Best defensive U21 attacking midfielders

The best defensive U21 attacking midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Paz of Como is the standout for raw talent across U21 attacking midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.3, and Julian Dean Rijkhoff leads the scoring with 16 goals.

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 B. Touré's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +49.3 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, P. Dorgu of Manchester United is the most valuable name in this group at 170.3.

1899 Hoffenheim · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

P. Nuamah+48SsN

Catanzaro · 24/25→25/26

Top scorer

Julian Dean Rijkhoff16goals

50 players · ranked by most clean sheetsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	CS	Season	Rating
1	R. Mofokeng Attacking midfielder	Orlando Pirates	21	17	37	2
2	N. Paz Attacking midfielder	Como	21	16	5935.9%	954.5%
3	Gustavo Sá Attacking midfielder	Famalicao	21	15	2623.8%	712.9%
4	K. Yıldız Attacking midfielder	Juventus	21	13	5340%	932.8%
5	Vasilije Novicic Attacking midfielder	IMT Novi Beograd	18	12	34	48
6	Pedro Henrique Attacking midfielder	Zenit	20	12	2210%	394.3%
7	Kibou Saïdi Attacking midfielder	Ghazl El Mehalla	0	11	14	38
8	R. Pukštas Attacking midfielder	HNK Hajduk Split	21	11	31	42
9	Ângelo Attacking midfielder	Al-Nassr	21	11	3053.8%	629.8%
10	Jesús Rodríguez Attacking midfielder	Como	20	10	34238%	856.2%
11	P. Nuamah Attacking midfielder	Catanzaro	20	10	54842.1%	7630.6%
12	M. Gonzalez Attacking midfielder	Deportes Tolima	21	9	14	29
13	R. Árciga Attacking midfielder	Club Tijuana	21	9	30	57
14	A. Cozier-Duberry Attacking midfielder	Bolton	21	9	36445.5%	5416.8%
15	J. Schreuders Attacking midfielder	Groningen	21	9	1557.3%	733.4%
16	Y. Pîrvu Attacking midfielder	Arges Pitesti	19	8	12	33
17	M. Faye Attacking midfielder	Esenler Erokspor	21	8	31	5329%
18	Afonso Moreira Attacking midfielder	Lyon	21	8	41	8759.6%
19	M. Moore Attacking midfielder	Rangers	18	8	29717.1%	5524.8%
20	M. Detourbet Attacking midfielder	Estac Troyes	19	8	27	7135.2%
21	E. Zabi Attacking midfielder	Reims	19	8	17	643.6%
22	A. Tia Attacking midfielder	Reims	19	8	23294.8%	644.5%
23	A. Güler Attacking midfielder	Real Madrid	21	8	4397.7%	947.6%
24	M. Servais Attacking midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	7	2056.7%	578.3%
25	R. Godoy Attacking midfielder	O'Higgins	20	7	12	27
26	M. Salah Attacking midfielder	Ghazl El Mehalla	18	7	17	38
27	T. Quintal Attacking midfielder	Sydney	19	7	21	22
28	O. Ugresić Attacking midfielder	FK Partizan	20	7	26	44
29	Alfa Baldé Attacking midfielder	Radnicki 1923	21	7	12	400.7%
30	D. Bukvic Attacking midfielder	NK Osijek	21	7	0	34
31	Adam Tahaui Attacking midfielder	Vitesse	20	7	3913000%	6140.9%
32	N. Mukau Attacking midfielder	Lille	21	7	854.4%	783.5%
33	Y. Minteh Attacking midfielder	Brighton	21	7	2719.3%	943.7%
34	Lautaro Millán Attacking midfielder	Independiente	20	7	93.3%	51±0%
35	G. Prestianni Attacking midfielder	Benfica	20	7	25	6819.9%
36	P. Amoako Attacking midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	7	40	51
37	D. van der Werff Attacking midfielder	Groningen	21	7	21	7129.1%
38	M. Palestra Attacking midfielder	Cagliari	21	7	21800%	8620.9%
39	Lander Astiazarán Attacking midfielder	Real Sociedad II	20	7	30	72
40	Ethan Ennis Attacking midfielder	Fleetwood Town	21	7	22522.9%	3512.7%
41	Jamie Mullins Attacking midfielder	Wycombe	21	7	17	49
42	Ali Mahmoud Attacking midfielder	Enppi	20	6	10	37
43	L. Biliboc Attacking midfielder	CFR 1907 Cluj	19	6	23	36
44	Ștefan Daniel Bană Attacking midfielder	Oţelul	21	6	18	37
45	D. Owusu Attacking midfielder	Radnik Surdulica	20	6	22	39
46	R. Brajković Attacking midfielder	HNK Hajduk Split	21	6	16	40
47	Nikolaus Wurmbrand Attacking midfielder	Rapid Vienna	20	6	20	47
48	M. Wels Attacking midfielder	WSG Wattens	21	6	27	48
49	Julian Dean Rijkhoff Attacking midfielder	Almere City FC	21	6	4442.5%	618.2%
50	T. Hall Attacking midfielder	Notts County	20	6	16	34