Top-scoring U23 defensive midfielders

The top-scoring 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 top scorersCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	goals	Season	Rating
1	J. James Defensive midfielder	Leicester	22	11	46163.2%	701.1%
2	M. Beier Defensive midfielder	Borussia Dortmund	23	9	538.1%	894.7%
3	G. Zechiël Defensive midfielder	Utrecht	22	9	66542.7%	8226.1%
4	S. Seidl Defensive midfielder	FC BW Linz	23	8	48	47
5	M. Madjed Defensive midfielder	Hammarby FF	21	7	32298.8%	4117.6%
6	G. Diakité Defensive midfielder	Lausanne	20	7	37	47
7	B. Önal Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	22	7	50303.3%	7815.8%
8	Findlay Curtis Defensive midfielder	Kilmarnock	19	6	422216.7%	498.1%
9	O. Okeke Defensive midfielder	KFUM Oslo	23	6	22339.2%	393.2%
10	B. González Defensive midfielder	Guadalajara Chivas	23	6	45	62
11	S. Ouaissa Defensive midfielder	NEC Nijmegen	21	6	4952%	8212.9%
12	C. Casadei Defensive midfielder	Torino	23	6	35166.9%	7910.5%
13	D. Osorio Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	6	4975.5%	505.5%
14	A. Stanković Defensive midfielder	Club Brugge KV	20	6	45	66
15	J. Breum Defensive midfielder	GO Ahead Eagles	22	6	455.1%	745%
16	A. Robertson Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	23	6	3211.3%	5125.1%
17	C. Webster Defensive midfielder	Burton Albion	22	6	263%	481.3%
18	R. Norheim Defensive midfielder	FC Nordsjaelland	21	5	3017.4%	470.6%
19	O. Kričfaluši Defensive midfielder	Baník Ostrava	22	5	27	2
20	F. Afena-Gyan Defensive midfielder	Amed	23	5	28	4910.5%
21	J. Colwill Defensive midfielder	Cardiff	21	5	2644.5%	5047.9%
22	A. Engels Defensive midfielder	Celtic	22	5	3116%	536.7%
23	M. Kislyak Defensive midfielder	CSKA Moscow	20	5	4671.4%	4116.6%
24	Luca Stephenson Defensive midfielder	Dundee Utd	22	5	3826.2%	52±0%
25	Y. Titraoui Defensive midfielder	Charleroi	22	5	4254.4%	6110.5%
26	T. Koudou Defensive midfielder	KV Mechelen	21	5	3624.8%	5913.1%
27	J. Manzambi Defensive midfielder	SC Freiburg	20	5	55485.1%	9017%
28	A. Atta Defensive midfielder	Udinese	23	5	46242.5%	8618.1%
29	Rafa Rodríguez Defensive midfielder	Malaga	23	5	25651.5%	6612.6%
30	Guilherme Henriques da Silva Carvalho Defensive midfielder	Union St. Gilloise	23	4	38	6188.9%
31	E. Alagich Defensive midfielder	Adelaide United	22	4	44	23
32	V. Dragojević Defensive midfielder	FK Partizan	20	4	38	45
33	S. PirgiÄDefensive midfielder	Železničar Pančevo	23	4	35	43
34	P. Brittijn Defensive midfielder	Fortuna Sittard	22	4	5395.6%	7224.9%
35	T. Fukui Defensive midfielder	Arouca	22	4	4651.1%	687.4%
36	S. Charles Defensive midfielder	Southampton	22	4	459.2%	752.9%
37	Mathias De Amorim Defensive midfielder	Famalicao	21	4	48135%	7017.8%
38	D. Castillo Defensive midfielder	FC Midtjylland	22	4	42469.9%	4920.8%
39	Robert Defensive midfielder	FC Copenhagen	21	4	2595.3%	462.5%
40	A. Kurtulan Defensive midfielder	Göztepe	23	4	46219.4%	534.3%
41	A. Valencia Defensive midfielder	Antwerp	22	4	26193.3%	5812.3%
42	M. Baur Defensive midfielder	SC Paderborn 07	22	4	52589.3%	7470.2%
43	Rafel Bauzà Defensive midfielder	Mirandes	21	4	432417.6%	691.9%
44	N. Saliba Defensive midfielder	Anderlecht	22	3	3999%	5937%
45	Lee Tae-Seok Defensive midfielder	Austria Vienna	23	3	47490%	4910.8%
46	D. García Defensive midfielder	FC Juarez	22	3	40	53
47	E. Bödő Defensive midfielder	Csikszereda	19	3	18	37
48	B. Knežević Defensive midfielder	Železničar Pančevo	23	3	18	41
49	C. Souaré Defensive midfielder	Plzen	23	3	185800%	297.3%
50	A. Traoré Defensive midfielder	Karviná	21	3	17	2