Best defensive U21 central midfielders

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

At a glance

J. Pearman of Australia U20 is the standout for raw talent across U21 central midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 100, and V. Kostov leads the scoring with 12 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: Max Marie has improved his Season rating most, up +36.4 on last season, while H. Pijaca's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +48.3 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.

Angelholms FF · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

Max Marie+36.4SsN

Eintracht Braunschweig · 24/25→25/26

Marcelinho Braz180.7val

RB Bragantino U20

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	Tom Iorpenda Central midfielder	Notts County	21	14	399625%	384.5%
3	V. Kostov Central midfielder	FK Crvena Zvezda	18	12	49	50
4	L. Pérez Central midfielder	Huracan	21	12	22	52
5	V. Atangana Edoa Central midfielder	Al-Ahli Jeddah	20	11	377.8%	6025.7%
6	D. Bartesaghi Central midfielder	AC Milan	20	11	301682.4%	8524.6%
7	M. Delgado Central midfielder	Boca Juniors	21	10	23224.3%	5412.3%
8	Matteo Cichella Central midfielder	Frosinone	20	10	32310.4%	7125.4%
9	B. Clark Central midfielder	Derby	21	9	392869.2%	724.1%
10	G. CharrupÃCentral midfielder	Bucaramanga	21	9	13	28
11	F. Westfield Central midfielder	Philadelphia Union	20	9	27	46
12	J. Hjertø-Dahl Central midfielder	Tromso	20	9	4585.2%	5218.1%
13	C. Bonsu Baah Central midfielder	Al-Qadisiyah FC	21	9	52135.5%	635.2%
14	Cian Ashford Central midfielder	Cardiff	21	9	2222.7%	5220%
15	Matheus Gonçalves Central midfielder	Al-Ahli Jeddah	20	8	24104.2%	5912.8%
16	J. Escobar Central midfielder	America de Cali	21	8	13234.2%	2646.8%
17	Dušan Žagar Central midfielder	IMT Novi Beograd	19	8	19	41
18	N. Krstić Central midfielder	IMT Novi Beograd	21	8	24	41
19	Noah Makanza Central midfielder	Helmond Sport	21	8	45	58
20	Uriel van Aalst Central midfielder	Willem II	19	8	18	562.4%
21	M. Reguła Central midfielder	Zaglebie Lubin	19	8	36371.4%	4424.3%
22	Breno Central midfielder	Corinthians	21	8	2970.9%	711.9%
23	João Neves Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	21	8	4424.6%	844.4%
24	T. Jørgensen Central midfielder	Viborg	20	8	57	5029.5%
25	Rodrigo Mora Central midfielder	FC Porto	19	8	1658.1%	6210.2%
26	Sydie Peck Central midfielder	Sheffield Utd	21	8	5183.6%	785.2%
27	J. Ruiz Central midfielder	Barracas Central	21	7	342.4%	580.7%
28	Skima Togbe Central midfielder	Novi Pazar	20	7	16	40
29	A. Cvetković Central midfielder	OFK Beograd	21	7	30	43
30	L. Małachowski Thorell Central midfielder	Mjallby AIF	21	7	22313.2%	3930.5%
31	W. Nowak Central midfielder	Wisla Plock	21	7	36	43
32	I. Feingold Central midfielder	New England Revolution	21	7	33	48
33	L. Woodhouse Central midfielder	Exeter City	21	7	22	44
34	A. Devine Central midfielder	Preston	21	7	4653%	7629.3%
35	I. Belikov Central midfielder	Baltika	21	6	24	34
36	O. Pietuszewski Central midfielder	FC Porto	18	6	25	6898.8%
37	I. Cisse Central midfielder	Golden Arrows	19	6	19	2
38	Seluleko Mahlambi Central midfielder	TS Galaxy	0	6	30	2
39	S. Cuero Central midfielder	Fortaleza FC	21	6	14	26
40	Yassin El Mallah Central midfielder	Pharco	21	6	25	36
41	Tamás Szücs Central midfielder	Debreceni VSC	21	6	29	37
42	A. Radonjić Central midfielder	Javor	20	6	26	42
43	T. Diakité Central midfielder	Slovan Liberec	20	6	15	2
44	J. Ceballos Central midfielder	All Boys	21	6	10	5012.6%
45	S. Castañeda Central midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	21	6	2226.1%	662.8%
46	L. Ulrich Central midfielder	1. FC Magdeburg	21	6	43137.4%	6445.5%
47	Illaijh de Ruijter Central midfielder	ADO Den Haag	19	6	1870.5%	5710.1%
48	B. Raines Central midfielder	Houston Dynamo	21	6	15421.4%	4210%
49	Gady Beyuku Central midfielder	Modena	20	6	16425.8%	626.8%
50	C. Ndour Central midfielder	Fiorentina	21	6	29239.3%	7863.5%