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 T. Muyumba has been the form player this season, grading 47.7.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: N. Caliskan has improved his Season rating most, up +41.4 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, T. Jacob of Atlanta United FC is the most valuable name in this group at 13.4.

Real Salt Lake · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

N. Caliskan+41.4SsN

Real Salt Lake · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by highest valueCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	T. Jacob Defensive midfielder	Atlanta United FC	22	13.4	44377.4%	475.7%
2	N. Caliskan Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	26	12.9	4365.3%	4111%
3	C. Durkin Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	26	12.9	39186.1%	4024.7%
4	Alonso Coello Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	26	11.8	3935.6%	405.2%
5	K. Kossa-Rienzi Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	24	11.3	3797.3%	43±0%
6	Bryan Josías Ramírez León Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	26	11.1	33	39
7	J. Davis Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	24	10.9	32141.7%	428.6%
8	L. Sanabria Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles Galaxy	22	10.7	35302.3%	4314.8%
9	L. Walta Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles FC	23	10.4	393.9%	5843.1%
10	A. Mehmeti Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	17	10.2	47	53
11	Y. Bright Defensive midfielder	Inter Miami	25	10.2	2730.3%	4110.2%
12	M. Peltola Defensive midfielder	DC United	24	10.2	33112.8%	4410.6%
13	J. Haak Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles Galaxy	25	9.2	3027.5%	433.6%
14	E. Tagseth Defensive midfielder	Nashville SC	25	9.2	2416%	405.2%
15	N. Palacio Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	25	8.8	28136.1%	425%
16	S. Gidi Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	22	8.6	29232.2%	4412.5%
17	H. Ojediran Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	22	8.6	26107.9%	4438.2%
18	N. Acevedo Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	27	8.3	2710.4%	3828.4%
19	J. Lukić Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	24	8.3	2635%	424.5%
20	J. Caicedo Defensive midfielder	Portland Timbers	24	7.7	1734.4%	3917.3%
21	S. Bangoura Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	24	7.4	1557.1%	384.9%
22	D. Douděra Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	28	7.2	18	1
23	B. Bender Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	25	6.9	131333.3%	3710.4%
24	T. Karumanchi Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	23	6.9	6	37
25	J. Reid Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	25	6.8	13131%	368.8%
26	B. Servania Defensive midfielder	DC United	27	6.8	2214.3%	377%
27	S. Brunell Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	19	6.7	24332.1%	4510.1%
28	J. Bueno Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	27	6.7	1949.2%	325.4%
29	O. Wolff Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	21	6.5	978%	3823.7%
30	T. Ku-DiPietro Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	24	6.4	193.5%	3412.2%
31	Luis Otávio Defensive midfielder	Orlando City SC	19	6.3	19125.3%	4329.7%
32	Hosei Kijima Defensive midfielder	DC United	24	6.3	279.4%	3417.1%
33	C. Brunet Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	22	6.2	1	35
34	Ricky Louis Defensive midfielder	FC Dallas	21	6.2	0	36
35	K. Pierre Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	22	6.2	1	35
36	Luke Hille Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	23	6.1	0	33
37	P. Ault Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	21	6.1	1	36
38	S. Oregel Defensive midfielder	Chicago Fire	21	6.1	192.2%	3618%
39	A. O'Neill Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	28	6.1	2043.2%	293.4%
40	Z. Zengue Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	21	6.1	0	36
41	C. Clark Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	23	6	290%	3418.5%
42	N. Benedetti Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	6	2142.9%	3619%
43	P. Stroud Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	24	6	098.9%	3223.4%
44	Adrian Gill Defensive midfielder	Atlanta United FC	20	6	3	37
45	Jeong Ho-Yeon Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	25	5.9	278.7%	3238.8%
46	J. Shore Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	19	5.9	763.3%	396.7%
47	K. Agyabeng Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	19	5.8	9	37
48	Célio Pompeu Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	26	5.8	294%	3017.2%
49	T. Pearce Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	19	5.6	1	37
50	Caleb Swann Defensive midfielder	FC Dallas	19	5.6	0	37