Most valuable U23 defensive midfielders

The most valuable 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 highest valueCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	val	Season	Rating
1	A. Scott Defensive midfielder	Bournemouth	22	173.5	47361.4%	9118.6%
2	A. Wharton Defensive midfielder	Crystal Palace	22	171.8	51134.9%	908.9%
3	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	171.2	344.8%	9545.6%
4	Y. Yarmolyuk Defensive midfielder	Brentford	22	168.2	42128.4%	899.8%
5	Pedri Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	23	165	5915.9%	908.4%
6	T. Iroegbunam Defensive midfielder	Everton	23	162	33144.1%	816.3%
7	I. Moriba Defensive midfielder	Celta Vigo	23	161	4854.2%	884.8%
8	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	160.7	2959.1%	899.7%
9	L. Ugochukwu Defensive midfielder	Burnley	22	160.2	41±0%	845.1%
10	C. Baleba Defensive midfielder	Brighton	22	159	2256.7%	848.2%
11	Hugo Bueno Defensive midfielder	Wolves	23	157.8	40140.4%	7912.7%
12	Jon Gorrotxategi Defensive midfielder	Real Sociedad	23	156.8	468.9%	8514.5%
13	M. Perrone Defensive midfielder	Como	23	151	4674.1%	889.2%
14	L. Bogarde Defensive midfielder	Aston Villa	22	150.9	1192.7%	794.1%
15	Mikel Jauregizar Defensive midfielder	Athletic Club	22	148.4	446.6%	852.1%
16	Andrey Santos Defensive midfielder	Chelsea	22	148.4	2156.4%	7811.9%
17	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	147.4	538.1%	894.7%
18	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	147.2	46242.5%	8618.1%
19	R. Lavia Defensive midfielder	Chelsea	22	141.4	744.4%	7410%
20	F. Potts Defensive midfielder	West Ham	22	140.2	1849.2%	742.1%
21	S. Magassa Defensive midfielder	West Ham	22	137.2	207.5%	722.6%
22	Gavi Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	21	137	181.7%	833.6%
23	T. Morton Defensive midfielder	Lyon	23	136.2	4515.1%	8412.3%
24	C. Casadei Defensive midfielder	Torino	23	135.7	35166.9%	7910.5%
25	L. Avdullahu Defensive midfielder	1899 Hoffenheim	22	135.6	32	86
26	L. Camara Defensive midfielder	Monaco	22	135	64107.4%	884.5%
27	Marc Casadó Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	22	134.1	1261.6%	7710.9%
28	Alejandro Rego Defensive midfielder	Athletic Club	23	132.8	25	72
29	D. Rensch Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	23	131.9	2617.8%	7715%
30	M. Lewis-Skelly Defensive midfielder	Arsenal	19	129.9	575.4%	815.9%
31	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	129.4	2938.3%	844.2%
32	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	127.8	23788.5%	8715.7%
33	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	127.4	55485.1%	9017%
34	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	127.3	4592.7%	8739.7%
35	A. Jashari Defensive midfielder	AC Milan	23	126.8	1265.4%	7424.7%
36	A. Pavlović Defensive midfielder	Bayern München	22	126.8	3047.3%	801.6%
37	Iker Muñoz Defensive midfielder	Osasuna	23	126.6	817.6%	697.5%
38	A. Milambo Defensive midfielder	Brentford	21	126.5	195%	709.5%
39	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Atletico Madrid	20	126.4	1850.3%	8170.5%
40	Coba Defensive midfielder	Getafe	23	126	361.6%	693.5%
41	M. Prati Defensive midfielder	Cagliari	22	125.7	31477.4%	7714.1%
42	Dário Essugo Defensive midfielder	Chelsea	21	125.6	293.6%	709.2%
43	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	125.5	50132.4%	8612.8%
44	A. Pyrka Defensive midfielder	FC St. Pauli	23	124.3	2950.8%	75101.9%
45	T. Le Bris Defensive midfielder	Lorient	23	124.3	3973.4%	7726.8%
46	G. Gineitis Defensive midfielder	Torino	22	124.2	260.8%	763.1%
47	T. Dibling Defensive midfielder	Everton	20	123.4	483.7%	739%
48	Y. Musah Defensive midfielder	Atalanta	23	122.3	948.6%	7110.5%
49	Manuel Ángel Defensive midfielder	Real Madrid	22	120.1	1	69
50	Í. Bergmann Jóhannesson Defensive midfielder	1. FC Köln	23	120	2841.2%	721.1%