Field Insider
Player Finder

Most Improved U21 midfielders This Season

The most improved U21 midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepersMost improved defendersMost improved attackersBest midfieldersMost in-form midfieldersTop-scoring midfielders

At a glance

K. Karetsas of Borussia Dortmund is the standout for raw talent across U21 midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 94.3, and S. El Mala has been the form player this season, grading 56.1, and Julian Dean Rijkhoff leads the scoring with 16 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: N. Aséko Nkili has improved his Season rating most, up +48.4 on last season, while Nathan De Cat's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +45.6 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, M. Palestra of Chelsea is the most valuable name in this group at 94.3.

Best talent
K. Karetsas94.3RTG
Borussia Dortmund
In form
S. El Mala56.1SsN
1. FC Köln
Rising potential
Nathan De Cat+45.6RTG
1899 Hoffenheim · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
N. Aséko Nkili+48.4SsN
Eintracht Frankfurt · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
Julian Dean Rijkhoff16goals
FC Andorra
Most valuable
M. Palestra94.3val
Chelsea
50 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1N. Aséko NkiliCentral midfielderEintracht Frankfurt20+48.4
24/25→25/26
512104.3%7293.8%
2N. MbambaDefensive midfielderLorient21+45.1
24/25→25/26
481366.7%482.2%
3M. PalestraCentral midfielderChelsea21+39.8
24/25→25/26
421895.2%8721.7%
4A. Cozier-DuberryWingerBrighton21+39.3
24/25→25/26
46569.6%5613.3%
5A. SkogmarCentral midfielderMalmo FF20+34.4
24/25→25/26
3790.2%3911.4%
6Berkay YilmazCentral midfielderSC Freiburg21+33.5
24/25→25/26
51193.6%7116.3%
7N. TsakirisAttacking midfielderSan Jose Earthquakes21+32.1
24/25→25/26
45682.8%4718.9%
8R. DonkorCentral midfielderNew York Red Bulls21+31.6
24/25→25/26
39141.6%4817.3%
9W. IgorDefensive midfielderKristiansund BK21+31.3
24/25→25/26
359.7%454.4%
10M. MadjedCentral midfielderHammarby FF21+30.2
24/25→25/26
3915.2%426.9%
11C. Inao OulaïCentral midfielderFiorentina20+29.1
24/25→25/26
4319.9%530.6%
12O. AgougilCentral midfielderJong Utrecht21+29
24/25→25/26
35508.8%5720.4%
13B. RainesCentral midfielderNew England Revolution21+28.5
24/25→25/26
31160.5%4714.4%
14L. UlrichCentral midfielderSC Paderborn 0721+28.4
24/25→25/26
49139.2%6445.5%
15Kofi Jeremy AmoakoDefensive midfielderHamburger SV21+27
24/25→25/26
35325.3%6357%
16J. Hjertø-DahlWingerHull City20+26.9
24/25→25/26
506.3%4414.4%
17J. ManzambiAttacking midfielderAston Villa20+26.8
24/25→25/26
36279.2%9118.4%
18G. ValenzuelaCentral midfielderFC Cincinnati21+23.6
24/25→25/26
34119.2%445.5%
19S. WegenCentral midfielderJong Utrecht21+23.2
24/25→25/26
34±0%57±0%
20D. MartínezWingerLos Angeles FC20+22.8
24/25→25/26
3578.8%474.4%
21B. KhelaCentral midfielderBirmingham21+22.6
24/25→25/26
3313.4%50±0%
22S. KilenCentral midfielderKristiansund BK21+22.3
24/25→25/26
39133.5%4734%
23H. AmassDefensive midfielderManchester United19+22.2
24/25→25/26
26541.5%721.9%
24N. AsiimweDefensive midfielderCharlton21+21.4
24/25→25/26
28324.2%4853.4%
25O. LuntCentral midfielderCrewe21+21.1
24/25→25/26
231110.5%3417.8%
26H. KrohgCentral midfielderMoss19+21.1
24/25→25/26
21347%
27BrenoCentral midfielderCorinthians21+20.4
24/25→25/26
3627%745.6%
28O. SjöstrandCentral midfielderMalmo FF21+19.6
24/25→25/26
2346.7%3740.3%
29C. UzunWingerEintracht Frankfurt20+19.5
24/25→25/26
37112.1%81±0%
30M. BomholtCentral midfielderRosenborg20+19.4
24/25→25/26
4673.5%499.1%
31M. TaitCentral midfielderHeart Of Midlothian21+18.7
23/24→25/26
24±0%503.8%
32S. FusireDefensive midfielderSheffield Wednesday21+18.7
24/25→25/26
27239.7%62114.1%
33M. DelgadoDefensive midfielderBoca Juniors21+18.5
24/25→25/26
2518.7%552.6%
34K. WätjenCentral midfielderVfL Bochum20+18.2
24/25→25/26
23±0%62±0%
35S. El MalaWinger1. FC Köln20+17.9
24/25→25/26
5646.9%8676.3%
36H. SynchukCentral midfielderCF Montreal20+17.6
24/25→25/26
24374%449%
37Julian Dean RijkhoffAttacking midfielderFC Andorra21+16.5
24/25→25/26
486.9%621.5%
38O. PietuszewskiCentral midfielderFC Porto18+16.2
24/25→25/26
166588.6%
39S. KontourisDefensive midfielderPanathinaikos21+16.1
24/25→25/26
19536.7%4114.2%
40Joseph OkopuAttacking midfielderSwansea21+15.7
24/25→25/26
5046.4%6624.6%
41O. Kvendbø HoldenCentral midfielderRanheim21+15.3
24/25→25/26
153412.8%
42A. ThomasCentral midfielderRB Leipzig19+15.1
24/25→25/26
25155.7%5915.9%
43L. GoemaereDefensive midfielderStandard Liege20+15.1
24/25→25/26
25149.5%431.8%
44Senny MayuluAttacking midfielderParis Saint Germain20+15
24/25→25/26
30102.7%878%
45S. SosaCentral midfielderDefensa Y Justicia21+14.5
24/25→25/26
241381.2%5530%
46L. KolstadCentral midfielderRanheim21+14.2
24/25→25/26
20267.9%346.6%
47A. MemedovAttacking midfielderMoss21+14.1
24/25→25/26
23164%336.8%
48Yoon Do-YongCentral midfielder1. FC Magdeburg19+13.7
24/25→25/26
18291.5%5313.1%
49Gady BeyukuCentral midfielderModena20+13.5
24/25→25/26
17435.5%626.8%
50A. TouréCentral midfielderMetz20+13
24/25→25/26
20185.7%7121%