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In two weeks' time, Leicester City will be preparing for their League One curtain-raiser against Notts County. Before then, the Foxes face Genoa in their final pre-season friendly this weekend and Northampton Town in the Carabao Cup first round. This Saturday's visit will give Russell Martin one last chance to assess his players before domestic football returns. The cup clash against Northampton, who City have beaten this pre-season, will be another test before the league season gets underway. So far, we have witnessed five friendlies and each game has gradually pieced together how Leicester may line-up at Meadow Lane. New signings will tweak the squad as and when they are completed, but there is a preferred starting line-up that has started to emerge. Here, we look at the current best XI and what areas need attention... FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK! All the latest Leicester City news on LeicestershireLive’s Leicester City Facebook page! Get LeicestershireLIVE Premium now for just £1 HERE. You can also join our WhatsApp Community by clicking HERE Goalkeeper - Alex McCarthy For years, the man between the sticks has always seemed so obvious. Even last season when Marti Cifuentes and Gary Rowett rotated between Jakub Stolarczyk and Asmir Begovic, the former appeared to be the number one throughout. This campaign, there is a slight question mark. But if the Spain trip is anything to go by, summer signing Alex McCarthy is in line to be the No.1 for the start of the season. The 36-year-old started the win over Cadiz and draw against Malaga, pulling off four fine saves in the first game. Having worked with Martin at Southampton, it makes sense to start him. Stolarczyk himself has enjoyed a steady pre-season, with two superb saves against Malaga his standout moments. However, questions over his distribution and shot-stopping mean McCarthy is, currently, the first-choice goalkeeper. Right-back - Bade Aluko When pre-season started, Bade Aluko was everyone's first choice and it was a call that didn't have many arguments. However, Jayden Joseph has been impressive since returning from his loan at Tranmere Rovers and has bulked up somewhat since last summer. Both players have done fine in pre-season, but Aluko starts, just for me. His defending has come on leaps and bounds over the past 12 months and his ability in possession make him a standout. Joseph is perfect competition for him and will definitely get an opportunity. Woyo Coulibaly is another option, but the 27-year-old is still expected to depart after returning from his loan spell. Aluko it is, until further notice. Him and Joseph have progressed through the City academy together and are good friends off the pitch. It's healthy competition for an important position. Centre-backs - Ben Nelson, Harry Souttar Strangely, Ben Nelson and Harry Souttar haven't played much throughout the summer, but they did later in the second-half against Malaga last week. They are solid defenders, understood the instructions set by Martin and are dominant aerially. If they both stay at the club beyond the Notts game, they will surely be the first-choice partnership. Nelson's contract situation is a concern, but no offer has come close to City's valuation, while Souttar is strongly tipped to return to Sheffield United. The pair complement each other well and, in League One, there would be few better partnerships. But the reality is that they could still leave before the window closes. Wout Faes and Caleb Okoli, the other two senior centre-backs, are also likely to follow them. There is an argument that Okoli will likely get the nod over Souttar next to Nelson after playing alongside him in every friendly so far. Relationships are important, but at it stands, Souttar is the best defender at the club. Left-back - Luke Thomas Another difficult position when it comes to confidently selecting a player. Luke Thomas has been the main left-back throughout pre-season, but Christian McFarlane's loan arrival from Manchester City provides competition that the Syston-born defender hasn't really had. Right now, we have no idea how good McFarlane is defensively, on the ball or in the final third. The Genoa game will hopefully offer a glimpse at his strengths and weaknesses, so this selection might change before August 15. Thomas hasn't shown the levels expected of him in recent years. In the Championship last term, he really struggled and part of the problem was that there was nobody behind him waiting for a chance at left-back. Ironically, McFarlane's arrival may just bring the best out of him. The former New York City defender will be hoping to replace Thomas and become a regular in League One. McFarlane impressed with Man City's development squad last season, but senior football is completely different. It's an interesting battle in another vital position. Holding midfielder - Oliver Skipp The position in front of the back four is essential to Martin's game model at City and Oliver Skipp has made it his own this summer. There was confusion as to where he would fit in the new Leicester boss' system, but it's an obvious selection. In truth, his two years at the King Power Stadium have been tough to watch but the number six role has brought the best out of him. He has covered the pitch well, linked well with the defence, won the ball back and progressed it forward to the two attacking midfielders. Like most players on this list, there is the alarming matter that he may leave City. Middlesbrough were linked with him earlier in the window but interest from Riverside has gone quiet. As thing stand, Skipp gets the nod over other options. Hamza Choudhury is another player that has looked good in pre-season, but Martin has utilised him slightly more advanced. Against Malaga, he returned to his more familiar position as a defensive midfielder and won the ball countless times. Excitement around Tommy Neale has also built over the course of the summer. A loan move for the youngster is the best option to get him playing regularly. Attacking midfielders/No.8s - Conor