A team’s balance starts with the defensive midfielder. This list has the 25 best defensive midfielders in Football Manager 2027 (FM27), ranked by current ability.
Winning the ball back, shielding the defence and organising play: these players are the ideal anchor for any midfield that wants to win now.
The highlights
At the top of this list are Declan Rice (Arsenal, England), Rodri (Barcelona, Spain) and Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea, Ecuador). In total there are 25 defensive midfielders, ranked from best to lowest rated.
How to use the list
Use the filters above the table to search by name, club, nationality, position or age, and tap any column title to sort. The stars show each player’s current ability, from 3 stars (very good) to 5 stars (the best player in the game), in quarter-star steps.
The best defensive midfielders in FM27
| # | Player | Pos. | Age | Rating | Nationality | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Declan Rice | DM | 27 | England | Arsenal | |
| 2 | Rodri | DM | 30 | Spain | Barcelona | |
| 3 | Moisés Caicedo | DM | 24 | Ecuador | Chelsea | |
| 4 | Aurélien Tchouaméni | DM | 26 | France | R. Madrid | |
| 5 | Sandro Tonali | DM | 26 | Italy | Tottenham Hotspur | |
| 6 | João Neves | DM | 22 | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | |
| 7 | Boubacar Kamara | DM | 26 | France | Aston Villa | |
| 8 | Martín Zubimendi | DM | 27 | Spain | Arsenal | |
| 9 | Elliot Anderson | DM | 23 | England | Manchester City | |
| 10 | Konrad Laimer | DM | 29 | Austria | FC Bayern München | |
| 11 | Eduardo Camavinga | DM | 23 | France | R. Madrid | |
| 12 | Pape Guèye | DM | 27 | Senegal | Villarreal | |
| 13 | Khéphren Thuram | DM | 25 | France | Juventus | |
| 14 | Manuel Locatelli | DM | 28 | Italy | Juventus | |
| 15 | Morten Hjulmand | DM | 27 | Denmark | A. Madrid | |
| 16 | Tyler Adams | DM | 27 | United States | AFC Bournemouth | |
| 17 | Leon Goretzka | DM | 31 | Germany | Aston Villa | |
| 18 | N’Golo Kanté | DM | 35 | France | Fenerbahçe A.Ş. | |
| 19 | Koke | DM | 34 | Spain | A. Madrid | |
| 20 | Mattéo Guendouzi | DM | 27 | France | Fenerbahçe A.Ş. | |
| 21 | Bryan Cristante | DM | 31 | Italy | Associazione Sportiva Roma | |
| 22 | Kaishu Sano | DM | 25 | Japan | 1. FSV Mainz 05 | |
| 23 | Xaver Schlager | DM | 29 | Austria | Nottingham Forest | |
| 24 | Johnny Cardoso | DM | 25 | United States | A. Madrid | |
| 25 | Ibrahim Sangaré | DM | 28 | Ivory Coast | Nottingham Forest |
Current ability: from 3 stars (very good) to 5 stars (the best player in the game), in quarter-star steps. Tap a column title to sort.
Keep exploring
Next position: The best central midfielders in FM27. See also the Top 50 best players in FM27.
