William Hughes

Hughes's current-season form is level with last season (Season 13→13), while his Rating held around 36. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 35).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Crystal Palace · 16th	2	0	0	6.36	36	13
2025/26	Crystal Palace · 15th	31	0	0	6.78	36	13
2024/25	Crystal Palace · 12th	33	0	3	6.78	55	35
2023/24	Crystal Palace · 10th	31	0	1	6.83	59	27
2022/23	Crystal Palace · 11th	27	1	1	6.64	61	19

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 11 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

England · international

Side	Apps	G
England U21	12	2
England U17	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentral midfielder

W. Hughes is a 31-year-old central midfielder at Crystal Palace, rated 36.1 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option this season (46.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.85 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Hughes.

On the season, Hughes graded 13 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 0 assists and 2.854 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 13 → 13). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 36. At 31 Hughes is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 19.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2024/25 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2024/25Trending downRemarkably consistentStepped up 2021/22

36.1

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

12.9

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

46.1%

Minutes

rotation minutes

2.85

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Crystal Palace finished 15th of 20 · a lower-table side

Apps

2.85

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.85 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 31 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (15th of 20) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight.

Strengths

Pedigree. Performing in a top-tier setting (team strength 92.6/100).

Watch points

Game time. Only 46.1% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 36.1 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.85 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %46.1%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 902.854

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Cards / 900.399

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~43), then tapers with age. At 31, Hughes sits on 19.5, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Hughes's projected Rating — 36.1 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Premier League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles27

Interceptions15

Blocks8

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards7

Red cards0

Transfer history

€16.1M total transfer fees · 2 moves

Crystal PalaceAug 2021 – now€ 7M

WatfordJun 2017 – Aug 2021€ 9.1M

Derbyuntil Jun 2017

About W. Hughes

William James Hughes is a 31-year-old central midfielder who plays for Crystal Palace, born on April 17, 1995 in Surrey, standing 185 cm tall. He is from England. Crystal Palace currently sit 16th of 20 in the Premier League.

This season

In the current season, W. Hughes has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 29 minutes, averaging a 6.26 match rating over his last 2 rated games.

Recent matches

September 12, 2026: 2-3 loss at home vs Ipswich (13 minutes, 6.11 rating)
September 5, 2026: 3-2 win away at Fulham (16 minutes, 6.41 rating)

W. Hughes's next match is on September 20, 2026, when Crystal Palace face Leeds away in the Premier League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates W. Hughes at 36.1 with a Season form score of 12.9. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the Community Shield and the FA Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 16 recorded seasons, W. Hughes has totalled 418 club appearances with 18 goals and 18 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2013/14, with 44 appearances for Derby.

W. Hughes's career has also included time at Watford and Derby.

On the international stage, W. Hughes has represented England U21 and England U17 — 15 caps and 2 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.