Swansea City have made several summer signings including Stephen Welsh, Moussa Yeo, Elijah Just, and Joseph Opoku. Ethan Galbraith departed for around £10m to Stoke City, who face Swansea on the opening day. Ricardo Santos also left, while Gustavo Nunes and Malick Yalcouye returned from loans. Joel Ward left on a free transfer.
Season expectations
Swansea finished 11th last season, nine points behind sixth-placed Hull City. An eighth-place finish would now secure a play-off spot, a benchmark Swansea missed by just five points last term.
Potential best XI
Lawrence Vigouroux is first-choice goalkeeper. At right-back, Josh Key is the best option given inexperience of Fillip Lissah and Sam Parker. The centre-back pairing is Cameron Burgess and Ben Cabango, with Josh Tymon at left-back.
In midfield, Goncalo Franco is injured for several months, so Marko Stamenic is likely to partner Jay Fulton or a single pivot. Leo Walta and Elijah Just could play advanced roles, with Liam Cullen and Melker Widell as contenders. Out wide, Moussa Yeo and Joseph Opoku are expected to start, with Zan Vipotnik up front and Adam Idah pushing for minutes.
Areas needing strengthening
The left side of defence beyond Tymon looks thin. The back four has not been significantly upgraded apart from Welsh. Midfield needs reinforcement after losing Galbraith and Yalcouye, and Franco's injury heightens that need. Right-back options Parker and Lissah are largely unproven at this level. New signings Walta, Just, Yeo, and Opoku are untested in the Championship.
If Vipotnik repeats last season's goal tally, Swansea could surprise. Potential best XI: Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Stamenic; Yeo, Walta, Just, Opoku; Vipotnik.
