Sunderland injuries: Who's expected to be back for the start of the 23/24 season?

Sunderland go into the pre-season with a number of injured players.

Author:
Luke Phelps
Publish date:
May 24, 2023 1:03 PM EDT

Injuries was a theme of Sunderland's 2022/23 campaign. But with the season over, those injured can step up their recovery.

Sunderland defied all expectations in the Championship this season. Finishing inside the top six was never even thought of but the Black Cats proved that they're ready to compete for Premier League football once again.

Tony Mowbray's side will go into next season with new and higher expectations now. And the pre-season has come at a fairly good time for them, with a number of Sunderland players still injured.

Here we look at those injured and whether they're expected to be back in time for next season...

Ross Stewart

Stewart is the big injury blow for Sunderland right now, as he was throughout most of the 2022/23 season. He was ruled out for the rest of the season back in January but last month, Mowbray revealed that Stewart remains on course to return during pre-season, and so he should be fit for the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Danny Batth

Fans voted Batth as their Player of the Year this season, but the 32-year-old missed the last five games of the season including both play-off games v Luton Town with a knee injury. Nothing has been said about his injury since and so it remains to be seen whether he'll feature at the start of next season.

Dan Ballard

Ballard is another whose 2022/23 season was blighted by injury. He made just 19 Championship appearances but his quality is clear to see. He missed the last two months of the season with a hamstring injury despite initially being ruled out for only a few weeks, so it seems very likely that he'll return in pre-season.

Jewison Bennette

Exciting youngster Bennette dislocated his shoulder whilst on international duty in March. The injury required surgery but Mowbray has since revealed that he hopes Bennette will return in time for pre-season training.

Corry Evans

Evans suffered an ACL injury at the start of the year and was immediately ruled out for the season. It came as a huge blow to Evans and to Sunderland, and the midfielder said earlier this year that he could be out until after the 2023/24 season has started.

Elliot Embleton

Embleton has been on the sidelines since December after suffering a leg break. Back in March, Mowbray played down - but didn't rule out - the possibility of Embleton featuring again this season, and so it seems like a possibility that he'll return at some point during the pre-season.