20	20	5645%	7959%
2	J. Nieto Defensive midfielder	Deportes Tolima	33	18	28	11
3	B. Baiye Defensive midfielder	Erzurumspor FK	25	18	4388.5%	5633%
4	Miguel Atienza Central midfielder	Burgos	27	18	4841.5%	589.5%
5	C. McGrandles Defensive midfielder	Lincoln	30	18	4581.5%	345.3%
6	R. Mofokeng Attacking midfielder	Orlando Pirates	21	17	37	2
7	O. Appollis Attacking midfielder	Orlando Pirates	24	17	33	2
8	G. Crociata Attacking midfielder	Erzurumspor FK	28	17	294.6%	4325.2%
9	T. Augello Defensive midfielder	Palermo	31	17	3228.9%	3831.3%
10	Iván Morante Central midfielder	Burgos	25	17	4299.1%	679.5%
11	R. Woods Central midfielder	Oldham	32	17	2615.9%	1831.8%
12	P. Mpanzu Defensive midfielder	Cambridge United	32	17	274.7%	1738.5%
13	M. Grimes Defensive midfielder	Coventry	31	17	383.5%	4215.6%
14	Martín Zubimendi Central midfielder	Arsenal	27	17	5312.9%	801.8%
15	D. Rice Central midfielder	Arsenal	27	17	605.9%	8410.7%
16	R. Carrascal Central midfielder	America de Cali	33	16	28	11
17	A. Matusiwa Defensive midfielder	Ipswich	28	16	478.8%	5716.9%
18	A. Cherni Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	25	16	3126.7%	538.4%
19	H. White Central midfielder	Stevenage	24	16	3946.4%	5210.2%
20	A. Zorgane Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	26	16	456.1%	589.9%
21	N. Paz Attacking midfielder	Como	21	16	5935.9%	954.5%
22	O. Pineda Central midfielder	AEK Athens FC	30	16	45129.9%	27±0%
23	João Félix Centre-forward	Al-Nassr	26	16	78794.3%	6013.3%
24	M. Céliz Central midfielder	Deportivo Riestra	33	16	40447.9%	2219.7%
25	A. Varela Central midfielder	FC Porto	25	16	3113.3%	632%
26	Sorriso Attacking midfielder	Famalicao	25	16	3313.7%	705.8%
27	B. Cristante Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	31	16	427.2%	4711.4%
28	José Corpas Attacking midfielder	Eibar	35	16	4016.1%	27±0%
29	T. Pett Central midfielder	Oldham	34	16	34719.5%	1230.9%
30	M. Pinnock Defensive midfielder	Bromley	31	16	3313.3%	2137.8%
31	D. Matsuoka Central midfielder	Avispa Fukuoka	25	15	304.7%	531.3%
32	M. Palavecino Attacking midfielder	Coquimbo Unido	28	15	325300%	2236.5%
33	B. Rovira Defensive midfielder	Deportes Tolima	29	15	29	20
34	Y. Chará Attacking midfielder	Junior	35	15	2088.7%	1029.5%
35	O. Fernández Winger	Santa Fe	33	15	22	10
36	V. Screciu Full-back	Universitatea Craiova	26	15	51	34
37	M. Fettahoğlu Attacking midfielder	Erzurumspor FK	25	15	36	52
38	C. Neghli Attacking midfielder	Millwall	24	15	277.3%	739.7%
39	Tawanda Jethro Maswanhise Attacking midfielder	Motherwell	23	15	51112.1%	5311.1%
40	I. Doumbia Central midfielder	Venezia	22	15	49504.9%	7813.7%
41	T. Koyamatsu Attacking midfielder	Kashiwa Reysol	31	15	34208.3%	30±0%
42	S. Milinković-Savić Attacking midfielder	Al-Hilal Saudi FC	31	15	4516.8%	3520.4%
43	L. Gil Central midfielder	Huracan	35	15	37258.3%	1949.5%
44	V. Malcorra Defensive midfielder	Rosario Central	38	15	4413.9%	1611.9%
45	E. Watt Defensive midfielder	Motherwell	26	15	51113.5%	476.3%
46	L. Fadinger Defensive midfielder	Motherwell	25	15	38	49
47	Gustavo Sá Attacking midfielder	Famalicao	21	15	2623.8%	712.9%
48	T. van de Looi Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	27	15	245.2%	553.5%
49	G. Busio Central midfielder	Venezia	24	15	5474.8%	76±0%
50	N. Pierozzi Full-back	Palermo	24	15	54221.6%	7120.7%