Tony Mowbray shares Sunderland injury update as pre-season fixtures edge closer

Sunderland's pre-season preparations get underway in the next week, with the Black Cats starting with two games on the same day v South Shields and Gateshead.

And a week after Sunderland's local double header this Saturday, the club jets off to the USA for a pre-season tour with games against San Antonio FC, New Mexico United, and North Carolina FC.

The summer arguably comes at a good time for Tony Mowbray's side with a number of players having missed the end of last season owing to injury.

Ross Stewart, Corry Evans, Dennis Cirkin, Elliot Embleton, and Aji Alese are among those who are currently carrying injuries or in the process of returning from injury, and speaking to Chronicle Live about the state of play regarding his injured players, Mowbray had this to say:

"Corry and Ross won't be making the start of the season. Elliot [Embleton] I'm pretty sure will - or might be available for it - and he is going to play some part in the last game in the US."

Cirkin has been nursing an ankle injury which saw him miss the last part of the 2022/23 campaign, but Mowbray said on the ex-Spurs man:

"Dennis, I don't think is too far away. He'll be touch and go towards the beginning of the season."

Elsewhere, new signing Jenson Seelt is also carrying an ankle injury whilst Nectarios Triantis is currently on his summer break.

Mowbray said:

"Seelt isn't training at the moment, he has got an ankle injury. Triantis is still in Australia because his season has only just finished, really, so we have given him a couple of weeks off to have a break before coming here for a ten-and-a-half month season."

Sunderland still have a month to get their players back to full fitness and back to match sharpness. For a select few though, a month won't be enough, and Mowbray must plan for the season opener v Ipswich Town without some of his key players.

Read more Sunderland news