Who exactly is Ezechiel Banzuzi? FFT's Scout report

Ezechiel Banzuzi of Holland U21 during the U21 Men match between Holland U21 v Slovenia U21 at the Kooi Stadium on November 14, 2025 in Leeuwarden Netherlands — Ezechiel Banzuzi while playing for the Dutch under-21s (Image credit: Jeroen van den Berg/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Ezechiel Banzuzi is one of a group of exciting young Dutch midfielders breaking through in top-level European football.

With Kees Smit, Isaac Babadi and Tygo Land getting game time in the Netherlands and Belgium, Banzuzi has made the move to RB Leipzig to develop further, becoming a regular this season in Ole Werner's young side.

So… who exactly is Ezechiel Banzuzi?

Leipzig's Dutch midfielder #06 Ezechiel Banzuzi is shown a yellow card by German referee Frank Willenborg during the German first division Bundesliga football match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leipzig on August 30, 2025. — Banzuzi protests a Bundesliga booking (Image credit: Ronny HARTMANN / AFP via Getty Images)

PROFILE

Name: Ezechiel Banzuzi
Position/s: Defensive midfield, central midfield, attacking midfield
Age: 21 (Born: February 16, 2005)
Nationality: Dutch
Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in)
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: RB Leipzig

Coming through the NAC Breda academy, Banzuzi didn't spend time at any of the Eredivisie's big three as a youngster and actually left the Netherlands entirely in 2023, signing for OH Leuven in Belgium – and playing under Chris Coleman in the second half of last season. A move to Leipzig last summer certainly suggests that he was going to replace Xavi Simons, but since moving to the Bundesliga, comparisons with Ryan Gravenberch have been far more common.

A physically imposing central midfielder with power, but with the touch of a playmaker, Banzuzi a similar profile to club-mate Assan Ouedraogo: both youngsters exactly the same height, and with similar dribbling styles. Banzuzi has played as a no.6, no.8 and no.10, with each role utilising different areas of his skillset.

Banzuzi's strengths

Physicality, frame and intensity: It's not just that Ezechiel Banzuzi is 6ft 3in: he knows how to use his incredible physique. He dominates the centre of the pitch, can use his long legs to recover possession with ease and he has had no problem adapting to the physical demands of the Bundesliga already.

Ball-carrying: With such long strides comes Banzuzi's brilliance in bringing the ball forward. He is an excellent dribbler: he isn't pacy or explosive, as such, but excels in progressing the ball centrally.

Aerial ability: Banzuzi is already one of the best midfielders in Europe in the air. His aerial duel success rate is good, making him useful in set-pieces, too – both attacking and defending.

Box-crashing: Though not a natural finisher, the Dutchman has a superb sense of timing and knows exactly when to get into the box for a cut-back. This threat makes him a shoo-in for a box-to-box role, despite how capable he is in defensive midfield.

Close control: For a big man, he's got good touch. Banzuzi has great close control in tight spaces, with his background as an attacker having honed his deftness.

Ezechiel Banzuzi ● Welcome to RB Leipzig 🔴⚪️🇳🇱 Skills, Tackles & Passes - YouTube

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Banzuzi's areas of development

Decision-making: Banzuzi has played as a no.10, but more as a powerhouse used to bludgeon the opposition, rather than unpick them. He's often guilty of ‘overplaying’ in the final third, though you can blame that on a lack of exposure at the highest level – something he's getting now at Leipzig. He's only contributed a single assist in the league this season, too – something you can level at a lack of playing time.

Defensive discipline: Five yellow cards in all competitions doesn't seem particularly catastrophic – but in under 600 minutes played, it's clear Banzuzi is over-committing in challenges. His positional sense is improving, and controlling his physical power will come in time, too.

Press-resistance: Banzuzi has good control and can weave his way out of pressure, but he struggles to switch direction quickly or take the ball on the half-turn, in the face of a counter-press. His awareness of the game around him is still developing.

Banzuzi's ceiling

MORE REPORTS

Rodrigo Mendoza of Atletico Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico Madrid v Real Betis at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano on February 8, 2026 in Madrid Spain — (Image credit: Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images)

MIDFIELDERS Rodrigo Mendoza, Richard Rios, Mikel Jauregizar

RB Leipzig are still very much refining Ezechiel Banzuzi as a player but the signs are good so far. Such an impressive physical profile shouldn't have a problem adapting to the Premier League, should a move ever materialise – the same can't be said for a few other big-name Bundesliga buys – though the 21-year-old needs regular game time in German football first.

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Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.

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