AI DNA Similarity
Best Alternatives to Nikola Maras
Players most similar to Nikola Maras (Defender, €1.5M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
Top 3 Alternatives to Nikola Maras
- 1.Steffen Nkansah86% DNA match·Homburg
- 2.Abdoulaye Bamba85% DNA match·Angers SCO
- 3.Burak Öksüz85% DNA match·Ümraniyespor
Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
RT
Intelligence Verdict
???Bottom 7%
“Nikola Maraš is a Reading Defender....”
See Full Verdict + Share Card →Playing Style Analysis
Reading DefenderAerial
Nikola Maraš is a Reading Defender. Positionally astute defender who intercepts passing lanes. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.3 clearances/90). The three most similar players to Nikola Maras by playing style are:
- Steffen Nkansah(86% match) — Steffen Nkansah is a Reading Defender. Positionally astute defender who intercepts passing lanes. Statistically, he stands out as active in the tackle (2.1 tackles/90), commanding in the air (4.3 clearances/90) and reads the game exceptionally (2.5 interceptions/90). (Limited sample: 393 mins)
- Abdoulaye Bamba(85% match) — A Solid Defender. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.4 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (90% pass accuracy) and wins the physical battle (57% duel success).
- Burak Öksüz(85% match) — Burak Öksüz is a Reading Defender. Positionally astute defender who intercepts passing lanes. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.3 clearances/90).
Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →
Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity
#1
S
Steffen Nkansah
Homburg · Bundesliga
Germany30y
Tkl/902.06
KP/900.00
Reading DefenderAerial
86% match
N/A
#2
A
Abdoulaye Bamba
Angers SCO · Ligue 1
Ivory Coast36yContract 2026
Tkl/901.45
KP/900.00
Solid DefenderAerial
vs Maras: 6y older
85% match
N/A
#3
B
Burak Öksüz
Ümraniyespor · Super Lig
Turkey30y
Tkl/900.76
KP/900.22
Reading DefenderAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip85% match
N/A
#4
B
Bartol Franjic
Venezia · Bundesliga
Croatia26yContract 2026
Tkl/902.03
KP/900.00
Reading Defender
Last 5: ↓ Dip84% match
€7.5M
#5
M
Manu Hernando
Racing Santander · Liga Portugal
Spain27y
Tkl/900.23
KP/900.00
Reading DefenderAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot84% match
N/A
#6
A
Adrián Pica
Mirandés · La Liga
Spain24y
Tkl/901.45
KP/900.00
Reading DefenderAerial
84% match
N/A
#7
N
Neville Ogidi Nwankwo
Telstar · Eredivisie
Netherlands23yContract 2026
Tkl/901.76
KP/900.30
Reading DefenderAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip84% match
N/A
#8
M
Mertcan Ayhan
Schalke 04 · Bundesliga
Turkey19yContract 2028
Tkl/902.18
KP/900.10
Reading DefenderAerial
Last 5: → Stable84% match
N/A
#9
L
Luka Hujber
Vejle Boldklub · Superliga
Croatia26y
Tkl/903.42
KP/900.77
Reading DefenderAerial
83% match
N/A
#10
J
Ji-soo Kim
Kaiserslautern · Bundesliga
South Korea21yContract 2026
Tkl/900.82
KP/900.00
Solid DefenderAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot83% match
N/A
#11
P
Pelayo Fernández
Rayo Vallecano · La Liga
Spain23y
Tkl/901.00
KP/900.00
Reading DefenderAerial
Last 5: → Stable83% match
€3.5M
#12
N
Nacho Martínez
FC Cartagena · La Liga
Spain37y
Tkl/902.31
KP/900.64
Reading DefenderSmall Sample
82% match
N/A
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Ask AI: Why are these players similar?
Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Nikola Maras.
Ask AI about Nikola Maras →Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best alternatives to Nikola Maras?▼
The top alternatives to Nikola Maras based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Steffen Nkansah, Abdoulaye Bamba, Burak Öksüz, Bartol Franjic, Manu Hernando. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Nikola Maras in 2026?▼
Players with a similar profile to Nikola Maras in 2026 include Steffen Nkansah (N/A), Abdoulaye Bamba (N/A), Burak Öksüz (N/A). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Nikola Maras play and who plays similarly?▼
Nikola Maras plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Steffen Nkansah (Germany, N/A); Abdoulaye Bamba (Ivory Coast, N/A); Burak Öksüz (Turkey, N/A); Bartol Franjic (Croatia, €7.5M).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.