With the summer transfer window now behind us it leaves a number of players – in some cases well-known names – without clubs and with their immediate futures in a state of some uncertainty.
Speaking to the press ahead of Saturday’s game, director of football David Holdsworth confirmed that there would be room for movement in that market should the manager feel there was a need.
“There are those players, and I was talking to one yesterday [Friday],” he said. “But that’s down to Chris. Chris picks the team, picks the players. Chris has the players that he wishes, everything to do with the football side is not my decision.
“You don’t need two leaders in there. He gets advice and support, and he has done. I think Chris is happy. We’ve done our business very well and if there are one or two surprises, if Ross Barkley wants to come in, great, I’d be over the moon.”
“Like I say, Chris has got the players he wanted,” he continued. “He’s brought in players in positions he felt he wanted competition with, and we have to respect what Chris wants.
“Chris has got what he wanted, he’s enjoyed getting what he wanted, and that’s the formation he’ll play. For me we’ve got good width, good players there, we’ve got young Fishburn and other young players coming through, so it’s about bringing all of that together now, which I know Chris is looking forward to doing.”
