Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Crystal Palace.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Premier League | 31 | 0 | 0 | 1577 | 6.78 |
 UEFA Europa Conference League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 451 | 6.91 |
 League Cup | 3 | 0 | 0 | 179 | 6.87 |
 Community Shield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 7.5 |
 FA Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 6.3 |
Scout report
W. Hughes is a 31-year-old defensive midfielder at Crystal Palace, rated 36.3 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 338th of 376 on scout potential in the Premier League. 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.
Judged on this season alone, Hughes graded 13 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 53rd of 55 of the 55 defensive midfielders in the Premier League, on 0 goals, 0 assists and 2.854 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 35 → 13). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2024/25.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 36, 50th of 55 of the 55 defensive midfielders in the Premier League. At 31 Hughes is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 19.6 reflects that trajectory.
Past his 2024/25 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.
Output in context · Crystal Palace finished 15th of 20 · a lower-table side
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
With a Rating of 36.3, Hughes carries the 50th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Premier League of 55, and he is posting that for a lower-table side (Crystal Palace finished 15th of 20) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. 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.
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
