Most creative U21 defensive midfielders

The most creative 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 55, 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 +45.6 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 171.2.

Le Havre · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Manzambi+45.6SsN

SC Freiburg · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by top assistsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	assists	Season	Rating
1	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	6	37	47
2	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	6	4952%	8212.9%
3	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	6	4592.7%	8739.7%
4	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	5	32298.8%	4117.6%
5	Boris Matić Defensive midfielder	Wolfsberger AC	21	5	36	45
6	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	5	46151.4%	657.1%
7	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	5	4671.4%	4116.6%
8	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	5	441603.8%	7395.2%
9	A. Domínguez Defensive midfielder	CF Pachuca	21	4	22	54
10	D. Planka Defensive midfielder	Baník Ostrava	20	4	16	2
11	M. Tait Defensive midfielder	Livingston	20	4	29455.8%	5012.9%
12	C. Inao OulaÃ¯Defensive midfielder	Trabzonspor	20	4	38175.2%	555.5%
13	M. Siltanen Defensive midfielder	Djurgardens IF	19	4	39	42
14	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	4	3811.4%	6229.9%
15	A. Bulatović Defensive midfielder	Lens	19	4	22	76
16	N. Pisilli Defensive midfielder	AS Roma	21	4	2938.3%	844.2%
17	Frederik Emmery Defensive midfielder	Aarhus	19	4	19	4529.6%
18	V. Barco Defensive midfielder	Strasbourg	21	4	50132.4%	8612.8%
19	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	4	55485.1%	9017%
20	A. Lahdo Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	18	3	122240%	3718.4%
21	V. Dragojević Defensive midfielder	FK Partizan	20	3	38	45
22	M. Amadou Sabo Defensive midfielder	Javor	21	3	33	43
23	I. Canjuga Defensive midfielder	NK Varazdin	20	3	13	37
24	T. Peters Defensive midfielder	Jong Ajax	19	3	34	55
25	D. Kristjánsson Defensive midfielder	FC Fredericia	20	3	28	45
26	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	3	40925.6%	4933.6%
27	A. Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Malaga	19	3	14153.7%	6714.2%
28	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	3	3610.5%	783.5%
29	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	3	42336.1%	7919.6%
30	O. Leśniak Defensive midfielder	Piast Gliwice	21	3	131118.2%	357.3%
31	B. Mazurek Defensive midfielder	Jagiellonia	19	3	21	4021%
32	A. Bakoune Defensive midfielder	Monza	20	3	15	63
33	L. Colombo Defensive midfielder	Monza	21	3	18	64
34	Rafel Bauzà Defensive midfielder	Mirandes	21	3	432417.6%	691.9%
35	Daniel Gore Defensive midfielder	Rotherham	21	3	261361.1%	4610%
36	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	3	28171.8%	5052%
37	A. Mayor Defensive midfielder	Cambridge United	21	3	19	3515%
38	Jacob Wright Defensive midfielder	Norwich	20	3	1674.4%	663.3%
39	R. Donkor Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	2	18117.1%	422.7%
40	Kyle James McAdam Defensive midfielder	Northampton	21	2	20	44
41	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	2	3017.4%	470.6%
42	R. Nzingoula Defensive midfielder	1. FC Nürnberg	20	2	1371.7%	6016.8%
43	Jan Faberski Defensive midfielder	PEC Zwolle	20	2	1153%	617.2%
44	Paul Michael Junior Okon-Engstler Defensive midfielder	Sydney	21	2	335366.7%	2249.2%
45	H. Sochurek Defensive midfielder	Sparta Praha	17	2	6	2
46	Ante Kavelj Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	20	2	39	40
47	M. Subotić Defensive midfielder	NK Lokomotiva Zagreb	18	2	19	39
48	Jacob Peter Hödl Defensive midfielder	Sturm Graz	19	2	26	50
49	C. Tsawa Defensive midfielder	FC Zurich	19	2	31	45
50	Gokdeniz Tunc Defensive midfielder	Adana Demirspor	19	2	20	4824%