Analyzing the Best U23 Central Midfielders in the Segunda
With the summer 2025 transfer window just a few months away, clubs are beginning to scout the best young players who are showing signs of potential. This is a data analysis to find the best U23 central midfielders in the Spanish second division that will be fought over in the summer.
The data metrics we will be looking at are:
- Progressive Passing
- Key Plays
- Interceptions
- Defensive Duels
Furthermore, all the central midfielders in the charts have more than 400 minutes under their belt this season.
Using Data to Find the Best U23 Defensive Midfielders in LaLiga
We will begin by forming scatter plots of the data metrics mentioned beforehand, to find the level of the center midfielder aged 23 and under, compared to the rest of the center midfielders in the league. In this manner, we can identify how they are performing and decide which center midfielders clubs should be keeping an eye on. Later, we will find the center midfielders depending on how they perform in the scatter plots and we will look at each one individually.
Progressive Passing
This passing metric gives us more depth into the danger of each player’s passing rather than just passing the ball forward 5m. This is because this metric only includes more specific passes such as a pass 10m closer to the opposition goal if the pass comes from the opposition side of the pitch.
Key Plays
The amount of key plays a midfielder creates tells us about his ability to generate opportunities for his team and about his ability in the offensive part of the game.
Interceptions
The number of interceptions a midfielder has is a testament to their intelligence on the pitch and their ability to defend space.
Defensive Duels
Being a dominator of duels in the midfield is essential for the team to be compact and solid when defending.
Results
In our final results, we can observe that the best midfielders U23 so far in the second Spanish division have been Antonio Pacheco of Albacete, Rodrigo Mendoza of Elche, and Nacho Martín of Sporting.
Antonio Pacheco
Position: Midfielder
Country: Spain
Age: 23
Height: 184cm
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: Albacete
Context: Pacheco began his career at Villarreal and after not being able to reach the first team, he left last season to join Albacete where he has been playing since.
The charts tell us that Pacheco is quite a complete midfielder able to produce key plays and with a high tally of xA for a midfielder, showing he has the ability to generate opportunities for his team. However, his capacity to play progressive passes is quite poor and certainly an area of improvement if he is to reach the elite level.
Nonetheless, he shows he is capable of making interceptions frequently, showing he is an intelligent player and that he can cover large distances. Furthermore, his success rate in his defensive duels is quite good showing that he is a reliable player in defense.
Overall, Pacheco shows good results in several KPIs for midfielders, however, if he wants to reach the first division he will need to continue his development and substantially increase both his precision and volume for progressive passing.
Rodrigo Mendoza
Position: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder
Country: Spain
Age: 19
Height: 182cm
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: Elche
Context: Mendoza was brought up through the ranks of Elche and has been playing in the first team since the Summer of 2023.
Mendoza has been showing he is a player with quality given his ability to make key plays and create opportunities for his team at just 19 years old. In addition, his success rate for his progressive passes is quite high though his volume is not quite at the level of the best players yet.
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In possession, he seems to be a great player but without the ball he shows deficiencies in both his interceptions and defensive duels which is an aspect he will have to refine.
Overall, Mendoza seems like a great talent and will certainly be looked at by many top clubs in the summer. If he can increase his defensive duties, and refine his progressive passing to be one of the best in the league he will certainly be one to keep an eye on in the future.
Nacho Martín
Position: Midfielder/Center Back
Country: Spain
Age: 22
Height: 175cm
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: Sporting
Context: Nacho Martín has played his whole career at Sporting beginning to play in the first team in January of 2023. The charts show us that Nacho Martín is an excellent passer of the ball having a high precision and volume of progressive passes. This shows us that he is a comfortable player on the ball, however, his tally of key plays is not that high.
Furthermore, he is very effective in his defensive duels having a high success rate in these actions while participating in many. Nonetheless, when looking at his interceptions he does not rank as highly. Overall, he seems like a player who can act as a midfielder accompanied by a player who can cover more distance and make more interceptions than him where he can maximize his time on the ball. If he continues at this rate, he will surely be looked at by top clubs in the second division or even a few clubs in the first division.
By: Juan Fernandez Valencia / @ScoutLaLiga1
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Eric Alonso – Getty Images