AARON CONNOLLY is expected to be on the bench for Sunderland’s home game against Leeds United, but Regis Le Bris does not expect the latest signing to play in the game tomorrow night at the Stadium of Light.
However, with two Under-21s matches scheduled during the upcoming international break, Connolly should be ready to resume his Championship campaign at Hull City in the middle of the month.
Connolly joined Sunderland as a free agent this month, having been released by Hull at the end of his previous contract earlier this summer, and arrived at the Academy of Light without any pre-season experience.
Le Bris has been impressed with the 24-year-old’s fitness and attitude in training since joining the Black Cats group.
And, with Connolly scheduled to play for the Under-21s against Derby and Huddersfield over the next two weeks, the striker should be in contention for a first-team spot against Hull’s MKM Stadium on 20 October.
“Aaron is fit,” Le Bris stated. “He’s in good shape and wants to play; he’s a good player, so we want him to play as well. since of Ian’s (Poveda’s) injury, he may be on the bench for the Leeds game, but he will not play since we want to take care of him and do not want to hasten the process.
“He’s ready, and we’ll use the Under-21 games over the international break to give him some time to practise. Then, for sure, he’ll be ready after the next two weeks.”
While Connolly will represent the Under-21s during the international break, summer signing Salis Abdul Samed will be unable to play for the second-string.
The midfielder signed on a season-long loan from Lens on deadline day, but has been unable to participate in full training due to a long-standing muscular ailment. The injury is still causing complications, and a potential return date is still a long way off.
“It (the U21 games in the international break) will be too early for him (Samed),” according to Le Bris. “I don’t know when he’ll be back because it’s the same ailment he’s had previously, so we have to be extremely patient with him. That’s the most important thing right now.”
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