Best Defensive Midfielders in the Liga Portugal (Mar 2026)

Ranked by Analytical Strength Score

Market Overview: Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders 2022-23

Our database tracked 32 Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders in the 2022-23 season, representing 14 clubs with a combined market value of €182.1M. The average market value for Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders was €5.7M, with the average age at 24.6 years old.

The most valuable defensive midfielder in the Liga Portugal was Morten Hjulmand, worth €50.0M and played for Sporting CP at 26 years old. The top 5 Defensive Midfielders averaged €25.4M in market value, including Alan Varela and Richard Ríos.

Age distribution showed the youngest tracked defensive midfielder was Juan Sebastián Rodríguez (19 years, CD Tondela, €500K), while the oldest was Seba Pérez (32 years, Casa Pia AC, €1.0M). Research shows Defensive Midfielders typically peak at age 26-27.

Historical analysis showed 20 Defensive Midfielders (63%) increased in market value over the following 12 months based on age-curve trajectories, then-current performance trends, and playing time analysis. The Liga Portugal market for Defensive Midfielders remained actively developing with emerging talent in the 2022-23 season.

💡 Use the search bar below to find specific players, or apply filters to narrow results by club, age range, or market value. Click the chart icon next to any player to view their historical value trajectory and forecast.

Market Intelligence

Explore Market Size by Position in Liga Portugal

Interactive bubble chart showing predicted 2-year growth vs current age for all Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders. Identify undervalued assets and track market momentum across 14 clubs with €182.1M combined value.

Players Tracked

By League

Premier League La Liga Bundesliga Serie A Ligue 1

By Position

GK CB LB RB CDM

More Positions

CM CAM LW RW ST

By Season

2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23

Age Distribution: Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders

The Liga Portugal CDM market shows 5 distinct age segments, with the largest cohort in the 24-26 bracket (17 players, 53% of market). The 24-26 age group holds the most value at €145.0M, averaging €8.5M per player.

U21 years3 players (9%)

€11.5MAvg: €3.8M

Top player: Gabriel Moscardo (€8.0M)

21-23 years7 players (22%)

€7.6MAvg: €1.1M

Top player: Mohamed Bamba (€3.0M)

24-26 years17 players (53%)

€145.0MAvg: €8.5M

Top player: Morten Hjulmand (€50.0M)

27-29 years3 players (9%)

€15.0MAvg: €5.0M

Top player: Pablo Rosario (€8.0M)

30+ years2 players (6%)

€3.0MAvg: €1.5M

Top player: Florian Grillitsch (€2.0M)

Top Defensive Midfielders by Age Bracket

U21 Years (3 players)

1. Gabriel Moscardo(20yo)

€8.0M

2. Tomás Pérez(20yo)

€3.0M

3. Juan Sebastián Rodríguez(19yo)

€500K

21-23 Years (7 players)

1. Mohamed Bamba(21yo)

€3.0M

2. Matheus Dias(23yo)

€1.5M

3. Joe Hodge(23yo)

€1.0M

4. Theofanis Bakoulas(21yo)

€1.0M

5. Tomás Mendes(21yo)

€500K

24-26 Years (17 players)

1. Morten Hjulmand(26yo)

€50.0M

2. Alan Varela(24yo)

€32.0M

3. Richard Ríos(25yo)

€22.0M

4. Enzo Barrenechea(24yo)

€13.0M

5. Manu Silva(24yo)

€10.0M

27-29 Years (3 players)

1. Pablo Rosario(29yo)

€8.0M

2. Vítor Carvalho(28yo)

€5.0M

3. Pedro Ferreira(28yo)

€2.0M

Market Value Distribution

Elite Tier Concentration

64%of market value

The top 4 Defensive Midfielders (13% of players) control €117.0M

1. Morten Hjulmand€50.0M

2. Alan Varela€32.0M

3. Richard Ríos€22.0M

4. Enzo Barrenechea€13.0M

Market Tiers

Elite (€50M+)1 players (3%)

€50.0M

Premium (€30-50M)1 players (3%)

€32.0M

High (€15-30M)1 players (3%)

€22.0M

Mid (€5-15M)5 players (16%)

€44.0M

Emerging (<€5M)24 players (75%)

€34.1M

Market structure shows distributed value with elite (€50m+) tier representing 3% of the Liga Portugal CDM pool.

