Most improved U21 players in FA Cup

The most improved U21 players in FA Cup, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. O'Reilly of Manchester City is the standout for raw talent across U21 players in FA Cup, with a Field Insider Rating of 96.7, and Estêvão leads the scoring with 2 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: D. Ballard has improved his Season rating most, up +46.2 on last season, while E. Diouf's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +48.8 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, N. O'Reilly of Manchester City is the most valuable name in this group at 174.1.

West Ham · 23/24→25/26

Most improved

D. Ballard+46.2SsN

Leyton Orient · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	ΔSsN	Season	Rating
1	D. Ballard Centre-forward	Leyton Orient	21	+46.2 24/25→25/26	56452.9%	5318.7%
2	N. O'Reilly Full-back	Manchester City	21	+45.8 24/25→25/26	56432.1%	9717.9%
3	W. Lankshear Centre-forward	Oxford United	21	+37.1 24/25→25/26	37	6917.2%
4	D. Kanu Centre-forward	Walsall	21	+33.2 24/25→25/26	361037.5%	3716.9%
5	S. Fusire Central midfielder	Sheffield Wednesday	21	+22.4 24/25→25/26	30290.9%	63117.2%
6	Álex Jiménez Full-back	Bournemouth	21	+21.3 24/25→25/26	4398.6%	9118.7%
7	G. Kodua Winger	Luton	21	+20.1 24/25→25/26	25437%	4910.5%
8	E. Diouf Full-back	West Ham	21	+19.9 23/24→25/26	34146.3%	93110.2%
9	D. Ozoh Defensive midfielder	Derby	21	+18.5 24/25→25/26	30156.8%	6912.7%
10	Ethan Ennis Attacking midfielder	Fleetwood Town	21	+18.3 24/25→25/26	22522.9%	3512.7%
11	Ruairi McConville Centre-back	Norwich	21	+17.9 24/25→25/26	201052.9%	6819.2%
12	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	+17.7 24/25→25/26	28171.8%	5052%
13	O. Schwartau Attacking midfielder	Norwich	20	+17.6 24/25→25/26	23338.5%	7211.8%
14	A. Devine Central midfielder	Preston	21	+16 24/25→25/26	4653%	7629.3%
15	R. Walters Defensive midfielder	Port Vale	20	+14 23/24→25/26	14	439.9%
16	J. Solis Central midfielder	Birmingham	21	+13.6 24/25→25/26	23152.8%	677.7%
17	L. Miley Full-back	Newcastle	20	+13.1 24/25→25/26	21172.4%	889.2%
18	Vivaldo Semedo Centre-forward	Watford	21	+12.3 24/25→25/26	12	6343.9%
19	E. Kroupi Attacking midfielder	Bournemouth	20	+11.9 24/25→25/26	4239%	9032.3%
20	M. Young Goalkeeper	Salford City	19	+11.6 24/25→25/26	23100.9%	3916.8%
21	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	+10.7 24/25→25/26	2959.1%	899.7%
22	P. Dorgu Attacking midfielder	Manchester United	21	+10.6 24/25→25/26	3543.4%	9520.4%
23	A. Gray Central midfielder	Tottenham	20	+10.2 24/25→25/26	2471.8%	855.3%
24	G. Otegbayo Centre-back	Sheffield Wednesday	21	+10 24/25→25/26	14277.8%	641.3%
25	Z. Nelson Central midfielder	AFC Wimbledon	21	+9.5 24/25→25/26	17120.3%	4623.2%
26	James Dornelly Full-back	Peterborough	21	+8.7 24/25→25/26	16127.9%	452.7%
27	J. Quarshie Centre-back	Southampton	21	+8.6 24/25→25/26	91720%	6323.3%
28	J. Richards Attacking midfielder	Luton	18	+8.3 24/25→25/26	16109.2%	509.5%
29	M. Tel Attacking midfielder	Tottenham	21	+7.8 24/25→25/26	2066.7%	802.2%
30	L. Yoro Centre-back	Manchester United	20	+7.2 24/25→25/26	2442.6%	8710.8%
31	Joel McGregor Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	20	+7.1 24/25→25/26	1958.2%	334.2%
32	Jacob Wright Defensive midfielder	Norwich	20	+6.7 24/25→25/26	1674.4%	663.3%
33	Patrick Kelly Attacking midfielder	Barnsley	21	+6.5 24/25→25/26	2049.2%	4944.9%
34	C. O'Brien Full-back	Accrington ST	19	+6.1 24/25→25/26	2238.1%	335.8%
35	C. Talbi Attacking midfielder	Sunderland	21	+5.9 24/25→25/26	2432.4%	8852.7%
36	D. Bennie Centre-forward	QPR	20	+5.8 24/25→25/26	6	616.4%
37	W. Odobert Winger	Tottenham	21	+5.4 24/25→25/26	1194.7%	796.5%
38	Cameron Bragg Defensive midfielder	Southampton	21	+5.1 24/25→25/26	7318.7%	6256.9%
39	O. Scarles Full-back	West Ham	20	+5.1 24/25→25/26	1458%	732.9%
40	Kieran Morgan Central midfielder	QPR	20	+4.6 24/25→25/26	1639.3%	653.7%
41	I. Osman Central midfielder	Auxerre	21	+2.3 24/25→25/26	2012.9%	723.5%
42	Kayden Hughes Centre-back	Fleetwood Town	20	+2.1 24/25→25/26	838.9%	311.6%
43	Rayan Jawad Kolli Centre-forward	QPR	21	+2 24/25→25/26	1614.4%	651.1%
44	A. Phillips Centre-back	Stoke City	21	+1.4 24/25→25/26	344.2%	711.6%
45	Caylan Vickers Attacking midfielder	Barnsley	21	+0.4 24/25→25/26	123.5%	461.5%
46	M. Yalcouyé Defensive midfielder	Swansea	20	-0.2 24/25→25/26	141.4%	6596.7%
47	P. Charles Goalkeeper	Sheffield Wednesday	20	-0.4 24/25→25/26	49.8%	6810.8%
48	Joel Tshisanga Ndala Winger	Hull City	20	-1.2 24/25→25/26	519.4%	6329.7%
49	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	-1.7 24/25→25/26	344.8%	9545.6%
50	J. Hinshelwood Attacking midfielder	Brighton	21	-3.3 24/25→25/26	329.3%	944.7%