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, with 21 appearances in the 2025/26 season, contributing 3 goals and 1 assist. Players who can replace Barkley include Johan Manzambi from SC Freiburg, with a fit score of 84/100, and Nikolas Nartey from VfB Stuttgart, who has a fit score of 83/100. These players excel in similar roles, making them strong tactical alternatives.
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 | Rodrisimilar↗ | Manchester City | 30 | €50m | 95 | 82 |
| 2 | Nikolas Narteysimilar↗ | VfB Stuttgart | 26 | €10m | 94 | 83 |
| 3 | Bryan Mbeumosimilar↗ | Brentford | 27 | €73m | 93 | 83 |
| 4 | Johan Manzambisimilar↗ | SC Freiburg | 21 | €54m | 93 | 84 |
| 5 | Malik Tillmansimilar↗ | PSV Eindhoven | 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↗ | 1. FC Heidenheim | 26 | €800k | 92 | 86 |
| 10 | Assan Ouédraogosimilar↗ | RB Leipzig | 20 | €26m | 92 | 82 |
| 11 | Eric Ebimbesimilar↗ | Eintracht Frankfurt | 26 | €6.5m | 91 | 85 |
| 12 | Matheus Cunhasimilar↗ | Wolverhampton | 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: Touches, Accurate final-third passes · low reliability
Strengths: Touches /90, Accurate final-third passes /90, Accurate long balls /90
≈ 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: 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, Rodri (Manchester City) does the closest job to Ross Barkley, at 95/100 on profile. Nikolas Nartey 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.
Want the full, budget-aware shortlist with heatmaps and your own filters?
Run your own search on Doppel →