Chaplin, Sammy Braybrooke Definitely Leicester's strongest position and it's not even close. Conor Chaplin's arrival from Ipswich Town has taken them to another level, with the 29-year-old winning the League One Golden Boot the last time he played at this level. He's best on the right of the two, floating in pockets of space to link with the right winger and then holding back to smash cutbacks into the corner of the net. It's a passage of play that we're almost guaranteed to see happen so much this season. The player next to him has split opinion the most. Louis Page's ball-carrying is exceptional and his natural ability to roam into the final third is a decent option, but Sammy Braybrooke is the one who gets the nod. Fresh from his loan in League Two with Newport County and Chesterfield, the midfielder has been the player that has come away from nearly every friendly with fans wanting to see more. Like Choudhury, he's naturally a deeper midfielder, but he's played further forward this summer and has offered something different. When defending, Leicester fall into a 4-4-1-1/4-5-1 with Braybrooke the one that joins the No.6. His strength comes from winning the ball, skipping out of tight areas and driving forward, with passes to either winger or striker turning defence into attack Martin wants his team to be calm on the ball in their defensive third and be comfortable in playing a handful of passes to take opposition players out of the game. At times, Braybrooke is the man left free and he has got better at making the right pass. Right now, Braybrooke starts over Page thanks to his physicality and ability to advance attacks with his ball-carrying abilities. Page, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Will Alves (more to come) are all options to choose from. Martin has so many options in these two roles and they will be key in any success they have. Liam Cullen's imminent move from Swansea City will improve this position, although where he fits into this Leicester team. Right wing - Will Alves Abdul Fatawu's exit means Leicester will have a brand new right winger this season and there is one obvious player. Will Alves has been one of the most impressive performers in the off-season and finally looks set to become a regular at the club. Some might argue that he is better centrally, with a winger outside him, but he has adjusted to the new challenge well in friendlies. He likes to run at his man, draws fouls and tends to come inside. One of the best traits of his game, something that Fatawu just got wrong, is his decision-making when it comes down to passing the ball or going on his own. The attacking players around Alves will help him and should get the best out of him. Chaplin is likely to be his closest relationship on the pitch and that's a dangerous duo. Rotations between the two will cause problems for defenders, leaving Braybrooke with the centre of the pitch to operate. Riley Carr will be itching to make his senior debut for Leicester and is certainly in line to do so after his pre-season. The teenager offers something different to Alves with his forward-thinking natural winger way of playing offering something different. As mentioned above, Cullen's arrival inserts another option. As a left-footed attacker, like Alves, Cullen can play on the right and the fluid nature of Martin's game model makes him another candidate. Left wing - Stephy Mavididi On paper, Stephy Mavididi should have an absolute field day in League One. But questions remain over whether that will translate into goals and assists. Two seasons ago, he played a starring role in getting to the Premier League and was a big fan favourite. But now, his confidence has been a struggle for some time and last term was difficult. Mavididi scored just three goals and assisted two in the Championship and was often jeered when he came off for Jeremy Monga. He has been loosely linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium, but as it stands, he's the first-choice left winger. Martin has confirmed he wants to add to both positions out wide and that could either make or break Mavididi's time at Leicester. Good competition may bring the best out of him, or it will damage his confidence further. On his day, he's unstoppable and will beat his full-back with little trouble. Lorenz Hutchinson is another academy ace that has done his reputation no harm. His role in Neale's goal against Malaga impressed Martin after snatching the ball off the defender incredibly high. The position has no guarantees and it shouldn't after the numbers provided in recent seasons. If Mavididi remains as the first-choice again, there will be eyes on his ability to provide goals and assists for Leicester at their lowest point. Striker - Kirsten Otchere It must be said, by the time Leicester travel to Nottingham for the League One opener, there will almost certainly be at least one striker through the door. For now, let's start with Kirsten Otchere. Those who have watched the Under-21s will not be surprised by the 19-year-old's displays in pre-season. Goals against Bristol Rovers, Burton and Cadiz have revealed his goalscoring nature, but it's been the other parts of his game that have caught the eye. Otchere's comfort to drop into the vacant space between the midfield and defence has helped City in their build-up play, with his physicality not letting him down throughout. His passing, especially first-time ones, needs sharpening and the consistency of his runs will improve over time. Would anyone be worried if he started the game against Notts County? Absolutely not. But as has been proven with McFarlane's arrival, transfers can come out of nowhere. It's understood that Cullen is closing in on a move to the Midlands and he will become the natural senior centre-forward at the club. Whether he plays up-front or not remains to be seen. Former Luton Town striker Elijah Adebayo is another name that has been linked with joining Martin's men, with Dom Ballard also on their radar. Strongest XI right now: McCarthy; Aluko, Souttar, Nelson, Thomas; Skipp, Chaplin, Braybrooke; Alves, Mavididi; Otchere