Reinildo and Tottenham-linked star – When could Sunderland’s absentees return?
Regis Le Bris has several players ready to return in the near future for Sunderland.
Sunderland sit ninth in the Premier League with the October break upon us, having been without several players throughout the season.
Those who made the move in the summer have managed to stay injury-free so far, though the same cannot be said for several of those who played a crucial role in getting the Black Cats back to the top flight.
With that in mind, Mackem News looks at the expected return dates of those who have been unavailable at the Stadium of Light.
Reinildo nearing Sunderland return
Reinildo has impressed for Sunderland since he made the move to Wearside on a free, and quickly cemented his spot on the left side of their defence.
However, Reinildo was sent off in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at the end of September.
After a late challenge from Matty Cash, who went on to score the opening goal of the game, Reinildo reacted by raising his boot into the midriff of the Poland international.
A straight red card followed for the Mozambique international, and as a result of the perceived violent conduct, he was handed a three-game ban.
So far, Reinildo has served two of those game suspensions, meaning his return is likely to come when Sunderland travel to face Chelsea on 25 October.
- Read more: Robin Roefs developments away from Sunderland demonstrate issue with international breaks
Romaine Mundle edging closer to Premier League debut with Sunderland
Romaine Mundle has been sidelined since July, having undergone surgery for a hamstring injury in pre-season.
The Englishman played a crucial role in the Championship for the Black Cats, despite missing almost half of the campaign with a similar injury.
Mundle has been pictured back in training, but it is still likely to be several weeks until he is deemed fit enough to make the matchday squad.
In all likelihood, a December return for Mundle seems to be reasonable, though he could be back in the matchday squad towards the end of November.
Habib Diarra could be out until January
Habib Diarra is Sunderland’s club-record signing, and as a result, the Black Cats will have been hoping he could stay fit and fresh throughout the campaign.
Those hopes were curtailed fairly quickly when the midfielder sustained a groin injury before the home clash with Aston Villa.
Diarra underwent surgery, which will rule him out of action until at least December, but possibly longer.
It remains to be seen if Diarra goes to AFCON, and if so, it could be January when he returns to the squad for Sunderland.
Aji Alese and Leo Hjelde yet to make matchday squad for Sunderland
Both Aji Alese and Leo Hjelde have missed the start of the season, with the former of the two having had a pretty wretched time on Wearside when it comes to injuries.
Alese has made just 46 appearances for Sunderland since joining from West Ham United back in 2022.
Hjelde, on the other hand, has been more of a squad player, with 30 appearances since joining from Leeds last summer.
Both are currently injured and could return around mid to late November.
Dennic Cirkin’s future at Sunderland is unclear
Dennis Cirkin has been linked with a move back to Tottenham over the course of the last six months, and with his current injury and contract status, it remains to be seen where his future lies.
After undergoing wrist surgery at the end of the last campaign, Cirkin has been out of action, though he has since made a return to light training on Wearside.
A minor knee injury forced his return date back even further, but the fact he was back on the pitch at the Academy of Light showcases that his recovery is moving forward.
Like several above, he could return to the Sunderland squad by the end of November, though his role will be unclear.
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