Who should replace Ross Barkley?
CM/CDM/CAMAston Villa · 2025/26 · ranked by tactical + market fitRoss Barkley's profile ↗
Ross Barkley is a central midfielder/defensive midfielder for Aston Villa in the Premier League. For those searching for the best replacement for Barkley, Johan Manzambi from SC Freiburg and Nikolas Nartey from VfB Stuttgart both offer strong tactical fits, scoring 84/100 and 83/100 respectively. These players are well-suited to fulfil a similar role in midfield, making them ideal alternatives for teams looking to replace Barkley.
Building your XI? Put Ross Barkley in a lineup and get the whole team rated on real data.Build a lineup →Best replacements for Ross Barkley
| # | Player | Club | Age | Value | Tactical | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikolas Narteysimilar↗ | VfB Stuttgart | 26 | €10m | 94 | 83 |
| 2 | Morgan Rogerssimilar↗ | Chelsea | 24 | €105m | 94 | 82 |
| 3 | Bryan Mbeumosimilar↗ | Manchester United | 27 | €73m | 93 | 83 |
| 4 | Johan Manzambisimilar↗ | SC Freiburg | 21 | €54m | 93 | 84 |
| 5 | Malik Tillmansimilar↗ | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 24 | €27m | 93 | 84 |
| 6 | Rodrigo Zalazarsimilar↗ | Sporting Braga | 27 | €32m | 93 | 83 |
| 7 | Nico Pazsimilar↗ | Como | 22 | €86m | 92 | 84 |
| 8 | Brais Méndezsimilar↗ | Real Sociedad | 29 | €7.8m | 92 | 82 |
| 9 | Kevin Sessasimilar↗ | Hertha BSC | 26 | €800k | 92 | 86 |
| 10 | Assan Ouédraogosimilar↗ | RB Leipzig | 20 | €26m | 92 | 82 |
| 11 | Eric Ebimbesimilar↗ | FC Schalke 04 | 26 | €6.5m | 91 | 84 |
| 12 | Matheus Cunhasimilar↗ | Manchester United | 27 | €79m | 91 | 82 |
* estimated market value · scores 0–100, league-strength adjusted · last 3 seasons
Why these players match Ross Barkley
≈ 100% Ross Barkley · strong: Aerial duels won, Possession won in att. third · medium reliability
Strengths: Aerial duels won /90, Possession won in att. third /90, Duels won /90
≈ 100% Ross Barkley · strong: Shots, Non-penalty goals · low reliability
Strengths: Shots /90, Non-penalty goals /90, Big chances created /90
≈ 100% Ross Barkley · strong: Finishing (npG − npxG, Non-penalty goals · low reliability
Strengths: Finishing (npG − npxG /90), Non-penalty goals /90, xG + xA /90
FAQ
Who is the best replacement for Ross Barkley?
By Doppel's tactical-fit score, Nikolas Nartey (VfB Stuttgart) does the closest job to Ross Barkley, at 94/100 on profile. Morgan Rogers and Bryan Mbeumo follow.
Is there a cheaper player who can replace Ross Barkley?
Yes — Brais Méndez (Real Sociedad) plays a similar central midfielder role at roughly €7.8m, a 82/100 match.
How does Doppel find replacements for Ross Barkley?
Doppel learns Ross Barkley'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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