Most Valuable defensive midfielders by Market Value in Major League Soccer 2026

The most valuable defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Most valuable goalkeepers in Major League Soccer Most valuable defenders in Major League Soccer Most valuable midfielders in Major League Soccer Most valuable attackers in Major League Soccer Best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer Most in-form defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer

At a glance

A. Mehmeti of New York Red Bulls is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 53.4, and J. Haak leads the scoring with 2 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: J. Lukić has improved his Season rating most, up +25.8 on last season, while J. Haak's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +4.1 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, J. Haak of Los Angeles Galaxy is the most valuable name in this group at 11.9.

Los Angeles Galaxy · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Lukić+25.8SsN

Philadelphia Union · 22/23→25/26

50 players · ranked by highest valueCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	J. Haak Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles Galaxy	25	11.9	3027.5%	433.6%
2	Alonso Coello Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	27	11.5	3935.6%	4015.1%
3	J. Lukić Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	24	9.9	2635%	424.5%
4	M. Peltola Defensive midfielder	DC United	24	9	33112.8%	4410.6%
5	A. Mehmeti Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	17	9	47	53
6	L. Sanabria Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles Galaxy	22	8.9	35302.3%	4314.8%
7	S. Zawadzki Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	26	8.9	2229.6%	414.8%
8	N. Palacio Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	25	8.8	28136.1%	425%
9	N. Acevedo Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	27	8.3	2710.4%	3828.4%
10	Y. Bright Defensive midfielder	Inter Miami	25	8	2730.3%	4110.2%
11	S. Gidi Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	22	7.9	29232.2%	4412.5%
12	H. Ojediran Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	22	7.7	26107.9%	4438.2%
13	J. Davis Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	24	7.7	32141.7%	428.6%
14	E. Tagseth Defensive midfielder	Nashville SC	25	7.5	2416%	405.2%
15	J. Caicedo Defensive midfielder	Portland Timbers	24	7.4	1734.4%	3917.3%
16	M. Corcoran Defensive midfielder	Nashville SC	20	7.2	15274.4%	4417.2%
17	S. Bangoura Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	24	7.1	1557.1%	384.9%
18	S. Brunell Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	19	6.9	24332.1%	4510.1%
19	T. Karumanchi Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	23	6.9	6	37
20	B. Bender Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	25	6.8	131333.3%	3710.4%
21	M. Sofo Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	6.8	1522.9%	424.6%
22	B. Servania Defensive midfielder	DC United	27	6.6	2214.3%	377%
23	J. Reid Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	25	6.6	13131%	368.8%
24	S. Vasquez Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles FC	22	6.5	2	36
25	M. Amaro Defensive midfielder	Atlanta United FC	21	6.5	7	38
26	C. Brunet Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	22	6.4	1	35
27	Ricky Louis Defensive midfielder	FC Dallas	22	6.4	0	36
28	P. Ault Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	21	6.3	1	36
29	T. Ku-DiPietro Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	24	6.2	193.5%	3412.2%
30	Luis Otávio Defensive midfielder	Orlando City SC	19	6.2	19125.3%	4329.7%
31	J. Bueno Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	27	6.2	1949.2%	325.4%
32	Z. Zengue Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	21	6.2	0	36
33	K. Pierre Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	22	6.2	1	35
34	A. Mekvabishvili Defensive midfielder	Chicago Fire	25	6.1	36±0%	37±0%
35	Luke Hille Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	23	6.1	0	33
36	P. Stroud Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	24	6	098.9%	3223.4%
37	N. Benedetti Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	6	2142.9%	3619%
38	Adrian Gill Defensive midfielder	Atlanta United FC	20	6	3	37
39	J. Shore Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	19	5.9	763.3%	396.7%
40	Colin Guske Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	19	5.8	1125%	361.1%
41	O. Wolff Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	21	5.8	978%	3823.7%
42	K. Agyabeng Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	19	5.8	9	37
43	Célio Pompeu Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	26	5.8	294%	3017.2%
44	T. Pearce Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	19	5.7	1	37
45	Caleb Swann Defensive midfielder	FC Dallas	19	5.6	0	37
46	Gavin Turner Defensive midfielder	DC United	19	5.5	1	36±0%
47	Tristan Brown Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	19	5.5	1	37
48	Joyeux Masanka Bungi Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	19	5.5	2	37
49	S. Kone Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	19	5.5	2	37
50	Jeong Ho-Yeon Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	26	5.4	278.7%	3238.8%