David Wagner has given a strong hint that goalkeeper Ben Hamer will make his Huddersfield Town debut against Chelsea.
The 30-year-old free-agent signing from Leicester City has impressed in pre-season and is putting real pressure on previous ever-present Jonas Lossl for the No1 jersey.
The head coach confirmed only Danny Williams and Erik Durm were not under consideration for the Premier League kick-off as they both continue rehabilitation from long injury absences.
And when asked if Hamer had done enough to get in, the boss paused before replying: “He. Yep. He trained very well. I am very happy with what I have seen from him.
“We have a further training session, of course, but I can’t say he has surprised me because we signed him to be a real competitor.
“But you never know how quick a player will settle in, into our style and into this football club, but he has done it very, very well.
“In fact, he played very well in pre-season and I am very happy that we have him in our group.
“Apart from this, he is a very good character as well and a very strong character in our dressing room.”
Wagner also confirmed the captaincy group has remained the same as last season, with club captain Tommy Smith, Jonathan Hogg and Christopher Schindler taking the armband as and when needed.
“Nothing has changed in terms of our three captains we had last season, with Tommy, Hoggy and Schindy,” said Wagner, when asked who would lead out the team against Maurizio Sarri’s Blues.
“Then it depends on who is healthy and who is on the pitch, but this is the same as last season, nothing has changed.
“We haven’t lost a player from this group, so I don’t have to change anything, and this is why we go with exactly the same three captains into the new season.”
Wagner said he will take a look at latest arrival Isaac Mbenza in training before deciding whether he can be involved in the squad.
Wagner conceded deadline day had been a long one for the loan man from Montpellier and that he wouldn't even know all the names of his teammates by kick-off, but he would make a decision after the final training workout.
