Sunderland have fresh concern as Trai Hume update emerges elsewhere
Trai Hume has been away on international duty with Northern Ireland.
Hume has been one of the most consistent performers for Sunderland this season, and his form earned him yet another call-up to the Northern Ireland squad for the international break.
The Sunderland defender started and impressed in their encounter with Switzerland which ended in a 1-1 draw, though that clash has provided a new concern on Wearside.
Hume forced to withdraw from international duty
Sunderland already suffered a blow this month when Dennis Cirkin was forced to withdraw from the England Under-21 squad, leaving them without a fit left-back.
Concerns have grown even further with The Northern Echo reporting that Hume has now had to withdraw from the Northern Ireland camp as a result of a hip injury that occurred in the clash with the Swiss.
| Sunderland | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Trai Hume | 37 | 1 | 6 |
The report adds that the defender will now return to Wearside to get further medical treatment and assessment, and Sunderland will be crossing their fingers.
Sunderland took a huge risk in the winter transfer window when they failed to add any depth into the full-back areas, and with Cirkin, Hume, Aji Alese and Niall Huggins all injured, it leaves questions to be asked of those in charge of recruitment.
With promotion still in sight for Sunderland, any period of absence for Hume would be a massive play to their chances of securing a return to the Premier League.
Regis Le Bris needs a full squad for promotion
Injuries have prevented Sunderland from continuing their impressive form throughout the campaign, with the likes of Tommy Watson and Romaine Mundle spending a significant amount of time on the sideline earlier in the season.
Given the teams they are competing with, and the money they have available, it is crucial that the Black Cats have a squad as close to full capacity as possible to have a chance of promotion.
With eight games to go, it looks as though it will be the playoffs for Sunderland, though without Hume, they would face a serious challenge to win.