Elite (€50M+)

1. Morten Hjulmand

Sporting CP€50.0M

Premium (€30-50M)

1. Alan Varela

FC Porto€32.0M

High (€15-30M)

1. Richard Ríos

SL Benfica€22.0M

Club Distribution: Liga Portugal Defensive Midfielders

Among 14 Liga Portugal clubs, Sporting CP leads with 1 Defensive Midfielders worth €50.0M (averaging €50.0M per player). The top 10 clubs account for 75% of tracked Defensive Midfielders.

Sporting CP

1 players • €50.0M

SL Benfica

3 players • €45.0M

FC Porto

3 players • €43.0M

SC Braga

3 players • €15.0M

GD Estoril Praia

4 players • €8.7M

CD Santa Clara

2 players • €4.5M

Gil Vicente FC

1 players • €3.0M

Rio Ave FC

3 players • €2.9M

Casa Pia AC

3 players • €2.1M

#10

FC Famalicão

1 players • €2.0M

Sporting CP (1 Defensive Midfielders)

Morten Hjulmand(26yo)

€50.0M

SL Benfica (3 Defensive Midfielders)

Richard Ríos(25yo)

€22.0M

Enzo Barrenechea(24yo)

€13.0M

Manu Silva(24yo)

€10.0M

FC Porto (3 Defensive Midfielders)

Alan Varela(24yo)

€32.0M

Pablo Rosario(29yo)

€8.0M

Tomás Pérez(20yo)

€3.0M

SC Braga (3 Defensive Midfielders)

Gabriel Moscardo(20yo)

€8.0M

Vítor Carvalho(28yo)

€5.0M

Florian Grillitsch(30yo)

€2.0M

Player Rankings

Ranked by APE Strength Score. Click any player to view full profile, or click the chart icon to see value history.

Morten Hjulmand

Sporting CP • 26 years old

€43.2M

€50.0M

+15.6%

€44.8M€57.0M

Expected: €50.9M

88.9

Alan Varela

FC Porto • 24 years old

€27.7M

€32.0M

+15.6%

€31.4M€39.9M

Expected: €35.7M

84.2

Richard Ríos

SL Benfica • 25 years old

€19.0M

€22.0M

+15.6%

€19.8M€25.2M

Expected: €22.5M

75.3

Enzo Barrenechea

SL Benfica • 24 years old

€11.2M

€13.0M

+15.6%

€12.2M€15.6M

Expected: €13.9M

69.1

Manu Silva

SL Benfica • 24 years old

€8.6M

€10.0M

+15.6%

€9.4M€12.0M

Expected: €10.7M

62.2

Pablo Rosario

FC Porto • 29 years old

€10.3M

€8.0M

-22.6%

€6.2M€7.9M

Expected: €7.0M

58.3

Gabriel Moscardo

SC Braga • 20 years old

€6.9M

€8.0M

+15.6%

€8.2M€10.8M

Expected: €9.5M

57.7

Vítor Carvalho

SC Braga • 28 years old

€5.3M

€5.0M

-5.4%

€3.9M€4.9M

Expected: €4.4M

52.2

Patrick de Paula

GD Estoril Praia • 26 years old

€3.5M

€4.0M

+15.6%

€3.4M€4.4M

Expected: €3.9M

49.6

#10

Jordan Holsgrove

GD Estoril Praia • 26 years old

€3.0M

€3.5M

+15.6%

€3.0M€3.8M

Expected: €3.4M

47.9

#11

Mohamed Bamba

Gil Vicente FC • 21 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€3.0M€3.9M

