Sunderland boss provides fitness update on deadline day signing Timothee Pembele

Sunderland signed Timothee Pembele from PSG on deadline day last month, but the right-back is yet to feature owing to injury.

The 21-year-old former French youth international suffered an ACL injury last season, which has kept him sidelined up until now.

But speaking ahead of Wednesday's Championship clash vs Watford, Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has provided a positive update on Pembele's fitness.

Mowbray told Sunderland Echo:

"I don't think he's too far away. We're just working to keep strengthening that leg [from his ACL injury], so it would be a risk to play him while that process in ongoing. If we don't keep doing that strengthening then there's every chance when he starts to play he'll break down.

"He joins in full training now and he is now, but obviously in training it's an hour-and-a-half where you are stopping and starting. It's very different from a football match where in the first minute you might have to sprint full on and make a slide tackle on somebody.

"He's getting there, we just have to be a little bit cautious and while we have Trai [Hume] doing so well in his position, we don't need to rush it. We can just focus on getting that process right."

Trai Hume has filled in at right-back. The Northern Irishman has thoroughly impressed and so like Mowbray says, there's no real rush for Pembele to get fit.

But when he does it'll give Hume some good competition. Pembele looks like another exciting signing and he'll no doubt be eager to get involved, and show everyone what he can do.

Sunderland vs Watford kicks off at 7:45pm on Wednesday night; the Black Cats currently sit in 4th place of the Championship table.

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