Goalkeeper and Defence
GK – Filip Jorgensen
The Dane is expected to complete his €25m (£21m) move from Villarreal over the coming days and he is likely to be favoured ahead of Robert Sanchez between the sticks.
RB – Reece James
The captain has a fight on his hands keeping his place ahead of Malo Gusto. The Frenchman was outstanding when James was out injured for a large part of the 2023/24 campaign.
CB – Tosin Adarabioyo
Manager Enzo Maresca has gone with a three-man defence in preseason but he has generally favoured 4-3-3 out of possession and 3-2-5 on the ball in his short managerial career so far. Adarabioyo is likely to start as one of the two centre-halves.
CB – Levi Colwill
Benoit Badhiashile has looked unconvincing in pre-season so you would expect Colwill to be given the nod ahead of the Frenchman as the left-sided centre-back.
LB – Marc Cucurella
The 26-year-old showed what he is truly capable of with his performances for Spain at the European Championships. In the closing stages of last season, he also showed he can invert at left-back, which would suggest that Maresca would favour him ahead of Ben Chilwell.