Expected: €3.4M

42.1

#12

Tomás Pérez

FC Porto • 20 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€3.1M€4.1M

Expected: €3.6M

41.7

#13

Adriano Firmino

CD Santa Clara • 26 years old

€2.2M

€2.5M

+15.6%

€2.2M€2.7M

Expected: €2.4M

40.1

#14

Florian Grillitsch

SC Braga • 30 years old

€2.6M

€2.0M

-22.6%

€1.5M€1.9M

Expected: €1.7M

37.3

#15

Tom van de Looi

FC Famalicão • 26 years old

€1.7M

€2.0M

+15.6%

€1.7M€2.2M

Expected: €2.0M

37.3

#16

Pedro Ferreira

CD Santa Clara • 28 years old

€2.1M

€2.0M

-5.4%

€1.5M€2.0M

Expected: €1.8M

37.0

#17

Matheus Dias

CD Nacional • 23 years old

€1.3M

€1.5M

+15.6%

€1.4M€1.8M

Expected: €1.6M

34.1

#18

Joe Hodge

CD Tondela • 23 years old

€865K

€1.0M

+15.6%

€931K€1.2M

Expected: €1.1M

29.0

#19

Jandro Orellana

GD Estoril Praia • 25 years old

€865K

€1.0M

+15.6%

€901K€1.1M

Expected: €1.0M

28.9

#20

Seba Pérez

Casa Pia AC • 32 years old

€1.3M

€1.0M

-22.6%

€733K€934K

Expected: €833K

28.9

Showing 1-20 of 32

Scout Tools

Advanced analytics for scouting and recruitment decisions. Each tool provides unique insights into player value, potential, and market dynamics.

Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Identifies pre-peak players offering exceptional value relative to their age bracket. Higher PPVE = better value.

Understanding Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

FC Porto's Alan Varela at 24 years old has the highest Pre-Peak Value Efficiency at 32.00×. That means Alan Varela is valued 32.00× higher than the median player in the 24-26 age bracket—representing exceptional value before reaching peak age.

In second is SL Benfica's Richard Ríos, who is 25 years old, with a 22.00× PPVE. Third is Enzo Barrenechea of SL Benfica, who is 24 years old with a 13.00× PPVE.

How PPVE is calculated: PPVE compares a player's current market value to the median value of all players in their age bracket. A PPVE of 32.00× means the player is worth 3100% more than typical players their age—making them high-value targets before they reach peak value.

