Fresh injury blow will force Sunderland into transfer rethink ahead of deadline day

The Black Cats are sweating on the full extent of an injury suffered by defender Arbenit Xhemajli while training on international duty, it remains unclear how serious the injury is but the Echo understands he could be facing several weeks out.

It would be a further blow for Sunderland who are already without Morgan Feeney after he suffered a hamstring injury and is facing up to four months out. Tom Flanagan will also serve a one-game ban after the international break.

With Sunderland playing a back three, Phil Parkinson’s options would therefore be severely limited, though Brandon Taylor is one option to come into the squad.

Parkinson still wants ‘one or two’ additions before the transfer window shuts in the middle of October, though he is limited in what he can do due to the salary cap rules.

It was those rules that helped bring Feeney onto the club’s radar, with any player under the age of 21 exempt from the cap.

Parkinson, speaking at the end of September, had already admitted Feeney’s prolonged absence will now have to be factored in to any plans going forward.

“It's something we've discussed,” Parkinson said.

“We spoke previously about how if we did get an injury between now and the end of the window, that it could change our thinking.

“It is something we're looking at.

“We don't want to be weak and vulnerable in terms of the numbers we have in any position.

“With Morgan, I felt he had the potential to be a good understudy to Bailey Wright. He's younger obviously but shares a lot of the same characteristics.

“I could see that him in but unfortunately that does look to be a bad injury,” added Parkinson last month.

Xhemajli was called-up to Kosovo’s under-21 squad for their game with Austria on Friday, and was then expected to join the senior squad for their next two games. The summer signing centre-back sustained a right knee injury in training.