![\"Ayden](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2224647514.jpg\")
Ayden Heaven (right) will be hoping to nail down a starting place.(Image: Ash Donelon\/Manchester United via Getty Images.)<\/p>\nMan United will step up their pre-season preparations this weekend and it could mark the beginning of an individual battle.<\/p>\n
George is a Senior Football Writer for the Manchester Evening News, mostly covering Manchester United. He previously worked for football.london before joining the MEN team in July 2021. As well as covering United, George is a Championship-enthusiast and co-hosts The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24), which you can find on all major podcast platforms.<\/p>\n
Ayden Heaven (right) will be hoping to nail down a starting place.(Image: Ash Donelon\/Manchester United via Getty Images.)<\/p>\n
Predicting how Manchester United could line up against Leeds United for their pre-season opener in Stockholm on Saturday is about as easy as trying to find a needle in a haystack.<\/p>\n
Pre-season marks an ample opportunity for United<\/a> head coach Ruben Amorim<\/a> to assess his squad and attempt to figure out his strongest starting XI for the Premier League opener against Arsenal at Old Trafford in a month’s time.<\/p>\n While some occupants of some positions are quite easy to identify, others are not quite so clear-cut, meaning some members of Amorim’s squad will be feeling the pressure more than others over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n The clash with Leeds will mark the first of five friendlies United will navigate their way through this summer. After facing the Whites, they will play three games in the United States before returning to England to face Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 9.<\/p>\n Amorim is expected to use pre-season to run the rule over every member of his squad. A crop of youngsters are also highly likely to store minutes under their belts.<\/p>\n Despite the thirst for new signings, particularly in attacking areas, United are not planning to strengthen their defence. They are well-stocked at the back, particularly at centre-back.<\/p>\n After signing Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt<\/a> last summer and then Ayden Heaven<\/a> in the mid-season window, Amorim is not light on options. Noussair Mazraoui, who arrived from Bayern Munich last August, can also play as a centre-back.<\/p>\n With Harry Maguire<\/a>, Lisandro Martinez, Tyler Fredricson, Godwill Kukonki and Luke Shaw<\/a> also options to be considered at centre-back, Amorim might have his work cut out deciding who will make up his preferred defensive trio.<\/p>\n Yoro, who arrived from Lille a year ago, should be a shoo-in after overcoming his injury-hit start to end last season with a crop of strong performances. Despite impressing as the left-sided centre-back, it is widely considered his long-term position at Old Trafford is on the right of the back-three.<\/p>\n His athleticism, excellent reading of the game and his composure on the ball makes him an ideal fit to occupy the wide centre-back role on the right. Maguire enjoyed a strong campaign last term, convincing United to trigger the option to extend his contract by a further year, meaning he will be targeting the middle spot in the back-three.<\/p>\n However, he will face competition from De Ligt to occupy that role. The Dutchman, despite experiencing an up and down first season at Old Trafford, is still only 25 and will believe he can bring much more to the defence.<\/p>\n There is also a debate to potentially be had about who occupies the left-sided centre-back spot. Martinez was United’s chief left-sided centre-back at the start of the year, but an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury he sustained against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in February has put his place as a starter at risk.<\/p>\n He is progressing well in his recovery, continuing to work on an individual rehabilitation programme<\/a>, but he is still some time away from being fit enough to play. It means the door has opened for Heaven to make that spot his own at the start of this season.<\/p>\n Recruited from Arsenal earlier this year for a \u00a31.5million fee, the defender made an immediate impact in M16, producing a crop of performances that left United fans drooling over his potential. Despite only being 18, he already looks like a centre-back destined for the very top.<\/p>\n He has an excellent understanding of the game, is defensively sound, is very accomplished on the ball and is left-footed. There is a strong chance he will start the season opener against his former club.<\/p>\n However, Shaw will be in pursuit of the same role. United’s transition to a wing-back system under Amorim means the England defender’s most likely route into the starting XI is via the left-sided centre-back role.<\/p>\n He doesn’t have the athleticism to operate as a wing-back in Amorim’s system, making the left-sided centre-back spot the most logical role for him in Amorim’s XI.<\/p>\n Shaw has experienced a torrid time with injuries over the last couple of years, and many United supporters are of the opinion he should have been moved on by now. However, the fact he started in the Europa League final suggests Amorim is refusing to give up on him.<\/p>\n That could result in Heaven and Shaw going head-to-head in pre-season in pursuit of a place in Amorim’s first-choice XI.<\/p>\n Man United’s 2025\/26 Away Shirt<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> \u00a385<\/p>\n Fanatics<\/p>\n![\"Leny](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2216479319.jpg\")
Leny Yoro has a very bright future ahead of himself.(Image: Manu Reino\/DeFodi Images\/DeFodi via Getty Images.)<\/p>\n![\"Ayden](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2224647728.jpg\")
Ayden Heaven will have aspirations of becoming a regular starter.(Image: Ash Donelon\/Manchester United via Getty Images.)<\/p>\n![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1_Untitled-9jpeg.jpg\")
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