Sunderland AFC news: Corry Evans reveals injury return timeline aim following serious knee problem

Sunderland club captain Corry Evans has revealed that he is closing in on a return to training in the coming months.

The 33-year-old Northern Ireland international has been sidelined since January after sustaining a knee ligament injury which later needed surgery.

When asked about his injury, Evans told The Echo: "The injury is going well. I'm on track. It has been a rough 9-12 month injury, that was the range of time I was given.

"I think I'm about nine-ish months in now, so hopefully back training in about five or six weeks."

The former Blackburn Rovers player made 33 appearances in League One as Sunderland were promoted during the 2021-22 season, then featuring another 24 times in the Championship last campaign before sustaining the injury.

In Evans' absence, Sunderland midfielders Dan Neil and Pierre Ekwah have come to the forefront of head coach Tony Mowbray's plans with summer signing Jobe Bellingham also cementing himself as a regular in the side.

"I think we have got a really good squad," Evans said about the success of his midfield colleagues at Sunderland. "We have built on it from last season.

"The players from last season have got another year's experience now under their belt in the Championship and I think they have started really well and really positive this year.

"It has been hard, personally, to watch on the sidelines but it has been enjoyable at the same time as well because of the football we have been playing," Evans concluded.

Evans spoke to The Echo about his injury progress at Sunderland's latest Hall of Fame awards dinner, organised by Rob Mason, where Steph Bannon, Micky Gray and Gary Bennett were inducted amongst other legendary figures from the club's history.

"It is a really good event. It is a great honour for all of the players and their families to have this honour of being inducted into the Hall of Fame," Evans told The Echo when asked about the Hall of Fame's importance.

Sunderland won 3-1 against Wayne Rooney's Birmingham City in the Championship at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in front of 40,922 fans on Wearside.