Germany lineup vs. Netherlands: Predicted XI for Jurgen Klopp’s first UEFA Nations League match

Germany will embark on a new era under Jurgen Klopp when they travel to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands in their opening UEFA Nations League match on Thursday.

Klopp has selected a mammoth 44-man squad that will be split in two for their four League A Group 2 fixtures, with 24 of those players to be available for their first two games.

Following Manuel Neuer’s retirement, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to become Germany’s new No.1 goalkeeper, while Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck are the most likely duo to start at centre-back.

With Klopp expected to move captain Joshua Kimmich back into midfield, Josha Vagnoman and uncapped Philipp Treu are both set to battle for a start at right-back, while Nathaniel Brown should fend off competition from Hennes Behrens to begin at left-back.

Kimmich and Felix Nmecha could links arms in the middle of the pitch, though Klopp may be tempted to hand either Bambase Conte of Hoffenheim or Freiburg’s Tannik Engelhardt their debut after earning their first senior call-up.

Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala is in contention to operate as the number 10 in between wingers Lennart Karl and Kevin Schade, the latter has scored three goals in five Premier League games for Brentford this season.

Younes Ebnoutalib, meanwhile, has been rewarded with his first call-up after scoring five goals in as many games for Eintracht Frankfurt, but Arsenal’s Kai Havertz is more likely to begin as the central striker.

Florian Wirtz, Nick Woltemade, Karim Adeyemi, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Said El Mala are among those who have been selected in Germany’s second group and will therefore play no part against the Netherlands.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger and in-form Brighton star Pascal Gross have retired from international football, while Leon Goretzka and Deniz Undav have been left out entirely due to injury.

Germany possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Treu, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Kimmich, Nmecha; Karl, Musiala, Schade; Havertz

> Click here to see how the Netherlands could line up against Germany