Fastest-improving U23 defensive midfielders

The fastest-improving (by % Season change) U23 defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across U23 defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and G. Zechiël has been the form player this season, grading 66.2, and J. James leads the scoring with 11 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: G. Zechiël has improved his Season rating most, up +55.9 on last season, while A. Pyrka's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +37.8 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, A. Scott of Bournemouth is the most valuable name in this group at 173.5.

FC St. Pauli · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

G. Zechiël+55.9SsN

Utrecht · 24/25→25/26

50 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	A. Wharton Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	22	+134.9 24/25→25/26	51134.9%	908.9%
3	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	+132.4 24/25→25/26	50132.4%	8612.8%
4	C. Favasuli Defensive midfielder	Catanzaro	22	+127.4 24/25→25/26	47127.4%	7216.4%
5	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	+107.4 24/25→25/26	64107.4%	884.5%
6	N. Dismas Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	23	+103.5 24/25→25/26	41103.5%	512%
7	P. Brittijn Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	22	+95.6 24/25→25/26	5395.6%	7224.9%
8	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	+92.7 24/25→25/26	4592.7%	8739.7%
9	D. Osorio Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	+75.5 24/25→25/26	4975.5%	505.5%
10	M. Perrone Defensive midfielder	Como	23	+74.1 24/25→25/26	4674.1%	889.2%
11	T. Le Bris Defensive midfielder	Lorient	23	+73.4 24/25→25/26	3973.4%	7726.8%
12	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	+71.4 24/25→25/26	4671.4%	4116.6%
13	T. de Jonge Defensive midfielder	Groningen	23	+71.3 24/25→25/26	4271.3%	7214.9%
14	M. Karlsson Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	22	+66.2 24/25→25/26	3966.2%	427.2%
15	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	+63.9 24/25→25/26	3463.9%	8714.6%
16	D. Ayala Defensive midfielder	Portland Timbers	23	+62.2 24/25→25/26	4062.2%	459.1%
17	K. Sano Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	+55.2 24/25→25/26	5755.2%	809.9%
18	Y. Titraoui Defensive midfielder	Charleroi	22	+54.4 24/25→25/26	4254.4%	6110.5%
19	I. Moriba Defensive midfielder	Celta Vigo	23	+54.2 24/25→25/26	4854.2%	884.8%
20	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	+52 24/25→25/26	4952%	8212.9%
21	T. Fukui Defensive midfielder	Arouca	22	+51.1 24/25→25/26	4651.1%	687.4%
22	A. Pavlović Defensive midfielder	Bayern München	22	+47.3 24/25→25/26	3047.3%	801.6%
23	V. Bak Jensen Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	+47.1 24/25→25/26	3347.1%	471.8%
24	M. Linday Defensive midfielder	Heerenveen	23	+42.2 24/25→25/26	4142.2%	6991.1%
25	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	+38.3 24/25→25/26	2938.3%	844.2%
26	R. Amané Defensive midfielder	Rapid Vienna	23	+29.2 24/25→25/26	4229.2%	4725.9%
27	T. Noslin Defensive midfielder	Telstar	23	+27.6 24/25→25/26	4527.6%	6915.5%
28	Luca Stephenson Defensive midfielder	Dundee Utd	22	+26.2 24/25→25/26	3826.2%	52±0%
29	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	+24.8 24/25→25/26	3624.8%	5913.1%
30	Pedri Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	23	+15.9 24/25→25/26	5915.9%	908.4%
31	A. Keller Defensive midfielder	SpVgg Greuther Fürth	22	+15.4 24/25→25/26	2515.4%	585.9%
32	T. Morton Defensive midfielder	Lyon	23	+15.1 23/24→25/26	4515.1%	8412.3%
33	S. Babkin Defensive midfielder	Krylia Sovetov	23	+14.6 24/25→25/26	2814.6%	334.4%
34	D. Edelman Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	23	+12.7 24/25→25/26	2512.7%	436.9%
35	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	+11.4 24/25→25/26	3811.4%	6229.9%
36	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	+10.5 24/25→25/26	3610.5%	783.5%
37	F. Adjei Defensive midfielder	IFK Varnamo	22	+10.5 24/25→25/26	2510.5%	345.3%
38	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	+8.1 24/25→25/26	538.1%	894.7%
39	Mikel Jauregizar Defensive midfielder	Athletic Club	22	+6.6 24/25→25/26	446.6%	852.1%
40	A. Dennis Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	22	+6.4 24/25→25/26	386.4%	553.8%
41	M. Freundlich Defensive midfielder	Silkeborg	23	+3.7 24/25→25/26	223.7%	413%
42	P. Bravo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	21	+2.8 24/25→25/26	292.8%	462.2%
43	L. Ugochukwu Defensive midfielder	Burnley	22	0 24/25→25/26	41±0%	845.1%
44	W. Mikelbrencis Defensive midfielder	Hamburger SV	22	-0.4 24/25→25/26	25±0%	7410.6%
45	G. Gineitis Defensive midfielder	Torino	22	-0.8 24/25→25/26	260.8%	763.1%
46	Gabri Martínez Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	23	-1.4 24/25→25/26	221.4%	617.4%
47	Roger Fernandes Defensive midfielder	Al-Ittihad FC	20	-2.3 24/25→25/26	212.3%	5715.8%
48	C. Webster Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	22	-3 24/25→25/26	263%	481.3%
49	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	-4.8 24/25→25/26	344.8%	9545.6%
50	J. Breum Defensive midfielder	GO Ahead Eagles	22	-5.1 24/25→25/26	455.1%	745%