Bristol City lead the EFL for squad retention while Rochdale see the most change

Bristol City are the only non-Premier League club to have retained their 11 most-used players ahead of the new season in England, PA analysis reveals.

The Championship side have held on to players who accumulated more than 92 per cent of league minutes in 2021-22, the highest retention rate in the English Football League (EFL), with manager Nigel Pearson able to call upon 17 of his 18 most regular picks from last season.

Wigan are next on the list for squad retention, with players responsible for 91 per cent of their minutes under contract, followed by Coventry (86 per cent).

Squad retention rates tend to fall in each tier of English football.

As it stands, clubs have retained an average of 69 per cent of minutes from last season in the Championship, compared with 65 per cent in League One and 57 per cent in League Two.

All are well below the Premier League average of 87 per cent.

The numbers used here are subject to change, with the transfer window not due to close until September 1, 2022.

League Two side Rochdale have the most-changed squad in the EFL – only two of their most-used 11 players from last season are still at the club, with their retained list responsible for just 29 per cent of minutes.

Gillingham, relegated from League One last season, have the next-lowest retention rate (36 per cent), behind Swindon (37 per cent).

Paul Ince has overseen a major clearout at Reading, with the Royals losing seven of their first-team regulars from last season including midfielder Josh Laurent – who has joined Stoke after playing almost 4,000 minutes in the league last season – and top scorer John Swift (now at West Brom).

League One outfit Derby are in the same boat following a summer of turmoil, but their retention rate (46