Mozambique international Reinildo Mandava is on the verge of making his comeback for Sunderland after spending weeks on the sidelines with a knee problem.
The left-back has been unavailable for roughly a month after sustaining the injury during Sunderland’s narrow home defeat to Liverpool.
Early concerns suggested the issue could be serious, but further medical assessments indicated the defender would recover with rest and a rehabilitation programme.
During his absence, Reinildo worked through a series of individual training sessions designed to restore his fitness gradually.
His head coach Régis Le Bris, said the defender has now completed his recovery phase and is ready to resume full training with the rest of the squad.
Speaking after Sunderland’s recent match against Brighton & Hove Albion, Le Bris confirmed that the experienced full-back would rejoin the team’s regular training programme.
The news comes as a welcome boost for the club ahead of an important period in their season.
This is because Sunderland preparing for the Wear–Tyne derby against arch-rivals Newcastle United.
The fixture, which is set to be played at St James’ Park, is one of the most anticipated encounters.
Sunderland edged the first meeting between the two sides earlier in the campaign with a narrow victory at the Stadium of Light.
The team will now be hoping to produce another strong performance away from home.
Despite missing several matches due to injury, Reinildo has already established himself as a dependable figure since arriving at Sunderland.
With 17 appearances to his name, the Mozambican defender has also earned praise for his defensive contribution.
On the international stage, Reinildo remains one of Mozambique’s most experienced players and recently featured for the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he made three appearances.
Although Mozambique will not participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and have yet to confirm friendly matches for the next international window, Reinildo’s return to club action will be closely monitored ahead of a possible friendly or Afcon qualifier.
