Sidebar

21
Thu, Nov

Typography

Sunderland forward Kenwyne Jones is back in preseason training after overcoming a groin injury.

The 24-year-old struck a hat-trick in yesterday’s training session and suffered no ill effects as the Black Cats step up their preparations for this weekend’s Amsterdam tournament where they will face Benfica and Atletico Madrid.

The Trinidad & Tobago international had missed the friendlies against Darlington and Portimonense as a result of his groin injury, but will hope to come through today’s training session unscathed as the squad fly out to Holland.

Steve Bruce’s men will take on Portuguese giants Benfica on Friday evening at the Amsterdam Arena before facing Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid at the same venue on Sunday evening.

Jones, who had been working his way back to fitness by training with the club’s medical staff in the Algarve, now maintains he is fully fit as he bids to lead the Sunderland goalscorer charts again this season.

He added: "I want to play in every game now."

The striker joined the Black Cats in August 2007 from Southampton and was voted Sunderland’s player of the season in his debut year with the club.

Jones was Sunderland’s top scorer last season with ten league goals, and his timely return from injury will come as a relief to Bruce, who missed out on the signing of Peter Crouch earlier this week.