PPVE by Age Bracket

Alan VarelaFC Porto

24-26 • 24yo32.00×

€32.0M • 3100% above median

Richard RíosSL Benfica

24-26 • 25yo22.00×

€22.0M • 2100% above median

Enzo BarrenecheaSL Benfica

24-26 • 24yo13.00×

€13.0M • 1200% above median

Manu SilvaSL Benfica

24-26 • 24yo10.00×

€10.0M • 900% above median

Mohamed BambaGil Vicente FC

21-23 • 21yo3.00×

€3.0M • 200% above median

Gabriel MoscardoSC Braga

U21 • 20yo2.67×

€8.0M • 167% above median

Matheus DiasCD Nacional

21-23 • 23yo1.50×

€1.5M • 50% above median

Theofanis BakoulasRio Ave FC

21-23 • 21yo1.00×

€1.0M • 0% above median

Tomás PérezFC Porto

U21 • 20yo1.00×

€3.0M • 0% above median

Jandro OrellanaGD Estoril Praia

24-26 • 25yo1.00×

€1.0M • 0% above median

Joe HodgeCD Tondela

21-23 • 23yo1.00×

€1.0M • 0% above median

Georgios LiavasRio Ave FC

24-26 • 25yo0.90×

€900K • -10% above median

Gustavo AssunçãoAvs Futebol

24-26 • 25yo0.80×

€800K • -20% above median

Iyad MohamedCasa Pia AC

24-26 • 24yo0.60×

€600K • -40% above median

Rafael BritoCasa Pia AC

24-26 • 24yo0.50×

€500K • -50% above median

Rank	Player	Age	Bracket	Current Value	Bracket Median	PPVE
#1	Alan Varela FC Porto	24	24-26	€32.0M	€1.0M	32.00×
#2	Richard Ríos SL Benfica	25	24-26	€22.0M	€1.0M	22.00×
#3	Enzo Barrenechea SL Benfica	24	24-26	€13.0M	€1.0M	13.00×
#4	Manu Silva SL Benfica	24	24-26	€10.0M	€1.0M	10.00×
#5	Mohamed Bamba Gil Vicente FC	21	21-23	€3.0M	€1.0M	3.00×
#6	Gabriel Moscardo SC Braga	20	U21	€8.0M	€3.0M	2.67×
#7	Matheus Dias CD Nacional	23	21-23	€1.5M	€1.0M	1.50×
#8	Theofanis Bakoulas Rio Ave FC	21	21-23	€1.0M	€1.0M	1.00×
#9	Tomás Pérez FC Porto	20	U21	€3.0M	€3.0M	1.00×
#10	Jandro Orellana GD Estoril Praia	25	24-26	€1.0M	€1.0M	1.00×
#11	Joe Hodge CD Tondela	23	21-23	€1.0M	€1.0M	1.00×
#12	Georgios Liavas Rio Ave FC	25	24-26	€900K	€1.0M	0.90×
#13	Gustavo Assunção Avs Futebol	25	24-26	€800K	€1.0M	0.80×
#14	Iyad Mohamed Casa Pia AC	24	24-26	€600K	€1.0M	0.60×
#15	Rafael Brito Casa Pia AC	24	24-26	€500K	€1.0M	0.50×
#16	Tomás Mendes FC Alverca	21	21-23	€500K	€1.0M	0.50×
#17	Tiago Hernández Avs Futebol	23	21-23	€400K	€1.0M	0.40×
#18	Tiago Brito GD Estoril Praia	21	21-23	€200K	€1.0M	0.20×
#19	Juan Sebastián Rodríguez CD Tondela	19	U21	€500K	€3.0M	0.17×

Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Recovery potential from current value to forecasted peak. Shows how much upside remains for players approaching their prime.

Understanding Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

CD Tondela's Juan Sebastián Rodríguez at 19 years old has the highest Return-to-Peak Potential at +44%. That means Juan Sebastián Rodríguez is projected to appreciate 44% as they reach their peak age in 7 years—representing significant upside before entering their prime.

In second is SC Braga's Gabriel Moscardo, who is 20 years old, with a +40% RPP (6 years to peak). Third is Tomás Pérez of FC Porto, who is 20 years old with a +40% RPP (6 years to peak).

How RPP is calculated: RPP compares a player's current market value to their forecasted peak value, calculating the percentage appreciation potential. A 44% RPP means the player is expected to gain 44% value as they enter their prime—making them excellent growth investments.

