Sunderland have suffered a major injury blow as three of their key players are set to miss the start of the season.
Tony Mowbray has confirmed the trio will remain sidelined as the Black Cats host Ipswich Town next month, while there are a number of other players fighting for a return from injury.
Sunderland struggled with a long list of injury problems last season, with Ross Stewart, Elliot Embleton, Daniel Ballard, Jewison Bennette, Corry Evans and Ali Alese all seeing their campaigns cut short.
While the Wearside club will have most of their stars back during pre-season, Mowbray has revealed that Stewart, Evans and Alese will have to watch next month’s opener from the stands.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s pre-season double header against South Shields and Gateshead, Mowbray said: “Corry and Ross won’t be making the start of the season.
“Elliot 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.
“Let’s wait and see on that one. Dennis, I don’t think is too far away. He’ll be touch and go towards the beginning of the season.
“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.
“We’ll filter them back in over the next few weeks. It’s frustrating that we haven’t got Aji, we haven’t got Dennis, Ross, Corry, Elliott, but I’m sure they will filter in as the season starts. The likes of Elliott will filter into training before, really – maybe on the American trip.”
When will Ross Stewart return from injury for Sunderland?
Ross Stewart has been out of action since Sunderland’s draw with Fulham in the FA Cup back in January, meaning he could be sidelined for around seven or eight months by the time he makes his comeback.
If the striker is also absent for pre-season then it will delay his return even further, meaning he may not be ready to start a game until September.
The Black Cats face the likes of Preston North End, Coventry City and Southampton in the first month of the new season.
Stewart’s continuing absence highlights the need for a proven goalscorer to be added to the ranks, with Joe Gelhardt having returned to Elland Road following his loan spell.