Players like Will Hughes
CM/CDMCrystal Palace · 2025/26 · ranked by tactical + market fitWill Hughes's profile ↗
The players most similar to Will Hughes are Kristian Thorstvedt, Gabriel Menino, Lewis Miley. Doppel rates Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo) a 85/100 overall match — 92/100 on tactical profile. For a cheaper option, Carles Aleñá scores 82/100 at about €2.8m. Data as of September 2026.
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Will Hughes is a tenacious defensive midfielder who excels in breaking up play and orchestrating attacks from deep. His top-tier tackling and interception stats highlight his ability to disrupt opposition flow, while his creativity shines through with key passes and big chances created. Despite a lack of goals, his durability is impressive, having missed only one game in three seasons, underscoring his reliability in the heart of the midfield.
Strengths: Tackles + interceptions, Key passes, Duels won. Availability: 1 games missed in the last 3 seasons.
12 players most similar to Will Hughes
| # | Player | Club | Age | Value | Tactical | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristian Thorstvedtsimilar↗ | Sassuolo | 27 | €12m | 92 | 85 |
| 2 | Gabriel Meninosimilar↗ | Palmeiras | 26 | €7.3m | 92 | 81 |
| 3 | Lewis Mileysimilar↗ | Newcastle United | 20 | €27m | 92 | 81 |
| 4 | Rocco Reitzsimilar↗ | Borussia M'gladbach | 24 | €22m | 90 | 82 |
| 5 | Carles Aleñásimilar↗ | Deportivo Alavés | 28 | €2.8m | 89 | 82 |
| 6 | Edu Expósitosimilar↗ | Espanyol | 30 | €4.5m | 88 | 83 |
| 7 | Pepelusimilar↗ | Valencia | 28 | €7.3m | 88 | 83 |
| 8 | Mattias Svanbergsimilar↗ | VfL Wolfsburg | 27 | €8.3m | 88 | 82 |
| 9 | Jon Ander Olasagastisimilar↗ | Levante UD | 26 | €2.7m | 88 | 83 |
| 10 | Kevin Sessasimilar↗ | 1. FC Heidenheim | 26 | €800k | 88 | 85 |
| 11 | Samusimilar↗ | Vizela | 30 | €2.4m | 88 | 84 |
| 12 | André Almeidasimilar↗ | Valencia | 26 | €6.2m | 87 | 80 |
* estimated market value · scores 0–100, league-strength adjusted · last 3 seasons
Why these players match Will Hughes
≈ 100% Will Hughes · strong: xG + xA, Shots · low reliability
Strengths: xG + xA /90, Shots /90, Duels won /90
≈ 100% Will Hughes · strong: Shots, Accurate long balls · medium reliability
Strengths: Shots /90, Accurate long balls /90, Accurate crosses /90
≈ 100% Will Hughes · strong: Aerial duels won, Aerial duels won % · medium reliability
Strengths: Aerial duels won /90, Aerial duels won %, Touches /90
FAQ
Who is the best replacement for Will Hughes?
By Doppel's fit score, Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo) is the closest profile to Will Hughes, with a 85/100 overall match. Gabriel Menino and Lewis Miley are the next best fits.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Will Hughes?
Yes. Carles Aleñá (Deportivo Alavés) plays a similar central midfielder role and rates 82/100 at roughly €2.8m.
How does Doppel find players similar to Will Hughes?
Doppel builds a statistical role profile from Will Hughes's 2025/26 season, then ranks central midfielders across the big-5 leagues and more by how closely they match, adjusting for league strength and market value.
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