Recovery Potential by Player

Juan Sebastián RodríguezCD Tondela

7yr to peak+44%

€500K → €894K

Gabriel MoscardoSC Braga

6yr to peak+40%

€8.0M → €13.3M

Tomás PérezFC Porto

6yr to peak+40%

€3.0M → €5.0M

Mohamed BambaGil Vicente FC

5yr to peak+35%

€3.0M → €4.6M

Theofanis BakoulasRio Ave FC

5yr to peak+35%

€1.0M → €1.5M

Tomás MendesFC Alverca

5yr to peak+35%

€500K → €773K

Tiago BritoGD Estoril Praia

5yr to peak+35%

€200K → €309K

Joe HodgeCD Tondela

3yr to peak+25%

€1.0M → €1.3M

Tiago HernándezAvs Futebol

3yr to peak+25%

€400K → €535K

Matheus DiasCD Nacional

3yr to peak+25%

€1.5M → €2.0M

Manu SilvaSL Benfica

2yr to peak+20%

€10.0M → €12.4M

Iyad MohamedCasa Pia AC

2yr to peak+20%

€600K → €746K

Rafael BritoCasa Pia AC

2yr to peak+20%

€500K → €622K

Alan VarelaFC Porto

2yr to peak+20%

€32.0M → €39.8M

Enzo BarrenecheaSL Benfica

2yr to peak+20%

€13.0M → €16.2M

Rank	Player	Age	Years to Peak	Current	Peak Forecast	RPP %
#1	Juan Sebastián Rodríguez CD Tondela	19	7	€500K	€894K	+44%
#2	Gabriel Moscardo SC Braga	20	6	€8.0M	€13.3M	+40%
#3	Tomás Pérez FC Porto	20	6	€3.0M	€5.0M	+40%
#4	Mohamed Bamba Gil Vicente FC	21	5	€3.0M	€4.6M	+35%
#5	Theofanis Bakoulas Rio Ave FC	21	5	€1.0M	€1.5M	+35%
#6	Tomás Mendes FC Alverca	21	5	€500K	€773K	+35%
#7	Tiago Brito GD Estoril Praia	21	5	€200K	€309K	+35%
#8	Joe Hodge CD Tondela	23	3	€1.0M	€1.3M	+25%
#9	Tiago Hernández Avs Futebol	23	3	€400K	€535K	+25%
#10	Matheus Dias CD Nacional	23	3	€1.5M	€2.0M	+25%
#11	Manu Silva SL Benfica	24	2	€10.0M	€12.4M	+20%
#12	Iyad Mohamed Casa Pia AC	24	2	€600K	€746K	+20%
#13	Rafael Brito Casa Pia AC	24	2	€500K	€622K	+20%
#14	Alan Varela FC Porto	24	2	€32.0M	€39.8M	+20%
#15	Enzo Barrenechea SL Benfica	24	2	€13.0M	€16.2M	+20%
#16	Jandro Orellana GD Estoril Praia	25	1	€1.0M	€1.2M	+14%
#17	Georgios Liavas Rio Ave FC	25	1	€900K	€1.0M	+14%
#18	Gustavo Assunção Avs Futebol	25	1	€800K	€925K	+14%
#19	Richard Ríos SL Benfica	25	1	€22.0M	€25.4M	+14%

Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Upside potential weighted against forecast uncertainty. Higher RAU = better risk-reward profile.

Understanding Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

CD Tondela's Juan Sebastián Rodríguez has the highest Risk-Adjusted Upside at 68.9. That means Juan Sebastián Rodríguez has 23% upside potential with only 0% forecast uncertainty—representing excellent risk-reward for value appreciation.

In second is SC Braga's Gabriel Moscardo with a 58.0 RAU (19% upside, 0% uncertainty). Third is Tomás Pérez of FC Porto with a 58.0 RAU (19% upside, 0% uncertainty).

How RAU is calculated: RAU divides upside potential by forecast uncertainty (RAU = Upside % ÷ Uncertainty %). A RAU of 68.9 means the upside is 68.9× greater than the uncertainty—making it a high-confidence growth opportunity. Target RAU ≥2.0 for balanced risk-reward.

Risk-Adjusted Upside by Player

Juan Sebastián RodríguezCD Tondela

↑23% / ±0%68.9

Range: €532K - €703K

Gabriel MoscardoSC Braga

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €8.2M - €10.8M

Tomás PérezFC Porto

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €3.1M - €4.1M

Theofanis BakoulasRio Ave FC

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €988K - €1.3M

Tomás MendesFC Alverca

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €494K - €652K

Mohamed BambaGil Vicente FC

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €3.0M - €3.9M

Tiago BritoGD Estoril Praia

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €198K - €261K

Alan VarelaFC Porto

↑11% / ±0%42.8

Range: €31.4M - €39.9M

Rafael BritoCasa Pia AC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €471K - €600K

Iyad MohamedCasa Pia AC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €565K - €719K

