Most productive U23 defensive midfielders

The most productive 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 most goals + assistsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	G+A	Season	Rating
1	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	16	66542.7%	8226.1%
2	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	15	538.1%	894.7%
3	J. James Defensive midfielder	Leicester	22	15	46163.2%	701.1%
4	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	14	50303.3%	7815.8%
5	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	13	37	47
6	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	12	32298.8%	4117.6%
7	S. Seidl Defensive midfielder	FC BW Linz	23	12	48	47
8	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	12	4952%	8212.9%
9	D. Osorio Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	12	4975.5%	505.5%
10	B. González Defensive midfielder	Guadalajara Chivas	23	11	45	62
11	F. Afena-Gyan Defensive midfielder	Amed	23	11	26	3928.5%
12	J. Breum Defensive midfielder	GO Ahead Eagles	22	11	455.1%	745%
13	Pedri Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	23	11	5915.9%	908.4%
14	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	10	4671.4%	4116.6%
15	Luca Stephenson Defensive midfielder	Dundee Utd	22	10	3826.2%	52±0%
16	K. Sano Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	10	5755.2%	809.9%
17	M. Baur Defensive midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	22	9	52589.3%	7470.2%
18	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	9	55485.1%	9017%
19	Rafa Rodríguez Defensive midfielder	Malaga	23	9	25651.5%	6612.6%
20	A. Robertson Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	23	9	3211.3%	5125.1%
21	C. Webster Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	22	9	263%	481.3%
22	E. Alagich Defensive midfielder	Adelaide United	22	8	44	23
23	C. Souaré Defensive midfielder	Plzen	23	8	185800%	297.3%
24	T. Owusu Defensive midfielder	FC Luzern	23	8	40	49
25	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	8	4592.7%	8739.7%
26	A. Engels Defensive midfielder	Celtic	22	8	3116%	536.7%
27	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	8	46151.4%	657.1%
28	D. Castillo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	8	42469.9%	4920.8%
29	A. Stanković Defensive midfielder	Club Brugge KV	20	8	45	66
30	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	8	441603.8%	7395.2%
31	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	8	46242.5%	8618.1%
32	J. Snowdon Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	22	8	24	35
33	Findlay Curtis Defensive midfielder	Kilmarnock	19	7	422216.7%	498.1%
34	O. Okeke Defensive midfielder	KFUM Oslo	23	7	22339.2%	393.2%
35	Lee Tae-Seok Defensive midfielder	Austria Vienna	23	7	47490%	4910.8%
36	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	7	3017.4%	470.6%
37	V. Dragojević Defensive midfielder	FK Partizan	20	7	38	45
38	S. PirgiÄDefensive midfielder	Železničar Pančevo	23	7	35	43
39	T. Fukui Defensive midfielder	Arouca	22	7	4651.1%	687.4%
40	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	7	64107.4%	884.5%
41	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	7	2644.5%	5047.9%
42	Frederik Emmery Defensive midfielder	Aarhus	19	7	19	4529.6%
43	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	7	3624.8%	5913.1%
44	C. Favasuli Defensive midfielder	Catanzaro	22	7	47127.4%	7216.4%
45	M. Perrone Defensive midfielder	Como	23	7	4674.1%	889.2%
46	Rafel Bauzà Defensive midfielder	Mirandes	21	7	432417.6%	691.9%
47	S. Braybrooke Defensive midfielder	Chesterfield	22	6	351234.6%	366.3%
48	Guilherme Henriques da Silva Carvalho Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	23	6	38	6188.9%
49	A. Domínguez Defensive midfielder	CF Pachuca	21	6	22	53
50	D. Planka Defensive midfielder	Baník Ostrava	20	6	16	2