Dennis Cirkin is edging back towards fitness and could yet return for Sunderland's play-off campaign. But winger Leon Dajaku is not yet ready to resume playing despite reporting back to the Academy of Light this week after recovering from illness.
Defender Cirkin sat out the final three games of Sunderland's League One campaign with a calf injury, but he has been back out training this week and boss Alex Neil did not rule him out of the play-off semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday, with the sides meeting in the first leg at the Stadium of Light tomorrow night before going head-to-head again in the return game at Hillsborough on Monday. "Dennis has been out on the grass, so he is certainly closer," said Neil.
While Cirkin has been out of action, Neil has had to rejig his side and has at various times brought in Callum Doyle or Luke O'Nien to play in the left-sided centre-back role. On-loan Union Berlin man Dajaku has been out for significantly longer, having last featured in Sunderland's goalless draw at Lincoln City in mid-March.
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Dajaku has been suffering from illness and was allowed to go back to his native Germany for treatment, although he is now back in the North East. Neil says he is working his way back towards fitness but still has a way to go.
He said: "Leon is making progress. He's done a couple of days in the gym, and he's getting there. He'll be a little bit longer - he's not done a lot recently.
"He's lost quite a bit of weight recently as well, so we are just trying to get him back up to speed."
Versatile defender/midfielder Carl Winchester remains sidelined with a groin injury and it seems unlikely that that he would be fit even if Sunderland make it to the play-off final on May 21. Neil said: "Winnie is going to be out for weeks rather than days."
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