Sikou Niakaté

Niakaté's current-season form is down 63% on last season (Season 43→16), while his Rating eased 60→45. His peak season for form remains 2022/23 (Season 55).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	SC Braga · 4th	11	0	0	6.91	45	16
2024/25	SC Braga · 4th	24	1	1	7	60	43
2023/24	SC Braga · 4th	19	0	0	6.58	58	12
2022/23	SC BragaLoan · 3rd	26	3	0	6.91	67	55
2021/22	MetzLoan · 19th	12	0	0	6.62	63	13

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons and 2 youth-team spells in the full career.

Mali · international

Side	Apps	G
Mali	13	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

S. Niakaté is a 27-year-old central defender at SC Braga, rated 44.8 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 242nd of 317 on scout potential in the Primeira Liga. In his prime years, he has been a fringe squad member this season (30.7% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.11 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Niakaté.

Judged on this season alone, Niakaté graded 16 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 40th of 56 of the 56 centre-backs in the Primeira Liga, on 4 clean sheets and 2.109 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 43 → 16). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2022/23.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 45, 37th of 56 of the 56 centre-backs in the Primeira Liga. At 27 Niakaté is in his prime years, and a market index of 17.1 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2022/23 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2022/23Holding levelBreakout: 2022/23StreakyStepped up 2021/22

Current potential37th of 56 centre-backs · Primeira Liga · 11 apps Current season40th of 56 centre-backs · Primeira Liga · 11 apps40th-best centre-back in the Primeira Liga242nd in the Primeira Liga · potential37th-highest potential centre-back in the Primeira Liga

44.8

Ratingi

37th of 56 centre-backs

15.5

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

30.7%

Minutes

limited game time

2.11

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · SC Braga finished 4th of 18 · an upper-table side

2.11

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.11 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 11 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (4th of 18) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume.

Watch points

Game time. Only 30.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 44.8, Niakaté carries the 37th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Primeira Liga of 56 — though on just 11 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.11 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %30.7%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 902.109

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %11.1

Pass accuracy %89

Dribble success %100

Cards / 900.192

Foul involvement / 901.342

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~17), then tapers with age. At 27, Niakaté sits on 17.1, at or near its peak. The blue line is Niakaté's projected Rating — 44.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Primeira Liga with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target1

Shots9

Passing

Assists0

Pass accuracy89%

Possession

Successful dribbles7

Dribble success100%

Fouls won4

Defending

Tackles10

Interceptions7

Blocks5

Fouls committed10

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

€1.8M total transfer fees · 4 moves

SC Braga2023/24 – now€ 1.8M

SC Braga(on loan)2022/23 – 2023/24

Metz(on loan)2021/22 – 2022/23

Guingamp2019/20 – 2021/22

Valenciennesuntil 2019/20

About S. Niakaté

Sikou Niakaté is a 26-year-old centre-back who plays for SC Braga, born on July 10, 1999 in Montreuil, standing 186 cm tall. He is from Mali. SC Braga currently sit 4th of 18 in the Primeira Liga.

This season

In the current season, S. Niakaté has made 11 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 939 minutes, averaging a 7.07 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Primeira Liga and the UEFA Europa League.

When S. Niakaté plays, SC Braga's record this season is 10W-4D-4L — and his match ratings average 6.9 at home against 6.94 on the road.

Recent matches

April 8, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Real Betis (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
April 4, 2026: 1-0 win away at Moreirense (90 minutes, 7.7 rating)
March 22, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs FC Porto (63 minutes, 7.2 rating)
March 18, 2026: 4-0 win at home vs Ferencvarosi TC (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
March 12, 2026: 0-2 loss away at Ferencvarosi TC (62 minutes, 6.9 rating)
January 22, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Nottingham Forest (45 minutes, 6.7 rating)
January 18, 2026: 1-0 win away at Tondela (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
December 15, 2025: 1-0 win at home vs Santa Clara (83 minutes, 7.2 rating)
December 11, 2025: 1-0 win away at Nice (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
December 6, 2025: 2-1 win away at Famalicao (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates S. Niakaté at 44.8 with a Season form score of 15.5, ranking 242nd of 317 centre-backs in the Primeira Liga. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Taça da Liga. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, S. Niakaté has totalled 194 club appearances with 6 goals and 3 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2020/21, with 31 appearances for Guingamp.

S. Niakaté's career has also included time at Metz, Guingamp and Valenciennes.

On the international stage, S. Niakaté has represented Mali — 13 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · SC Braga finished 4th of 18 · an upper-table side

Watch points