Who will be first-choice Chelsea goalkeeper when season starts?

On Sunday at Wembley, new boss Maurizio Sarri's attempts to dampen down speculation about the immediate future of Thibaut Courtois only seemed to inflame talk of his likely departure.

The Belgian's agent has been widely quoted as saying his client wants out of Stamford Bridge – with the player himself having made no secret, in recent years, about his desire to relocate to Madrid.

But Sarri's insistence that he cares not what the agent had to say, that he would rather hear it from the player, wasn't really convincing anyone.

Chelsea have until 5pm on Thursday to secure reinforcements for a squad which, in the glorified friendly that is the FA Community Shield, looked thin – even if all of the Blues' World Cup stars do actually return to the fold in coming weeks.

Their keeper on the day, the often derided Willy Caballero, put in a face-saving performance: thanks to him, the deficit was kept to a restrained two goals in Manchester City's favour. It could easily have been four or five without his efforts.

Sarri, when questioned about the likely appearance of his Russian travellers in next weekend's season kick-off at Huddersfield, insisted names like Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante were possibles.

For Courtois it looked less likely, he said: yet another hint that the man Chelsea have been nurturing for seven years may have played his last for the club.

But there will need to be movement on that front in coming days, or Chelsea risk being railroaded into a goalkeeping situation nobody at the club really wants or needs.

Caballero was never bought as a first choice. At 36, he is actually nine months older than Petr Cech: the man shifted-on three years ago on account of his age, and the upcoming young talent of Courtois.

He is joined in training, under promoted goalkeeping coach Henrique Hilario, by Rob Green: another 18 months Caballero's senior, and headed for retirement prior to the call from Chelsea.

That, in itself, was not a bad decision: a third-choice keeper is highly unlikely to play; and finding a player willing to take-up the role usually involves searching those for whom aspirations are angled towards a career bridge to coaching.

But Courtois cannot be replaced until he is sold: and this summer's two-stage window makes that doubly tricky for the Blues.

Courtois could leave any time between Friday and the end of the month, leaving Chelsea unable to replace him.

Meanwhile, one of those linked with the number one role, Jack Butland, was having nightmares of his own: palming the ball into his own net, as Stoke succumbed to opening day defeat in their new Championship surrounds.

Many fans would love to see a move for Jordan Pickford, but the chances are slim: he is English, in a long contract, and has just had a successful World Cup – all factors which push up a player's price, at a time when Chelsea aren't spending masses of cash.

The lone year on Courtois' contract leaves his value languishing around the £30m mark: Pickford would likely cost a club record fee of at least double that.

That, plus the back-story of recent deals between Chelsea and Everton: which have tended to be laborious, and often without a happy conclusion.

Which may leave Chelsea looking towards either Caballero, or an untried (and hitherto unmentioned) option without Premier League experience.

For the club, just as for the manager: there is much to do, and very little time in which to make it happen.

Managing Chelsea this season is already starting to look like an ever bigger job than any of us might have expected Sarri to have to undertake.