Sunderland new boy set to miss QPR game, player on special fitness regime

Originally posted on Sunderland on SI | By Luke Phelps | Last updated 9/14/23

Sunderland head to QPR in the Championship this weekend, with Tony Mowbray looking set to unveil some of his new signings.

Sunderland signed four new players on deadline day; Nazariy Rusyn, Adil Aouchiche, Mason Burstow, and Timothee Pembele.

The former three look like they could be in line to make their debuts vs QPR this weekend, but Pembele looks set to be out of action for a while longer with the club having released a statement on his current fitness.

It wrote that the former PSG man, who's signed a five-year contract with the club, is 'continuing his road to match fitness' having retuned from a long-term injury earlier in the year.

The same statement adds that Pembele 'is currently undergoing a personal maintenance programme alongside the Club’s performance team', with his last competitive game coming way back in March.

A timely addition...

Pembele, a right-back, arrives at the club as Lyndon Gooch leaves.

He may prove to be a like-for-like replacement, and it's another move that replaces the older with the younger.

Pembele is only 21 years old and he looks like another potentially fruitful signing for Mowbray's side, who've signed some gems in the past couple of transfer windows.

Pierre Ekwah is the man who most are talking about right now, and Pembele will no doubt be hoping to follow in his fellow countrymen's steps when he eventually makes his debut for the Black Cats.

Mowbray's Sunderland side are looking well-stocked after a frantic deadline day, going into this month's break on the back of a 5-0 win over Southampton which left them in 9th place of the table.

A trip to QPR though, whilst winnable, will be another tricky one.