Most improved U23 defensive midfielders

The most improved 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 improvedCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	ΔSsN	Season	Rating
1	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	+55.9 24/25→25/26	66542.7%	8226.1%
2	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	+45.6 24/25→25/26	55485.1%	9017%
3	H. Amass Defensive midfielder	Sheffield Wednesday	19	+44.9 24/25→25/26	491095.1%	704.8%
4	M. Baur Defensive midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	22	+44.2 24/25→25/26	52589.3%	7470.2%
5	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	+41.7 24/25→25/26	441603.8%	7395.2%
6	N. Mbamba Defensive midfielder	Dender	21	+40.9 24/25→25/26	451105.4%	6123.2%
7	Lee Tae-Seok Defensive midfielder	Austria Vienna	23	+39.2 24/25→25/26	47490%	4910.8%
8	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	+37.3 24/25→25/26	50303.3%	7815.8%
9	A. Scott Defensive midfielder	Bournemouth	22	+36.5 24/25→25/26	47361.4%	9118.6%
10	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	+36.1 24/25→25/26	40925.6%	4933.6%
11	D. Castillo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	+34.3 24/25→25/26	42469.9%	4920.8%
12	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	+33.2 24/25→25/26	64107.4%	884.5%
13	G. Yah Defensive midfielder	FC Volendam	22	+32.9 24/25→25/26	47230.1%	6844.1%
14	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	+32.6 24/25→25/26	42336.1%	7919.6%
15	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	+32.5 24/25→25/26	46242.5%	8618.1%
16	S. Braybrooke Defensive midfielder	Chesterfield	22	+32.1 24/25→25/26	351234.6%	366.3%
17	A. Kurtulan Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	23	+31.6 24/25→25/26	46219.4%	534.3%
18	Metinho Defensive midfielder	FC Basel 1893	23	+29.5 24/25→25/26	33756.4%	4619.8%
19	A. Wharton Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	22	+29 24/25→25/26	51134.9%	908.9%
20	S. Džodić Defensive midfielder	Almeria	21	+28.7 24/25→25/26	33717.5%	689.7%
21	J. James Defensive midfielder	Leicester	22	+28.4 24/25→25/26	46163.2%	701.1%
22	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	+28.2 24/25→25/26	50132.4%	8612.8%
23	F. Afena-Gyan Defensive midfielder	Amed	23	+28.1 23/24→25/26	28	4910.5%
24	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	+27.8 24/25→25/26	48135%	7017.8%
25	V. Saus Defensive midfielder	Baltika	22	+27.7 24/25→25/26	28	3522.8%
26	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	+27.7 24/25→25/26	46151.4%	657.1%
27	E. Camara Defensive midfielder	Charleroi	23	+26.8 24/25→25/26	46139.6%	595.6%
28	C. Favasuli Defensive midfielder	Catanzaro	22	+26.5 24/25→25/26	47127.4%	7216.4%
29	Cauan Barros Defensive midfielder	Vasco DA Gama	22	+25.9 23/24→25/26	30719.4%	668.3%
30	P. Brittijn Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	22	+25.9 24/25→25/26	5395.6%	7224.9%
31	M. Prati Defensive midfielder	Cagliari	22	+25.3 24/25→25/26	31477.4%	7714.1%
32	A. Piedfort Defensive midfielder	KVC Westerlo	21	+25.3 24/25→25/26	44132.5%	606.9%
33	M. Pannewig Defensive midfielder	VfL Bochum	21	+24.9 24/25→25/26	28711.4%	621.4%
34	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	+24.2 24/25→25/26	32298.8%	4117.6%
35	C. Inao OulaÃ¯Defensive midfielder	Trabzonspor	20	+24 24/25→25/26	38175.2%	555.5%
36	A. Engwanda Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	23	+24 24/25→25/26	43129.7%	7410.8%
37	Kofi Jeremy Amoako Defensive midfielder	Dynamo Dresden	21	+23.9 24/25→25/26	33257%	6357%
38	S. Ebonog Defensive midfielder	Le Havre	21	+23.9 24/25→25/26	27682.9%	7594.3%
39	M. Tait Defensive midfielder	Livingston	20	+23.7 23/24→25/26	29455.8%	5012.9%
40	Y. Yarmolyuk Defensive midfielder	Brentford	22	+23.5 24/25→25/26	42128.4%	899.8%
41	Hugo Bueno Defensive midfielder	Wolves	23	+23.3 24/25→25/26	40140.4%	7912.7%
42	E. Terzi Defensive midfielder	Serik Spor	22	+22.3 24/25→25/26	26557.5%	46±0%
43	J. LÃ¤hteenmÃ¤ki Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	20	+22 24/25→25/26	33201.8%	4615.5%
44	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	+21.7 24/25→25/26	4592.7%	8739.7%
45	C. Casadei Defensive midfielder	Torino	23	+21.7 24/25→25/26	35166.9%	7910.5%
46	K. Van de Perre Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	22	+21.2 24/25→25/26	35153.6%	6010.5%
47	D. Osorio Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	+20.9 24/25→25/26	4975.5%	505.5%
48	N. Dismas Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	23	+20.8 24/25→25/26	41103.5%	512%
49	R. Wagner Defensive midfielder	Dynamo Dresden	23	+20.7 24/25→25/26	24575%	624.9%
50	Igor Jesus Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles FC	23	+20.6 24/25→25/26	30214.6%	4614.4%