Who should replace Will Hughes?
CM/CDMCrystal Palace · 2025/26 · ranked by tactical + market fitWill Hughes's profile ↗
Will Hughes is a central midfielder/defensive midfielder for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, with 31 appearances in the 2025/26 season. Players who can replace Hughes include Kristian Thorstvedt from Sassuolo, who has a fit score of 85/100, and Gabriel Menino from Palmeiras, with a fit score of 81/100. Both players demonstrate a strong tactical fit for the role Hughes occupies.
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| # | 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 | Gvidas Gineitissimilar↗ | Torino | 22 | €5.0m | 91 | 80 |
| 5 | Rocco Reitzsimilar↗ | Borussia M'gladbach | 24 | €22m | 90 | 82 |
| 6 | Alexander Prasssimilar↗ | TSG Hoffenheim | 25 | €8.7m | 90 | 80 |
| 7 | Filip Ugrinićsimilar↗ | Valencia | 27 | €5.7m | 90 | 79 |
| 8 | Carles Aleñásimilar↗ | Deportivo Alavés | 28 | €2.8m | 89 | 82 |
| 9 | Santi Comesañasimilar↗ | Villarreal | 30 | €8.4m | 89 | 80 |
| 10 | Edu Expósitosimilar↗ | Espanyol | 30 | €4.5m | 88 | 83 |
| 11 | Pepelusimilar↗ | Valencia | 28 | €7.3m | 88 | 83 |
| 12 | Mattias Svanbergsimilar↗ | VfL Wolfsburg | 27 | €8.3m | 88 | 82 |
* 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 tactical-fit score, Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo) does the closest job to Will Hughes, at 92/100 on profile. Gabriel Menino and Lewis Miley follow.
Is there a cheaper player who can replace Will Hughes?
Yes — Carles Aleñá (Deportivo Alavés) plays a similar central midfielder role at roughly €2.8m, a 82/100 match.
How does Doppel find replacements for Will Hughes?
Doppel learns Will Hughes's role profile from his 2025/26 season and ranks central midfielders across the big-5 leagues and more by how closely they do the same job, adjusted for league strength.
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