Ben Cabango

Cabango came through Swansea's own academy rather than arriving as the finished defender clubs usually buy in from elsewhere. The armband he now wears reflects how completely he has grown into the role since his first team debut. He organises the back line loudly, the sort of defender talking constantly before a corner is taken rather than reacting once the ball is already flying through the box. That leadership extends beyond the pitch, where younger teammates treat him as the senior figure in a squad that has turned over significantly around him.

Carrying the captaincy at a club still finding its feet in the Championship means Cabango absorbs blame for defensive mistakes that are not always entirely his, simply because the armband makes him the visible face of any setback. Whether that responsibility sharpens him or eventually wears him down is worth watching across a full campaign.