Jesse Marsch has nine undroppable Leeds United players, like summer signing Brenden Aaronson, ahead of hosting Wolves on the opening day of the new Premier League season.
The Whites host Bruno Lage’s West Midlands natives at Elland Road on Saturday, August 6 to raise the curtain for the campaign. Leeds will be desperate to enjoy a more competitive season than last, having only secured their top-flight survival on the final day of the term.
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Burnley failing to beat Newcastle United, and Leeds edging Brentford, saw that the Clarets fell into the Championship. The two sides were separated by just three points at the close of play, following Leeds taking nine wins and 11 draws to Burnley’s seven and 14 all term.
Leeds have undergone a major rebuild of their ranks this summer in the hopes of building a more competitive squad. Although the Whites have financed their arrivals by selling their most important players in Kalvin Phillips for £45m and Raphinha for £49m, rising to £55m.
Several injuries contribute toward Leeds’ nine undroppables against Wolves
Marsch is also facing a selection dilemma ahead of Leeds hosting Wolves, with the Whites managing a number of injuries. Adam Forshaw and star summer signing Luis Sinisterra are set to miss the curtain-raiser after they suffered issues Down Under against Crystal Palace.
Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo will also be absent but are currently ahead of schedule in their recoveries. Liam Cooper is also closing in on a return after missing all of Leeds’ pre-season with an Achilles issue. But Stuart Dallas is still a while off after fracturing his femur in April.
Dallas’ long-term injury and Ayling’s issue should, therefore, see Rasmus Kristensen start the season as one of Marsch’s undroppable Leeds players against Wolves. The 25-year-old has moved to Elland Road from RB Salzburg this summer for £10m on a five-year contract.
Another of Leeds’ undroppable players against Wolves is goalkeeper Illan Meslier after the 22-year-old started all 38 games last term. The Frenchman has also been in fine form over the summer, and will want to keep growing as one of the league’s most promising goalies.
Injuries will likely dictate who starts in central defence with Diego Llorente and Robin Koch set to start. Cooper could force his name into the line-up if Marsch is convinced his captain is ready to face Wolves, but is likely to play his return carefully after a frustrating summer.
Left-back a major dilemma with no undroppable Leeds player against Wolves
Marsch faces a major selection headache over who starts at left-back as Leeds are without an undroppable name against Wolves. The American has experimented with Jack Harrison and Leo Hjelde in the role through pre-season, but could also look to Pascal Struijk to start.
Struijk emerged as the favourite for the position towards the end of Leeds’ pre-season run against Cagliari. The centre-half also featured from a wider role during five Premier League games last term, and would allow Harrison to start from his natural left-wing position, too.
Either way, Harrison will be among Marsch’s undroppable players against Wolves as Leeds look to rebuff interest from Newcastle United. Eddie Howe has offered €40m (£33.5m) for the forward, per Foot Mercato, but the Toon fell short of the Whites’ €47m (£39.5m) price.
Aaronson should also feature from the opposing flank after he moved out wide to replace Sinisterra in pre-season. Marsch had signed the latter from Feyenoord for £21m to occupy Raphinha’s void, whilst the former – a central option – joined from RB Salzburg for £25m.
Patrick Bamford should round out the attacking contingent of Marsch’s plans when Lage’s men visit Elland Road. Dan James is suspended for the opening day encounter as he serves the last match of a three-game ban issued for fouling Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic during May.
Jesse Marsch has shown his favoured central midfielders during pre-season
The final two of Leeds’ nine undroppable players against Wolves come in central midfield with summer signings Tyler Adams and Marc Roca. Marsch bought Adams from RB Leipzig for £20m at the start of July to fill Phillips’ void as the holding anchor of his engine room.
Roca also moved to Elland Road over the summer after leaving Bayern Munich for an initial £10m. And Marsch has already shown that he and Adams are now his first-choice pair with Forshaw absent, with outings together against Aston Villa and Cagliari through pre-season.
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