For immediate quality in Football Manager 2024, Rodri, Declan Rice and Joshua Kimmich lead this ranking, followed by Frenkie de Jong and Bruno Guimarães. The first 15 places follow the order of Sortitoutsi’s FM24 list, which ranks players by current ability and notes that its listed players have a perfect defensive-midfielder rating. Places 16–30 are a separate, potential-focused group drawn from Football Manager Blog’s FM24 wonderkid shortlist; they are prospects, not a claim that they outperform the established players today.
This is an FM24 database ranking, not a verdict on the best real-world defensive midfielders. Current ability determines the order in the established-player group; the prospect group follows the order of the cited potential-oriented shortlist. Role descriptions are practical distinctions—ball winning, shielding and distribution—not a promise that a player will suit every tactic. The game’s Main Data Update was announced on 29 February 2024. Sports Interactive said it included more than six million data changes, with Current Ability ratings and attributes adjusted for tens of thousands of players. The updated data requires a new save; gameplay adjustments apply to existing careers. Availability can therefore vary with database version and save setup.
Best established defensive midfielders for immediate impact
These 15 names follow Sortitoutsi’s FM24 current-ability ordering. The source says its players have a perfect DM rating, but also cautions that not all will improve. Treat club affiliations as database context rather than current transfer advice.
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Rodri — Manchester City
The highest-ranked option on the cited current-ability list. Consider him when the tactic needs an elite defensive midfielder who can anchor the middle of the pitch; his ranking reflects database ability, not a guaranteed fit for a particular role or system.
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Declan Rice — Arsenal
Second on the same list and an immediate-quality choice for a side seeking a strong central presence. His placement is based on current ability, so it should not be read as a forecast of development or a statement about transfer accessibility.
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Joshua Kimmich — Bayern Munich
Third in the current-ability ranking. He is one of the leading established options for managers who want a defensive midfielder involved in distribution as well as protection, though the best role depends on the rest of the tactic.
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Frenkie de Jong — Barcelona
Fourth on the list. A natural candidate if the midfield brief includes progressing possession from deep, rather than prioritizing a pure ball-winner; use the role and duties that fit the team around him.
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Bruno Guimarães — Newcastle United
Fifth in Sortitoutsi’s ordering. He gives managers another high-current-ability option for a central midfield built around both defensive work and control of possession.
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Koke — Atlético Madrid
Sixth. He belongs in the immediate-impact group rather than the wonderkid conversation: the ranking is based on current ability, and the source warns that a high rating does not necessarily mean a player will improve.
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Casemiro — Manchester United
Seventh on the cited list. He is a high-ranked established option for managers emphasizing defensive protection, but the order does not account for a save’s wage budget, squad age profile or tactical demands.
Rank #2
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Yves Bissouma — Tottenham Hotspur
Eighth in the current-ability list. A useful name to consider for a more disruptive midfield brief; compare his role fit with the distribution-first options higher in the ranking.
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Thomas Partey — Arsenal
Ninth. The source places him among the strongest FM24 defensive midfielders by current ability. Whether he is the right choice depends on your save’s squad needs and the role you want the DM to perform.
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João Palhinha — Fulham
Tenth in the current-ability ordering. The 2025 Football Manager Blog guide also characterizes him as a ball-recovery option, making him a natural comparison when the priority is defensive bite rather than deep distribution.
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Guido Rodríguez — Real Betis
Eleventh. A strong database-listed option for managers looking beyond the very top five, with the same caveat that ranking does not establish the cost or availability of a transfer in your save.
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Danilo Pereira — Paris Saint-Germain
Twelfth in the cited list. He is part of the established-player shortlist for immediate quality, rather than a long-term potential pick.
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Granit Xhaka — Bayer Leverkusen
Thirteenth. The list’s current-ability basis makes him a candidate for managers seeking an experienced option; choose him only if his profile suits the defensive and passing balance your system requires.
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Manuel Ugarte — Paris Saint-Germain
Fourteenth. He appears among the leading current-ability names in the FM24 database list and can be considered for a more defensive-minded midfield setup.
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Ismaël Bennacer — Milan
Fifteenth in the current-ability list. The 2025 Football Manager Blog guide describes him as a ball-progressing, control-oriented profile, a useful contrast to ball-winners such as Palhinha.
Best young defensive midfielders for long-term development
The next 15 follow Football Manager Blog’s FM24 potential-oriented shortlist order. Its CA and PA figures are database ratings, not real-world statistics. The source’s ages are tied to its FM24 snapshot and should not be carried over as present-day ages. Potential is a ceiling, not a guarantee: development depends on the save and player progression.
