Fastest-improving U21 defensive midfielders

The fastest-improving (by % Season change) 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

27 players · ranked by biggest season change %Customise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Δ%	Season	Rating
1	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	+135 24/25→25/26	48135%	7017.8%
2	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	+132.4 24/25→25/26	50132.4%	8612.8%
3	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	+92.7 24/25→25/26	4592.7%	8739.7%
4	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	+71.4 24/25→25/26	4671.4%	4116.6%
5	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	+63.9 24/25→25/26	3463.9%	8714.6%
6	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	+52 24/25→25/26	4952%	8212.9%
7	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	+38.3 24/25→25/26	2938.3%	844.2%
8	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	+24.8 24/25→25/26	3624.8%	5913.1%
9	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	+11.4 24/25→25/26	3811.4%	6229.9%
10	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	+10.5 24/25→25/26	3610.5%	783.5%
11	P. Bravo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	21	+2.8 24/25→25/26	292.8%	462.2%
12	Roger Fernandes Defensive midfielder	Al-Ittihad FC	20	-2.3 24/25→25/26	212.3%	5715.8%
13	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	-4.8 24/25→25/26	344.8%	9545.6%
14	M. Holíček Defensive midfielder	Crewe	21	-10.2 24/25→25/26	2310.2%	342.5%
15	A. Kozubal Defensive midfielder	Lech Poznan	21	-17.2 24/25→25/26	3017.2%	437%
16	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	-17.4 24/25→25/26	3017.4%	470.6%
17	M. Laros Defensive midfielder	Den Bosch	20	-28.4 24/25→25/26	3728.4%	593.6%
18	A. Zehnter Defensive midfielder	VfL Wolfsburg	21	-28.6 24/25→25/26	2228.6%	732.4%
19	J. Bellingham Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	20	-32.2 24/25→25/26	3032.2%	826.2%
20	A. Vermeeren Defensive midfielder	Marseille	21	-41.6 24/25→25/26	1541.6%	748.7%
21	Jordy Bawuah Defensive midfielder	Jong PSV U21	19	-49.1 24/25→25/26	2049.1%	530.8%
22	A. Kanté Defensive midfielder	Saint Etienne	21	-49.5 24/25→25/26	1549.5%	614.7%
23	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Atletico Madrid	20	-50.3 24/25→25/26	1850.3%	8170.5%
24	Gerald Alders Defensive midfielder	Jong Ajax	21	-54.5 24/25→25/26	1054.5%	479.6%
25	M. Dorgeles Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	21	-56.6 24/25→25/26	1656.6%	6233.7%
26	C. Ordoñez Defensive midfielder	Parma	21	-57.9 24/25→25/26	1657.9%	7212.9%
27	L. Miller Defensive midfielder	Udinese	19	-66.2 24/25→25/26	1566.2%	7746.6%