With the advent of EA Sports FC 25 update, defensive midfielders are widely used in multiple formations this season. They can play a role as additional cover when defending the game.

Sometimes in order to achieve the goal of scoring, CDMs can not only help the team complete the overall defensive task, but players in specific positions can also help pass the ball to various places on the court and play the role of the team’s core.

Therefore, in order to improve the winning rate of the game, it is best to choose defensive midfielders with great potential and sign them in the game. These players will show great development potential, so it is a very correct decision for you to firmly choose them among many CDMs.

In order to make your choice more convenient and more intuitive, EA Sports has released the top ten most promising defensive midfielders in this season.

But it is worth noting that this list only lists players with at least one overall development potential. The following is CDMs list update as of December, including overall ratings and potential for your reference.

10. Manuel Locatelli

• Overall rating: 83
• Potential: 86

Manuel Locatelli’s overall rating has reached 83 in his first season. He can play a core role on the court and has become an indispensable part of Juventus.

The growth potential he showed in the game makes him expected to reach a potential of 86. He doesn’t even need one or two seasons to reach this predicted potential, and it is more likely to exceed 86 points.

So, if your team lacks such a CDM with strong passing ability, then Manuel Locatelli is a good choice for you in Career Mode.

9. Bruno Guimarães

• Overall rating: 85
• Potential: 86

Bruno Guimarães has always been one of the most important players of Newcastle United. Brazilian player has shown extraordinary potential in the game and is an absolute magician on the court.

His overall rating can reach 85 and his potential can reach 86. For a CDM, Passing, Dribbling, and Physicality are essential skills.

From the data, Bruno Guimarães has outstanding skills in these aspects, and his data is very balanced.

If you are interested in him, then I will tell you another good news. He can not only play as a defensive midfielder but also perform well in the central midfielder position, which is very suitable for Box-To-Box role.

So if he joins your team, there will be a higher chance of completing your game tasks, winning EA FC 25 Coins rewards.

8. Archie Gray

• Overall rating: 73
• Potential: 87

Archie Gray, English rookie, may be the best young Defensive midfielder. The former Leeds United player has now joined Tottenham Hotspur and has performed impressively in the team.

Although EA gave him an overall rating of only 73, his predicted potential value reached 87, indicating that Archie Gray has extremely high development potential.

So if Origin Story you choose in this Career Mode is Return To Glory, then it is recommended that you recruit him. You can let him play as Right Back, but it is better to let him play as primary position.

7. Aleksandar Pavlović

• Overall rating: 76
• Potential: 87

This German rising star prodigy, if you have seen him play for Bayern Munich before, then you will definitely find that his performance is very good.

Although his overall rating in EA FC 25 is 76, he has made a breakthrough and will serve the club regularly. This time, EA Sports predicts his potential value to be 87.

Aleksandar Pavlović is very good at defense. If your team lacks such a player, it is recommended that you consider choosing him to join the team.

He can easily regain the ball in the court, win the initiative, make the team more likely to win, improve your gaming experience, and win coins.

6. Kobbie Mainoo

• Overall rating: 78
• Potential: 87

Kobbie Mainoo is very flexible and can play in different positions in the midfield. Therefore, he was a star player of Red Devils when he was young, and has always been a beacon of Manchester United, attracting much attention.

In EA Sports FC 25, his overall rating is 78, but his potential is as high as 87, and he only needs a few seasons to reach this potential.

If you prefer this kind of potential player, then he is a good choice. Under your training, Kobbie Mainoo is very likely to become a superstar player and lead your team to glory.

5. Morten Hjulmand

• Overall rating: 81
• Potential: 87

This Danish midfielder already has all the good qualities to become a top player in the game. His performance in 2023/2024 season is very stable and plays an important role in the team’s game of winning.

This time, in 2024/2025 season, he still made a good start for the team and performed well in Sporting CP. Because of his outstanding performance, the developer gave him an overall rating of 81 and a potential of 87.

If you are looking for a mature CDM for your team in FIFA 25, then Morten Hjulmand must be a reliable and safe choice.

He is an excellent player worth investing in. So you need to have enough FUT 25 Coins to have him to improve your team’s strength.

4. Sandro Tonali

• Overall rating: 85
• Potential: 87

Sandro Tonali has been admired by fans for his achievements at AC Milan and is considered one of the world’s prodigies.

Although he has suffered some setbacks since joining Newcastle United in Premier League, including a ban that has kept him from playing for several months.

But it is undeniable that he still achieved good results in Career Mode, so he is expected to return to the field strongly. In this regard, FUT 25 has an overall rating of 85 in his first season and a potential of 87, which shows that EA still has high expectations for him.

3. Moisés Caicedo

• Overall rating: 84
• Potential: 88

Ecuadorian player performed well in Premier League and proved his value to Chelsea, a club that finally improved after a series of poor results.

His overall rating is 84, and the rating climbed to 85 in a few weeks. The final potential value given by the developers is 88, which also gives Moisés Caicedo more room for development.

According to his data, letting him play Holding or Deep-Lying Playmaker roles in your team’s games can better play his role. If you have him in your team, it will definitely increase the possibility of your team winning.

2. Aurélien Tchouameni

• Overall rating: 85
• Potential: 88

Real Madrid is probably the strongest team in the world, with superstars in almost every position on the pitch, and Aurélien Tchouameni is one of them.

As a defensive midfielder, Frenchman has been serving the club and the national team for the past few seasons, performing very steadily, and there is still a lot of room for growth and improvement.

Therefore, his overall rating in FC 25 is 85, and his potential is set at 88. He is one of the players who is very worthy of your attention.

If you want to win more victories and win more coins, then boldly choose this player.

1. Declan Rice

• Overall rating: 87
• Potential: 88

Arsenal has a very good record under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, and the players have played very exciting games. This result is largely due to the efforts of players like Declan Rice, who make winning games look easier.

With a rating of 87 at the start of Career Mode, he is one of the best CDMs you can sign in EA FC 25, and he requires a high transfer fee to join your team.

Although FIFA 25 currently sets his potential value at 88, he is expected to exceed this number with your specified development plan and game time. So he is definitely worth your investment!

The above are the 10 most promising and worthy CDMs in EA Sports FC 25. It is recommended that you choose the right player according to your needs.

At the same time, don’t be stingy with your investment, because they will bring greater returns, helping your team to win games more easily and get more rewards!