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Warren Zaïre-Emery
FM24 Blog shortlist figures: CA 148, PA 180, age 17. He heads this potential-focused group and is already rated more highly than many prospects in the same shortlist.
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Eduardo Camavinga
CA 170, PA 180, age 20. His high current ability makes him an unusual prospect entry: he has both substantial immediate quality and a high listed ceiling, although he is not ordered against the established group on the same basis here.
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Pape Matar Sarr
CA 148, PA 178, age 20. A high-upside option in the source’s shortlist for a manager planning beyond the current season.
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Adam Wharton
CA 127, PA 174, age 19. His listed potential is notably higher than his current-ability figure, so he is better viewed as a development project than as an instant substitute for the leading established players.
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Gabriel Moscardo
CA 124, PA 170, age 17. A younger prospect whose appeal in the shortlist is potential; the source does not establish guaranteed growth or a specific transfer fee.
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Hugo Larsson
CA 124, PA 170, age 19. His FM24 snapshot ratings place him in the same listed potential tier as Moscardo.
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Luca Lipani
CA 113, PA 168, age 18. His lower current-ability figure relative to the leaders makes this a longer-term development selection.
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Jack Hinshelwood
CA 124, PA 167, age 18. He appears in the shortlist as a prospect with room to develop rather than as a top-ranked immediate-impact DM.
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Archie Gray
CA 119, PA 166, age 17. His placement comes from the source’s potential-oriented list; managers should assess whether his current level meets their needs now.
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Carlos Baleba
CA 134, PA 166, age 19. His shortlist figures show a higher starting ability than several younger names below him, alongside a substantial potential rating.
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Marc Bernal
Listed in the continuing portion of the FM Blog shortlist. The article does not provide his CA, PA or age figure, so no numeric comparison with the preceding prospects is established here.
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Silvano Vos
Also in the shortlist’s continuing names. His inclusion is a potential-led recommendation; the cited details do not provide a comparable CA/PA figure in the available list summary.
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Roméo Lavia
A further name in the potential-oriented shortlist and a prospect to consider for a longer-term midfield plan. No comparable CA, PA or cost figure is stated in the available source summary.
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Alex Scott
Included in the continuing names from the FM Blog list. Treat this as a shortlist entry rather than a claim that he ranks above all other young midfielders in every save.
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Stefan Bajčetić
The final prospect in this 30-player selection, following the source’s shortlist order. The separate 2025 Football Manager Blog guide describes his appeal as developmental upside.
How to choose the right FM24 defensive midfielder
A rank is a starting point, not a transfer instruction. First decide whether the job is to recover the ball, protect the defense, or help build attacks from deep. The 2025 Football Manager Blog guide distinguishes disruptors such as Palhinha and Wilmar Barrios from distributors such as Ismaël Bennacer and Martín Zubimendi; it also describes Tchouaméni as a progression-and-control option. These are editorial role descriptions, not a universal tactical assessment.
- Need the strongest immediate option? Start with the established group and judge current ability against your tactic’s specific duties.
- Building for later seasons? Use the prospect group as a potential-led shortlist, then weigh a player’s current rating against the time and squad place you can give him.
- Working with a limited budget? Do not treat a list’s estimated asking price as a guaranteed fee. FM25.co.uk identifies an under-£10m section of its FM24 wonderkid list, including Daniel Daga, Fodé Sylla, Giacomo Faticanti and Paul Okon, but those are source estimates, not confirmed transfer prices.
- Choosing between a ball-winner and a passer? Match the role to the players around the DM. A ball-winner can complement a more creative midfield; a distributor can help a team progress possession, but the shortlist alone does not establish which role your tactic needs.
- Checking a player’s availability? Use the database and save you are actually playing. Club, cost and availability reflect the source’s FM24 context and can differ with update version, loaded leagues and save conditions.
Which FM24 database is this ranking based on?
Sports Interactive announced the FM24 Main Data Update on 29 February 2024. The official notice described more than six million changes, including adjustments to Current Ability ratings and attributes for tens of thousands of players. It said the updated data requires a new save to take advantage of the changes, while gameplay adjustments apply in current careers.
The same notice cautioned that some licensed leagues whose seasons run by calendar year were current only through the end of the 2023 season, excluding transfers made in 2024. The player order and snapshot ratings above should therefore be read as FM24 database context, not as a live roster or a measure of real-world performance.
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