Best defensive U21 players in Europa League

The best defensive U21 players in Europa League, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

J. Manzambi of SC Freiburg is the standout for raw talent across U21 players in Europa League, with a Field Insider Rating of 90.3, and Victor Mow Froholdt has been the form player this season, grading 56.4, and William leads the scoring with 4 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 J. El Abdellaoui's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +36.5 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, S. Castro of Bologna is the most valuable name in this group at 131.6.

Victor Mow Froholdt56.4SsN

FC Porto

Rising potential

J. El Abdellaoui+36.5RTG

Celta Vigo · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Manzambi+45.6SsN

SC Freiburg · 24/25→25/26

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	Sergi Domínguez Centre-back	Dinamo Zagreb	21	13	491046.5%	4244.1%
3	V. Kostov Central midfielder	FK Crvena Zvezda	18	12	49	50
4	N. Simić Centre-back	FK Partizan	19	11	35	44
5	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	10	3463.9%	8714.6%
6	M. Fernandez-Pardo Centre-forward	Lille	21	10	49	8986.4%
7	William Winger	FC Porto	20	8	28154.1%	664.6%
8	Olof Matteo Perez Vinlöf Full-back	Dinamo Zagreb	20	8	2813750%	4040.2%
9	Afonso Moreira Attacking midfielder	Lyon	21	8	41	8759.6%
10	M. Moore Attacking midfielder	Rangers	18	8	29717.1%	5524.8%
11	Rodrigo Mora Central midfielder	FC Porto	19	8	1658.1%	6210.2%
12	Martim Fernandes Full-back	FC Porto	20	8	3931.2%	636.4%
13	S. Castro Centre-forward	Bologna	21	8	3415.4%	852.5%
14	A. AvdiÄFull-back	FK Crvena Zvezda	18	7	28	43
15	N. Mukau Attacking midfielder	Lille	21	7	854.4%	783.5%
16	J. Meghoma Full-back	Rangers	20	7	24209.1%	5215.8%
17	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	7	2938.3%	844.2%
18	P. Bravo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	21	7	292.8%	462.2%
19	O. Melika Goalkeeper	Maccabi Tel Aviv	21	6	16	43
20	D. Owusu Attacking midfielder	Radnik Surdulica	20	6	22	39
21	Jacob Peter Hödl Defensive midfielder	Sturm Graz	19	6	26	50
22	Endrick Attacking midfielder	Lyon	19	6	44	8534.9%
23	K. Karetsas Attacking midfielder	Genk	18	6	2414.1%	600.5%
24	K. Merah Attacking midfielder	Lyon	19	6	5	74
25	S. Farhi Centre-forward	Maccabi Tel Aviv	20	5	21	44
26	Z. Gruber Centre-forward	Ferencvarosi TC	21	5	25	38
27	J. Mitchell Centre-back	Sturm Graz	21	5	23	4425%
28	D. Guðjohnsen Centre-forward	Malmo FF	20	5	25	3718.4%
29	L. Sauer Winger	Feyenoord	20	5	2634.4%	771.5%
30	Finn Jeltsch Centre-back	VfB Stuttgart	20	5	3127.6%	8130.8%
31	A. Skogmar Central midfielder	Malmo FF	20	5	19589.3%	354.8%
32	José María Andrés Baixauli Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	21	5	31	8012.4%
33	Findlay Curtis Defensive midfielder	Kilmarnock	19	4	422216.7%	498.1%
34	R. Mirisola Winger	Genk	19	4	1946.4%	5719.8%
35	Jair Full-back	Botafogo	21	4	23	6720.6%
36	M. Bajo Central midfielder	FK Crvena Zvezda	21	4	11	39
37	A. Malic Defensive midfielder	Sturm Graz	20	4	17	44
38	A. Bačanin Central midfielder	FC Basel 1893	19	4	15	45
39	R. El Arguioui Attacking midfielder	Jong Utrecht	20	4	53227.6%	6221.1%
40	M. Dorgeles Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	21	4	1656.6%	6233.7%
41	D. Chatsidis Central midfielder	PAOK	20	4	18	41
42	Gabriel Moscardo Full-back	SC Braga	20	4	17397.1%	6013.2%
43	M. Fofana Attacking midfielder	Lyon	21	4	2423.7%	83±0%
44	V. Byskov Attacking midfielder	FC Midtjylland	21	4	27110.9%	462.2%
45	Y. Medina Full-back	Genk	21	4	121255.6%	5617.4%
46	Abdulay Bah Centre-back	Nice	20	4	28307.4%	756%
47	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	4	55485.1%	9017%
48	E. Ferguson Centre-forward	AS Roma	21	4	29530.4%	835.4%
49	J. Ziółkowski Centre-back	AS Roma	21	3	1725.8%	7389.8%
50	Santino Andino Central midfielder	Panathinaikos	20	3	2335.9%	4024.4%