Top-scoring U21 defensive midfielders

The top-scoring 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 scorersCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	goals	Season	Rating
1	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	7	32298.8%	4117.6%
2	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	7	37	47
3	Findlay Curtis Defensive midfielder	Kilmarnock	19	6	422216.7%	498.1%
4	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	6	4952%	8212.9%
5	A. Stanković Defensive midfielder	Club Brugge KV	20	6	45	66
6	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	5	3017.4%	470.6%
7	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	5	2644.5%	5047.9%
8	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	5	4671.4%	4116.6%
9	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	5	3624.8%	5913.1%
10	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	5	55485.1%	9017%
11	V. Dragojević Defensive midfielder	FK Partizan	20	4	38	45
12	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	4	48135%	7017.8%
13	Robert Defensive midfielder	FC Copenhagen	21	4	2595.3%	462.5%
14	Rafel Bauzà Defensive midfielder	Mirandes	21	4	432417.6%	691.9%
15	E. Bödő Defensive midfielder	Csikszereda	19	3	18	37
16	A. Traoré Defensive midfielder	Karviná	21	3	17	2
17	Ante Kavelj Defensive midfielder	HNK Gorica	20	3	39	40
18	K. WÃ¤tjen Defensive midfielder	VfL Bochum	20	3	22397.8%	6256.1%
19	Vimal Yoganathan Defensive midfielder	Barnsley	20	3	212842.9%	4614.1%
20	Justin Janssen Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	19	3	40925.6%	4933.6%
21	A. Khalaili Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	21	3	46151.4%	657.1%
22	P. Wanner Defensive midfielder	PSV Eindhoven	20	3	3610.5%	783.5%
23	K. Smit Defensive midfielder	AZ Alkmaar	20	3	42336.1%	7919.6%
24	Frederik Emmery Defensive midfielder	Aarhus	19	3	19	4529.6%
25	A. Bah Defensive midfielder	Al-Hazm	20	3	38	57
26	A. Piedfort Defensive midfielder	KVC Westerlo	21	3	44132.5%	606.9%
27	N. Aséko Nkili Defensive midfielder	Hannover 96	20	3	441603.8%	7395.2%
28	José María Andrés Baixauli Defensive midfielder	VfB Stuttgart	21	3	31	8012.4%
29	M. Holíček Defensive midfielder	Crewe	21	3	2310.2%	342.5%
30	Jayden Joseph Defensive midfielder	Tranmere	20	3	22	32
31	B. Khela Defensive midfielder	Peterborough	21	3	28171.8%	5052%
32	M. Tuboly Defensive midfielder	Dunajska Streda	21	2	22	35
33	Iker Jareth Fimbres Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Monterrey	21	2	13	48
34	A. Domínguez Defensive midfielder	CF Pachuca	21	2	22	54
35	Pavel Kacor Defensive midfielder	Karviná	19	2	10	2
36	D. Planka Defensive midfielder	Baník Ostrava	20	2	16	2
37	Jacob Peter Hödl Defensive midfielder	Sturm Graz	19	2	26	50
38	D. Pech Defensive midfielder	BSC Young Boys	19	2	14	43
39	C. Tsawa Defensive midfielder	FC Zurich	19	2	31	45
40	Roger Fernandes Defensive midfielder	Al-Ittihad FC	20	2	212.3%	5715.8%
41	T. Peters Defensive midfielder	Jong Ajax	19	2	34	55
42	R. Matondo Defensive midfielder	Paris FC	18	2	286875%	8024.7%
43	C. Inao OulaÃ¯Defensive midfielder	Trabzonspor	20	2	38175.2%	555.5%
44	M. Dorgeles Defensive midfielder	SC Braga	21	2	1656.6%	6233.7%
45	K. Kouassi Defensive midfielder	Lorient	21	2	4592.7%	8739.7%
46	J. LÃ¤hteenmÃ¤ki Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	20	2	33201.8%	4615.5%
47	Nathan De Cat Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	17	2	3811.4%	6229.9%
48	A. Ochoa Defensive midfielder	Malaga	19	2	14153.7%	6714.2%
49	Maik Defensive midfielder	Sao Paulo	21	2	23	69
50	S. Džodić Defensive midfielder	Almeria	21	2	33717.5%	689.7%