Most productive U21 defensive midfielders

The most productive 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

50 players · ranked by most goals + assistsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	G+A	Season	Rating
1	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	13	37	47
2	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	12	32298.8%	4117.6%
3	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	12	4952%	8212.9%
4	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	10	4671.4%	4116.6%
5	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	9	55485.1%	9017%
6	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	8	4592.7%	8739.7%
7	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	8	46151.4%	657.1%
8	A. Stanković Defensive midfielder	Club Brugge KV	20	8	45	66
9	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	8	441603.8%	7395.2%
10	Findlay Curtis Defensive midfielder	Kilmarnock	19	7	422216.7%	498.1%
11	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	7	3017.4%	470.6%
12	V. Dragojević Defensive midfielder	FK Partizan	20	7	38	45
13	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	7	2644.5%	5047.9%
14	Frederik Emmery Defensive midfielder	Aarhus	19	7	19	4529.6%
15	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	7	3624.8%	5913.1%
16	Rafel Bauzà Defensive midfielder	Mirandes	21	7	432417.6%	691.9%
17	A. Domínguez Defensive midfielder	CF Pachuca	21	6	22	54
18	D. Planka Defensive midfielder	Baník Ostrava	20	6	16	2
19	Boris Matić Defensive midfielder	Wolfsberger AC	21	6	36	45
20	C. Inao OulaÃ¯Defensive midfielder	Trabzonspor	20	6	38175.2%	555.5%
21	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	6	40925.6%	4933.6%
22	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	6	3811.4%	6229.9%
23	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	6	48135%	7017.8%
24	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	6	3610.5%	783.5%
25	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	6	42336.1%	7919.6%
26	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	6	2938.3%	844.2%
27	Robert Defensive midfielder	FC Copenhagen	21	6	2595.3%	462.5%
28	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	6	50132.4%	8612.8%
29	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	6	28171.8%	5052%
30	Ante Kavelj Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	20	5	39	40
31	T. Peters Defensive midfielder	Jong Ajax	19	5	34	55
32	A. Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Malaga	19	5	14153.7%	6714.2%
33	A. Bah Defensive midfielder	Al-Hazm	20	5	38	57
34	A. Piedfort Defensive midfielder	KVC Westerlo	21	5	44132.5%	606.9%
35	Jayden Joseph Defensive midfielder	Tranmere	20	5	22	32
36	A. Mayor Defensive midfielder	Cambridge United	21	5	19	3515%
37	A. Lahdo Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	18	4	122240%	3718.4%
38	M. Amadou Sabo Defensive midfielder	Javor	21	4	33	43
39	Jacob Peter Hödl Defensive midfielder	Sturm Graz	19	4	26	50
40	C. Tsawa Defensive midfielder	FC Zurich	19	4	31	45
41	Roger Fernandes Defensive midfielder	Al-Ittihad FC	20	4	212.3%	5715.8%
42	M. Tait Defensive midfielder	Livingston	20	4	29455.8%	5012.9%
43	M. Siltanen Defensive midfielder	Djurgardens IF	19	4	39	42
44	J. LÃ¤hteenmÃ¤ki Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	20	4	33201.8%	4615.5%
45	Maik Defensive midfielder	Sao Paulo	21	4	23	69
46	S. Džodić Defensive midfielder	Almeria	21	4	33717.5%	689.7%
47	A. Bulatović Defensive midfielder	Lens	19	4	22	76
48	B. Mazurek Defensive midfielder	Jagiellonia	19	4	21	4021%
49	N. Mbamba Defensive midfielder	Dender	21	4	451105.4%	6123.2%
50	L. Colombo Defensive midfielder	Monza	21	4	18	64