The Whites loanee swapped Elland Road for the Stadium of Light this summer and the Black Cats are helping him work his way back up to fitness.
Sunderland manager Jack Ross has told reporters that Leeds United loanee Laurens De Bock could be in line for his senior debut for the Black Cats in next week’s Carabao Cup clash with Sheffield United (official Sunderland website).
The 26-year-old left Elland Road on transfer deadline day this summer to link up with the Black Cats on loan, having only made only seven appearances for Leeds since joining in January 2018 from Club Brugge, for whom he played more than 100 times and featured in Europe (BBC Sport).
De Bock and fellow deadline day new arrival Joel Lynch clocked their first minutes of the season on Monday when they turned out for Elliott Dickman’s Under-23s side against Middlesbrough at Eppleton, the Whites man earning positive feedback by the Sunderland Echo (“his quality was clear”).
Ross admitted that, while Saturday’s League One trip to Bolton Wanderers is slightly too early for them to make their first senior appearance for the club, they are not too far away from being up to speed and able to join the Wearside club’s first team.
“Laurens and Joel should be available for the squad after this weekend,” Ross told the Sunderland media team on Thursday afternoon. “The cup game (against Sheff Utd) will maybe be the first one for them to contend for.”
Up next for Sunderland is Saturday’s trip to the League One basement side at the University of Bolton Stadium, while Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds host Derby County at Elland Road in Saturday’s early Championship kickoff.
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