Manu SilvaSL Benfica

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €9.4M - €12.0M

Enzo BarrenecheaSL Benfica

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €12.2M - €15.6M

Joe HodgeCD Tondela

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €931K - €1.2M

Tiago HernándezAvs Futebol

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €373K - €474K

Matheus DiasCD Nacional

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €1.4M - €1.8M

Rank	Player	Expected	Range	Upside %	RAU
#1	Juan Sebastián Rodríguez CD Tondela	€617K	€532K-703K	+23%	68.9
#2	Gabriel Moscardo SC Braga	€9.5M	€8.2M-10.8M	+19%	58.0
#3	Tomás Pérez FC Porto	€3.6M	€3.1M-4.1M	+19%	58.0
#4	Theofanis Bakoulas Rio Ave FC	€1.1M	€988K-1.3M	+15%	46.3
#5	Tomás Mendes FC Alverca	€573K	€494K-652K	+15%	46.3
#6	Mohamed Bamba Gil Vicente FC	€3.4M	€3.0M-3.9M	+15%	46.3
#7	Tiago Brito GD Estoril Praia	€229K	€198K-261K	+15%	46.3
#8	Alan Varela FC Porto	€35.7M	€31.4M-39.9M	+11%	42.8
#9	Rafael Brito Casa Pia AC	€535K	€471K-600K	+7%	27.5
#10	Iyad Mohamed Casa Pia AC	€642K	€565K-719K	+7%	27.5
#11	Manu Silva SL Benfica	€10.7M	€9.4M-12.0M	+7%	27.5
#12	Enzo Barrenechea SL Benfica	€13.9M	€12.2M-15.6M	+7%	27.5
#13	Joe Hodge CD Tondela	€1.1M	€931K-1.2M	+6%	23.0
#14	Tiago Hernández Avs Futebol	€423K	€373K-474K	+6%	23.0
#15	Matheus Dias CD Nacional	€1.6M	€1.4M-1.8M	+6%	23.0
#16	Richard Ríos SL Benfica	€22.5M	€19.8M-25.2M	+2%	9.8
#17	Georgios Liavas Rio Ave FC	€922K	€811K-1.0M	+2%	9.8
#18	Gustavo Assunção Avs Futebol	€819K	€721K-918K	+2%	9.8
#19	Jandro Orellana GD Estoril Praia	€1.0M	€901K-1.1M	+2%	9.8
#20	Morten Hjulmand Sporting CP	€50.9M	€44.8M-57.0M	+2%	7.1

Roster Pressure Index (RPI)

Squad depth pressure based on Z-score distribution. Negative RPI = thin depth, positive = deep roster.

What This Shows

Z-Score explained: Measures how many standard deviations a player's strength is from the position average. Z-Score = 0 means average, +1.0 is one standard deviation above average, -1.0 is below average.

How to use: RPI < -1.0 indicates critical depth shortage. These positions need immediate reinforcement. RPI > +1.0 suggests strong depth, allowing selective, high-value additions only.

Current market: defensive midfielder position shows strong depth (avg Z-score: 0.00). RPI: 0.00.

Position Depth Analysis

Total Players

0.00

Avg Z-Score

0.00

RPI Score

Weak DepthStrong Depth

-3.00+3.0

Highest Z-Scores

Morten Hjulmand+4.26

Alan Varela+2.53

Richard Ríos+1.57

Enzo Barrenechea+0.70

Manu Silva+0.41

Lowest Z-Scores

Tiago Brito-0.53

Sabit Abdulai-0.51

Tiago Hernández-0.51

Juan Sebastián Rodríguez-0.50

Tomás Mendes-0.50

Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Identifies players capturing disproportionate value relative to age group representation. Positive ASC = value concentration.

Understanding Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

GD Estoril Praia's Jandro Orellana in the 24-26 age bracket has the highest Age-Share Concentration at +26.5%. That means Morten Hjulmand captures 79.6% of total market value while representing only 53.1% of players in their age group—showing dominant elite status.

In second is FC Famalicão's Tom van de Looi with a +26.5% ASC (79.6% value share vs 53.1% player share in 24-26 bracket). Third is Jordan Holsgrove of GD Estoril Praia with a +26.5% ASC (79.6% value vs 53.1% players in 24-26 bracket).

How ASC is calculated: ASC = (% of total value) - (% of total players) in age bracket. A +26.5% ASC means the player captures 26.5% more market value than their numerical representation—indicating marquee status. ASC > +15% = elite dominance, ASC < -15% = potential value targets.