Best XI: The top potential international debutants to watch this week

With a number of players hoping to make their international debuts over the next week, we’ve picked out an XI of those worth keeping an eye on as they aim to make an immediate impression of their national team coaches.

Edouard Mendy (Senegal)

Having pledged his international allegiance to Senegal’s cause, Reims shot stopper Mendy may well be a crucial player for Aliou Cisse’s impressive side. The 26-year-old is the highest rated player for the newly promoted Ligue 1 side having remarkably kept the most clean sheets (eight) across Europe’s top five leagues.

Konrad Laimer (Austria)

While the 21-year-old continues to make do with the rotation policy at RB Leipzig, his versatility will surely be an asset for both club and country in the years to come. He’s played at both right-back and central midfield in his seven starts across the Bundesliga and Europa League this season, with an impressive rating of 7.39 from said games.

Lewis Dunk (England)

While goals in consecutive matches against Everton and Cardiff have ultimately been in vain, Dunk’s form has improved since the last international break. A late call up in place of the injured James Tarkowski last month, the Brighton captain has been more deserving of his place this time around, ranking among the top ten players for both clearances and blocks.

Mario Hermoso (Spain)

In the search for a long term successor to Gerard Pique, and new partner for captain Sergio Ramos, the form of Espanyol youngster Hermoso has been extremely encouraging. The 23-year-old is the highest rated centre-back in LaLiga this season (7.29), earning a place in the team of the season so far having scored twice and helped his concede just ten goals to sit three points behind top of the table Barcelona.

Ferland Mendy (France)

With Benjamin Mendy withdrawing from the France squad due to a knee injury, namesake Ferland has been called up in his stead after a solid start to the season with Lyon. The 23-year-old, like his aforementioned compatriot, offers a real outlet in attack and has completed more dribbles than any other defender in Ligue 1 (22) despite missing three matches.

Brais Mendez (Spain)

While it was a relatively comfortable win for Real Madrid at the weekend, Brais Mendez certainly caught the eye for Celta Vigo with a goal and an assist, and not for the first time in recent weeks. The 21-year-old has established himself in the starting XI since the end of September and offers something different to a Spain side lacking natural width. Best playing off the right, the youngster has three goals and two assists in seven starts this season.

Allan (Brazil)

At 27 years of age, followers of Serie A will feel that Napoli midfielder Allan’s first international call-up is long overdue having excelled in three seasons at Udinese and become a crucial player to a free-flowing Napoli side. The ball winner in the Partenopei engine room, the Brazilian has won the most tackles in Italy’s top-flight despite making three of 12 appearances from the bench and boasts a pass accuracy in excess of 90 per cent across the league and Champions League.

Stefano Sensi (Italy)

It’s fair to say that Roberto Mancini is still searching for his best lineup, particularly in midfield, and Sensi is the latest man to receive the call from the Azzurri boss despite starting just five Serie A matches this season. The 23-year-old has been very composed in possession for Sassuolo, it should be said, completing 88.5 per cent of his passes, and has good vision too, creating an impressive 2.7 chances per 90 minutes.

Javairo Dilrosun (Netherlands)

There’s little doubt that Ronald Koeman is looking to the future to recover from Netherlands’ woeful recent past and the signs are certainly encouraging. Hertha Berlin winger Dilrosun is the latest of a long line of promising youngsters to earn a call and while his form has gone off the ball in recent weeks, two goals and three assists has been a strong return from the 20-year-old rookie.

Alassane Plea (France)

While he may not be among Didier Deschamps’ first choice strikers Plea has made the cut for les Bleus based on merit rather than solely profiting from injuries to others for this international break. The 25-year-old has adjusted to life in the Bundesliga superbly and improved upon a strong second half of last season with Nice. Now at Gladbach, the in form hitman has scored eight times and registered three assists, while showing his versatility to play from the left in very effective fashion.

Callum Wilson (England)

Alongside Sergio Aguero, Eden Hazard and Raheem Sterling, Wilson is among an elite list of Premier League players to have had a direct hand in ten or more goals this season and is enjoying one of his longest runs of a full fitness in England’s top-flight. With six goals and four assists for the high-flying Cherries, few could argue that the 26-year-old deserves his chance at present.