ROLE SHORTLIST · MIDFIELD BALL WINNERS

FM26 Ball-Winning Midfielders

Defensive and central midfielders suited to regaining possession, protecting transitions and supporting an aggressive team structure.

60 scouting profiles · page 2 of 3

PLAYER FINDERSearch defensive and pressing midfielders→

DMFM26 age 23

Eric Martel

1. FC Köln · Germany

DefenderHigh-upside FM26 profile with immediate squad value and substantial room to grow in a well-matched role.

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DMFM26 age 23

Nico González

Manchester City · Spain

ProgressorHigh-upside FM26 profile with immediate squad value and substantial room to grow in a well-matched role.

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DMFM26 age 23

Nicolò Rovella

Lazio · Italy

ProgressorHigh-upside FM26 profile with immediate squad value and substantial room to grow in a well-matched role.

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DMFM26 age 24

Moisés Caicedo

Chelsea · Ecuador

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 25

Sandro Tonali

Newcastle United · Italy

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 27

Manuel Locatelli

Juventus · Italy

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 28

Rúben Neves

Al Hilal · Portugal

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 28

Scott McTominay

Napoli · Scotland

CreatorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 30

Sergej Milinković-Savić

Al Hilal · Serbia

CreatorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 21

Aleksandar Pavlović

Bayern Munich · Germany

ProgressorStrong first-team or rotation option with clear development value.

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DMFM26 age 21

Roméo Lavia

Chelsea · Belgium

ProgressorStrong first-team or rotation option with clear development value.

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DMFM26 age 33

Granit Xhaka

Sunderland · Switzerland

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 24

Alan Varela

FC Porto · Argentina

ProgressorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 24

Amadou Onana

Aston Villa · Belgium

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 24

Johnny Cardoso

Atlético de Madrid · United States

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 24

Kaishū Sano

1. FSV Mainz 05 · Japan

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 24

Manuel Ugarte

Manchester United · Uruguay

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 24

Quinten Timber

Feyenoord · Netherlands

CreatorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 34

N’Golo Kanté

Al Ittihad · France

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 25

Conor Gallagher

Atlético de Madrid · England

PressingProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 25

Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur · Sweden

PressingProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 25

Felix Nmecha

Borussia Dortmund · Germany

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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DMFM26 age 26

Boubacar Kamara

Aston Villa · France

DefenderProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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CMFM26 age 26

Éderson

Atalanta · Brazil

CreatorProven high-level FM26 option offering immediate first-team value in a role aligned with his established strengths.

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Ball winning needs structure

Aggression only helps when the surrounding distances are controlled. The best option may hold position, jump forward or cover a runner depending on the shape, so compare behaviour and system fit rather than treating every defensive midfielder alike.

Build a balanced midfield

Pair recovery ability with progression or creativity. Compare the FM26 playmakers, box-to-box midfielders and the broader defensive-midfielder guide.

FM26 SHORTLIST FAQ

Questions about FM26 Ball-Winning Midfielders

What is the FM26 Ball-Winning Midfielders shortlist?

Defensive and central midfielders suited to regaining possession, protecting transitions and supporting an aggressive team structure.

Does this page publish exact FM26 attributes?

No. SquadCompass uses original qualitative bands, role profiles and editorial assessments rather than reproducing exact in-game database attributes.