Regis Le Bris reveal hints Sunderland AFC may have Tommy Watson replacement before January | OneFootball

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has revealed that former Leeds United man Ian Poveda could return to action soon

Sunderland made a strong start to life in the Championship under new manager Regis Le Bris, and emerged as surprise automatic promotion candidates following last season's underwhelming 16th place finish.

The Black Cats were in admirable form until enduring a six-game winless run last month, which included five draws before an eventual 1-0 loss to promotion rivals Sheffield United.

That result at Bramall Lane meant that it was imperative that Le Bris' men found a way to get themselves back to winning ways when they hosted Stoke City last Saturday, and they emerged as 2-1 victors.

Youth academy product Tommy Watson emerged as the hero for his side that day, as his brace led the Black Cats to their first win in seven attempts.

However, the North East outfit will now be without his services for two months, after the 18-year-old was withdrawn from the action during Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Bristol City through injury.

Ian Poveda could replace Watson

But it is not all bad news for the Black Cats, as Le Bris recently revealed to the Northern Echo that Watson's fellow winger Ian Poveda could be making his return to action prior to the turn of the year: "Ian trained with us this (Thursday) morning, so he should be ready very quickly."

The former Leeds United man moved to the Stadium of Light on a free transfer last summer, but his stint with the North East outfit has been a frustrating one so far, as he made just three Championship outings for his new club before suffering an injury setback.

While Watson has been a bright spark for his side of late, and has adequately stepped up to the plate amid dangerman Romaine Mundle's injury, Poveda boasts plenty of Championship experience and could prove to be a real asset for Le Bris and co.

The 24-year-old often struggled for game time at Leeds after joining from Manchester City in 2020, although he did make 14 appearances for the Whites during their impressive 2020/21 Premier League season.

He subsequently joined Blackburn Rovers on loan for the 2021/22 Championship campaign, and scored one goal as well as providing two assists in just 10 second tier outings for the Lancashire side.

The then Premier League Whites also loaned him out to the Championship for the 2022/23 Championship season, during which the wideman managed to score two goals and provide one assist for a poor Blackpool side who suffered relegation to League One.

Poveda went on to help Sheffield Wednesday's second tier survival effort last term during yet another loan spell away from Elland Road, as he notched one assist in 10 league appearances for the Owls.

While the wideman's numbers, in terms of goals and assists, don't make a prolific reading, he is clearly a talented individual who rose through the ranks at Man City's academy, and has plied his trade at senior international level for Colombia.

Now that he has moved away from the Whites on a permanent basis, he will feel more settled, which could help him unleash his full potential and play his best football.

If the wideman can do just that, then the Black Cats needn't be overly concerned by Watson's injury woes, as Poveda should have enough quality to fill that void.

Leeds could go on to regret Poveda exit

If Poveda proves to be a vital asset for the Black Cats, and helps Le Bris' men on their quest for promotion amid injuries to both Watson and Mundle, he could make the Whites regret allowing him to leave West Yorkshire.

Sunderland are, of course, one of Leeds' rivals for automatic promotion this season, and if the 24-year-old shows his class at the Stadium of Light, it could even be damaging to the Elland Road side's own Premier League credentials.

But, in the meantime, the Black Cats faithful will be hoping that their club's summer signing is able to show his quality, and can follow in the match-winning footsteps of Watson.