Fastest-growing U21 defensive midfielders

The fastest-growing (by % Rating change) U21 defensive midfielders, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the standout for raw talent across U21 defensive midfielders, with a Field Insider Rating of 95.1, and J. Manzambi has been the form player this season, grading 58.8, and M. Madjed leads the scoring with 7 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: J. Manzambi has improved his Season rating most, up +49.2 on last season, while S. Ebonog's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +36.2 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, N. Sadiki of Sunderland is the most valuable name in this group at 102.7.

Le Havre · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Manzambi+49.2SsN

SC Freiburg · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by biggest rating change %Customise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Δ%	Season	Rating
1	M. Yalcouyé Defensive midfielder	Swansea	20	+96.7 24/25→25/26	155%	6596.7%
2	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	+95.2 24/25→25/26	461917.4%	7395.2%
3	S. Ebonog Defensive midfielder	Le Havre	21	+94.3 24/25→25/26	26528.6%	7594.3%
4	O. Vargas Defensive midfielder	Atletico Madrid	20	+70.5 24/25→25/26	1750.3%	8170.5%
5	Kofi Jeremy Amoako Defensive midfielder	Dynamo Dresden	21	+57 24/25→25/26	32289.2%	6357%
6	Cameron Bragg Defensive midfielder	Southampton	21	+56.9 24/25→25/26	6328.6%	6256.9%
7	K. WÃ¤tjen Defensive midfielder	VfL Bochum	20	+56.1 24/25→25/26	23420%	6256.1%
8	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	+52 24/25→25/26	29181.6%	5052%
9	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	+47.9 24/25→25/26	2848.7%	5047.9%
10	L. Miller Defensive midfielder	Udinese	19	+46.6 24/25→25/26	1667.1%	7746.6%
11	N. Sadiki Defensive midfielder	Sunderland	21	+45.6 24/25→25/26	3210.3%	9545.6%
12	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	+39.7 24/25→25/26	48106%	8739.7%
13	M. Dorgeles Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	21	+33.7 24/25→25/26	1754.9%	6233.7%
14	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	+33.6 24/25→25/26	411074.3%	4933.6%
15	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	+29.9 24/25→25/26	3910.3%	6229.9%
16	N. Mbamba Defensive midfielder	Dender	21	+23.2 24/25→25/26	441230.3%	6123.2%
17	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	+19.6 24/25→25/26	44416.3%	7919.6%
18	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	+17.8 24/25→25/26	49140.5%	7017.8%
19	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	+17.6 24/25→25/26	37338.1%	4117.6%
20	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	+17 24/25→25/26	59512.5%	9017%
21	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	+16.6 24/25→25/26	4886.9%	4116.6%
22	Marc Bernal Defensive midfielder	Barcelona	19	+15.7 24/25→25/26	24895.8%	8715.7%
23	J. LÃ¤hteenmÃ¤ki Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	20	+15.5 24/25→25/26	33206.4%	4615.5%
24	A. Mayor Defensive midfielder	Cambridge United	21	+15 24/25→25/26	20	3515%
25	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	+14.6 24/25→25/26	3262.4%	8714.6%
26	A. Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Malaga	19	+14.2 24/25→25/26	15212.5%	6714.2%
27	G. Apostolakis Defensive midfielder	OFI	21	+13.1 24/25→25/26	21315.7%	4113.1%
28	C. Ordoñez Defensive midfielder	Parma	21	+12.9 24/25→25/26	1657.5%	7212.9%
29	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	+12.9 24/25→25/26	5462.2%	8212.9%
30	M. Tait Defensive midfielder	Livingston	20	+12.9 23/24→25/26	29449.1%	5012.9%
31	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	+12.8 24/25→25/26	51144.8%	8612.8%
32	D. Ozoh Defensive midfielder	Derby	21	+12.7 24/25→25/26	30159.1%	6912.7%
33	Izan Merino Defensive midfielder	Malaga	20	+12.4 24/25→25/26	1518.7%	7012.4%
34	S. Skeide Defensive midfielder	Kristiansund BK	21	+11.3 23/24→25/26	940.3%	3811.3%
35	L. Pedersen Defensive midfielder	Randers FC	20	+10.7 24/25→25/26	25190.8%	4410.7%
36	F. Dicke Defensive midfielder	MVV	21	+10.3 24/25→25/26	1115.3%	4810.3%
37	R. Walters Defensive midfielder	Port Vale	20	+9.9 23/24→25/26	14	439.9%
38	S. Džodić Defensive midfielder	Almeria	21	+9.7 24/25→25/26	33802.8%	689.7%
39	K. Mainoo Defensive midfielder	Manchester United	21	+9.7 24/25→25/26	2979.5%	899.7%
40	A. Kemlein Defensive midfielder	Union Berlin	21	+9.6 24/25→25/26	27120.8%	779.6%
41	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	+7.1 24/25→25/26	47151.1%	657.1%
42	A. Piedfort Defensive midfielder	KVC Westerlo	21	+6.9 24/25→25/26	44136.4%	606.9%
43	Anass Zarrouk Defensive midfielder	Willem II	20	+6.5 24/25→25/26	813.5%	516.5%
44	J. Bellingham Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	20	+6.2 24/25→25/26	2837.3%	826.2%
45	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	+4.2 24/25→25/26	3040.7%	844.2%
46	Joel McGregor Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	20	+4.2 24/25→25/26	1953.3%	334.2%
47	Jake Thomas Batty Defensive midfielder	Swindon Town	21	+3.9 24/25→25/26	1239.2%	323.9%
48	J. Martini Defensive midfielder	Sudtirol	21	+3.6 24/25→25/26	16168.9%	583.6%
49	Jacob Wright Defensive midfielder	Norwich	20	+3.3 24/25→25/26	1672%	663.3%
50	R. Donkor Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	+2.7 24/25→25/26	18141.1%	422.7%