Régis Le Bris confirms duo on brink of Sunderland comeback in full injury update
Sunderland should soon have three senior players back in contention for selection
Jenson Seelt will play his first competitive football in ten months at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night.
Seelt suffered a major knee injury in March last year but is now back in full training with his Sunderland team mates and is expected to play 45 minutes when the club's U21 side face Benfica B in the Premier League International Cup.
Ian Poveda is also set to play a part in the game, in what will be his first competitive football since suffering a hamstring injury against Derby County in October. The winger had returned to the matchday squad over the festive period but continued to feel some discomfort in his hamstring.
While midfielder Alan Browne is not yet ready to return to action, Régis Le Bris says the Irishman should be back in full training next week to add further depth and competition to his squad.
Le Bris said: "Jenson is training fully with us now and will play the first part of the game against Benfica in the U21s on Wednesday evening.
"Ian should also play against Benfica. With Browney, he needs one week more before he can join us in full training."
Ahmed Abdullahi is also likely to play a significant part on Wednesday night after coming through his first appearance for the club's U21s side unscathed on Friday night.
Abdullahi played 45 minutes in Sunderland's 1-0 defeat at West Ham and Le Bris would like him to have another couple of appearances with that group before being considered for first-team selection. The U21s also play away at Leicester City on Saturday evening.
"Ahmed will need some more time because he was injured for a long time and he's a young player," Le Bris said.
"To be ready for the first team, I think he is going to need two or three games [more] with the U21s."
Sunderland remain confident that wingers Tommy Watson and Romaine Mundle in the early part of next month.