Most productive defensive midfielders

The most productive defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and J. Veerman has been the form player this season, grading 75.3, and L. Haraslín leads the scoring with 13 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 D. Svensson's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +41.4 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, R. Gravenberch of Liverpool is the most valuable name in this group at 188.

Borussia Dortmund · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

G. Zechiël+55.9SsN

Utrecht · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by most goals + assistsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	G+A	Season	Rating
1	J. Veerman Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	27	22	75173.8%	662.9%
2	J. Larsson Defensive midfielder	FC Copenhagen	29	22	5691.4%	339.3%
3	L. Wing Defensive midfielder	Reading	31	22	6414.5%	3022.3%
4	O. Norwood Defensive midfielder	Stockport County	35	19	6160.6%	213.5%
5	L. Haraslín Defensive midfielder	Sparta Praha	30	18	321216.7%	198.3%
6	V. Torp Defensive midfielder	Coventry	26	17	4892.4%	680.7%
7	D. Moreno Defensive midfielder	Amed	31	16	45	28
8	S. Inagaki Defensive midfielder	Nagoya Grampus	34	16	6524.1%	2315.8%
9	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	16	66542.7%	8226.1%
10	J. Leweling Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	25	16	58286.1%	8615%
11	Álex Grimaldo Defensive midfielder	Bayer Leverkusen	30	16	67128.2%	5319.4%
12	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	15	538.1%	894.7%
13	C. Tolisso Defensive midfielder	Lyon	31	15	6967.3%	4913.7%
14	J. Ryerson Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	28	15	53112%	6413.9%
15	M. Shelton Defensive midfielder	Barnet	29	15	42468.5%	246.2%
16	J. James Defensive midfielder	Leicester	22	15	46163.2%	701.1%
17	I. Chochev Defensive midfielder	Ludogorets	33	14	37	12
18	Wu Xi Defensive midfielder	Shanghai Shenhua	37	14	54	11
19	V. Müller Defensive midfielder	WSG Wattens	27	14	55	42
20	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	14	50303.3%	7815.8%
21	S. Berhalter Defensive midfielder	Vancouver Whitecaps	25	14	56106.3%	4913.5%
22	A. Boakye Defensive midfielder	Saint Etienne	25	14	57349.6%	695.5%
23	L. Curda Defensive midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	24	14	67194.7%	7322%
24	Bruno Guimarães Defensive midfielder	Newcastle	28	14	7114.1%	7121%
25	Mateus Vital Defensive midfielder	SHANGHAI SIPG	28	13	49507.4%	2848.3%
26	V. Guzmán Defensive midfielder	CF Pachuca	31	13	33	26
27	V. Darida Defensive midfielder	Hradec Králové	35	13	42442.9%	193.9%
28	L. Bertone Defensive midfielder	FC Thun	32	13	51287.1%	2438.8%
29	A. Grgić Defensive midfielder	FC Lugano	29	13	48	36
30	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	13	37	47
31	J. Hardeveld Defensive midfielder	Telstar	31	13	6617.3%	411%
32	V. Malcorra Defensive midfielder	Rosario Central	38	13	4413.9%	1611.9%
33	N. Raskin Defensive midfielder	Rangers	25	13	5352.6%	530.7%
34	S. McTominay Defensive midfielder	Napoli	29	13	6012.6%	6119.4%
35	F. Murray Defensive midfielder	Wigan	27	13	5054.5%	447.6%
36	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	12	32298.8%	4117.6%
37	H. Ahl Defensive midfielder	Zemplín Michalovce	24	12	33	33
38	Xie Wenneng Defensive midfielder	Shandong Luneng	25	12	39	32
39	S. Seidl Defensive midfielder	FC BW Linz	23	12	48	47
40	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	12	4952%	8212.9%
41	J. van Overeem Defensive midfielder	Heerenveen	32	12	55125%	3725.5%
42	I. Zhelizko Defensive midfielder	Lechia Gdansk	25	12	54108.5%	4010.3%
43	D. Osorio Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	12	4975.5%	505.5%
44	A. Maxim Defensive midfielder	Gaziantep FK	36	12	4528.4%	2010.1%
45	Luís Esteves Defensive midfielder	GIL Vicente	28	12	5475.3%	544.8%
46	A. Thomasson Defensive midfielder	Lens	32	12	6812.4%	4314.1%
47	S. Pontisso Defensive midfielder	Catanzaro	29	12	4196.2%	483.6%
48	M. Pinnock Defensive midfielder	Bromley	31	12	3313.3%	2137.8%
49	K. Lofthouse Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	25	12	44335.3%	5224%
50	B. González Defensive midfielder	Guadalajara Chivas	23	11	45	62