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Most Improved midfielders in K League 1 2026

The most improved midfielders in K League 1 in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in K League 1Most improved defenders in K League 1Most improved attackers in K League 1Best midfielders in K League 1Most in-form midfielders in K League 1Top-scoring midfielders in K League 1

At a glance

J. Son of FC Seoul is the standout for raw talent across midfielders in K League 1, with a Field Insider Rating of 49.4, and Lee Jae-Won has been the form player this season, grading 22, and Willyan leads the scoring with 5 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: Hernandes has improved his Season rating most, up +15.1 on last season, while Kim Dong-Jin's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +0.2 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, Emerson Negueba of Jeju United FC is the most valuable name in this group at 10.9.

Best talent
J. Son49.4RTG
FC Seoul
In form
Lee Jae-Won22SsN
Suwon City FC
Rising potential
Kim Dong-Jin+0.2RTG
Pohang Steelers · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
Hernandes+15.1SsN
Daejeon Citizen · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
Willyan5goals
Suwon City FC
Most valuable
Emerson Negueba10.9val
Jeju United FC
37 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1HernandesAttacking midfielderDaejeon Citizen27+15.1
24/25→25/26
22228.8%413.8%
2Go Jae-HyeonAttacking midfielderGimcheon Sangmu FC27+13.1
24/25→25/26
193513.5%
3Emerson NeguebaCentral midfielderJeju United FC25+12.7
23/24→25/26
134423.7%
4Kim Jin-GyuCentral midfielderJeonbuk Motors29+12.4
24/25→25/26
163.2%297.2%
5Lee You-HyeonCentral midfielderGangwon FC29+8.2
24/25→25/26
1515.6%2911.8%
6Lee Dong-JunCentral midfielderJeonbuk Motors29+7
24/25→25/26
151.4%308.6%
7Lee Gyu-SungCentral midfielderUlsan Hyundai FC32+6.3
24/25→25/26
1392.6%1829.8%
8Kim Jung-HyunDefensive midfielderFC Anyang33+5.9
20/21→25/26
1142.5%120.9%
9Lee Dong-GyeongAttacking midfielderUlsan Hyundai FC28+4.5
24/25→25/26
2127.9%34±0%
10Kim Bong-SooCentral midfielderDaejeon Citizen26+2
24/25→25/26
1220.8%393%
11Lee Jae-WonDefensive midfielderSuwon City FC29+2
24/25→25/26
2210%2922.7%
12Kim Dong-JinCentral midfielderPohang Steelers23+1.7
24/25→25/26
616.2%42±0%
13Han Chan-HeeCentral midfielderSuwon City FC29+1.4
24/25→25/26
631.8%2621.5%
14Park Tae-JunCentral midfielderGimcheon Sangmu FC27+1.2
24/25→25/26
1484%342%
15Kim Gyeong-MinCentral midfielderSuwon City FC29-1.1
24/25→25/26
517.7%2623.2%
16K. NishiyaCentral midfielderPohang Steelers26-1.8
24/25→25/26
10113.3%3817.1%
17Kim Kang-GukDefensive midfielderGangwon FC29-2
24/25→25/26
820.8%2730.2%
18Mo Jae-HyeonAttacking midfielderGangwon FC29-3.3
24/25→25/26
1339.6%291%
19Kim Dae-WonAttacking midfielderGangwon FC29-3.3
24/25→25/26
162.4%309.2%
20Kim Seung-SubCentral midfielderJeonbuk Motors29-3.4
24/25→25/26
379.1%277%
21Hwang Jae-WonCentral midfielderDaegu FC24-3.9
24/25→25/26
734.8%4317.2%
22Kang Sang-YoonCentral midfielderJeonbuk Motors22-6
24/25→25/26
1437.8%470.6%
23Seo Jin-SuCentral midfielderDaejeon Citizen25-7.5
24/25→25/26
794.1%401%
24Lee Seung-WooAttacking midfielderJeonbuk Motors28-8.1
24/25→25/26
1966.1%356.8%
25Seo Min-WooCentral midfielderGangwon FC28-8.4
24/25→25/26
1112.4%3310.8%
26Lee Gi-HyukCentral midfielderGangwon FC26-9.3
24/25→25/26
1015.8%4113.4%
27Lee Jin-HyunCentral midfielderUlsan Hyundai FC29-10.7
24/25→25/26
278%265.1%
28D. BojanićDefensive midfielderUlsan Hyundai FC31-11.6
24/25→25/26
718%205.3%
29Lee Hui-GyunCentral midfielderUlsan Hyundai FC28-11.8
24/25→25/26
10653.8%3216.9%
30Ki Sung-YuengCentral midfielderPohang Steelers37-12.1
24/25→25/26
370.6%517.7%
31G. LudwigsonCentral midfielderDaejeon Citizen32-16
24/25→25/26
1128.9%169.9%
32Jeong Jae-HeeAttacking midfielderDaejeon Citizen32-16
24/25→25/26
10316%158.6%
33An Tae-HyunCentral midfielderBucheon FC 199533-17
24/25→25/26
512.5%1212.7%
34Italo MoreiraCentral midfielderJeju United FC29-18.5
24/25→25/26
446.2%263.4%
35Jang Min-GyuCentral midfielderJeju United FC27-18.6
24/25→25/26
1386.8%368.5%
36Anderson OliveiraCentral midfielderFC Seoul28-28.9
24/25→25/26
1143.4%3315.6%
37Jeong Seung-WonCentral midfielderFC Seoul29-33.6
24/25→25/26
848.4%296.6%