Euro 2020: Who will you select in Wales' 26-man squad for the summer?
- Published
As Euro 2020 approaches, some Wales players face a nervous wait to discover if they will be included in the final squad on Sunday.
Assistant coach Robert Page will take charge this summer in the absence of manager Ryan Giggs.
Page may already have decided on most players but, with Uefa expanding the permitted squad sizes from 23 to 26 for this tournament, there could yet be some tricky selections.
So who is already assured of their place? Who will the marginal calls concern? And might there be any surprise inclusions?
Whose bags are already packed?
These are the no-brainers, the obvious selections. Fitness permitting, there are players Page is almost certain to pick.
Captain Gareth Bale, Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Tottenham defender Ben Davies come to mind, as does Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen, who was named in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament after Wales reached the semi-finals.
There are other stalwarts of that campaign, such as goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who are guaranteed picks, while a new generation of players will be well represented too.
Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Daniel James and Harry Wilson are yet to play at a major tournament but they will be expected to feature prominently at Euro 2020.
So what about the rest?
With 18 players almost certain to be included, that leaves Page with eight spots to fill in his squad.
In goal, the most likely player to disturb the settled three of Hennessey, Adam Davies and Danny Ward is Tom King, the Newport County goalkeeper who has yet to play for Wales but has been named in previous squads.
Defensive places are up for grabs. Record cap-holder Chris Gunter does not start as often for Wales as he once did but, as someone who can play in almost any position in defence, the 31-year-old's versatility could be an asset.
Luton Town centre-back Tom Lockyer has featured regularly in recent years but has only recently recovered from injury, which could benefit Swansea City's 20-year-old central defender, Ben Cabango.
Stoke full-back Rhys Norrington-Davies has done well in his four international appearances to date and is another who offers versatility.
Beyond first-team players such as Ramsey, Allen, Ampadu and Joe Morrell, central midfield is an area where Page might have some difficult decisions to make.
Cardiff City's Jonny Williams is a firm favourite among Wales fans and, having featured at Euro 2016, he could offer valuable experience this summer.
Matt Smith, Manchester City's 21-year-old on loan at Doncaster Rovers, enhanced his chances of being included with an assured display in the March friendly win over Mexico.
Although Dylan Levitt has found opportunities limited at Croatian club Istra 1961 since joining on loan from Manchester United, the 20-year-old has been a regular in recent Wales squads.
Josh Sheehan has also been included lately, despite playing in League Two for Newport, while Cardiff's 19-year-old Rubin Colwill was included in the extended 28-man squad for the training camp in Portugal, although it would be a major surprise if he made the final cut on this occasion.
Similar to the situation in midfield, there will be competition for the back-up places in Wales' attack.
Leeds United's Tyler Roberts would be expected to make the final squad, having played in midfield as well as his favoured position up front for his Premier League club.
However, he will not have helped his cause after being sent home from Wales' squad in March following a "breach of protocol", along with Rabbi Matondo and Hal Robson-Kanu.
Robson-Kanu, a Euro 2016 hero after his breathtaking goal in the quarter-final win over Belgium, reversed his decision to retire from international football last year but is seemingly out of contention this summer after being omitted from the 28-man training squad in Portugal.
Matondo might benefit from Robson-Kanu's absence. He has blistering pace but has offered little else in his eight Wales appearances to date and, although he has struggled at Stoke on loan from German club Schalke, the 20-year-old may be viewed as a potential impact sub for Euro 2020.
One of Welsh football's breakthrough stars this season has been Brennan Johnson, the 20-year-old forward on loan at Lincoln City from Nottingham Forest. Twice capped by Wales, he has scored 13 goals this season to help the Imps reach the League One play-off final.
Another who has impressed in League One is Plymouth Argyle striker Luke Jephcott, who has 16 league goals this season. Having not yet been included in a senior Wales squad, the 21-year-old would be a real bolter if he made the grade for Euro 2020.
Derby County forward Tom Lawrence has 22 caps to his name and demonstrated a hitherto unknown versatility when he started at left wing-back against Mexico.
Cardiff youngster Mark Harris and George Thomas of Queens Park Rangers were also included in the extended training squad in Portugal, but neither are expected to feature in Page's final 26-man travelling party.
These are some of the decisions facing Page before he names his final squad for Euro 2020 on Sunday.
As Wales start their campaign against Switzerland on 12 June, which starting line-up would you select for their tournament opener in Baku?