SALIS Abdul Samed could make his long-awaited Sunderland debut in the FA Cup tie against Stoke City early next month after resuming full training.

The midfielder has endured a rotten time with injuries since joining the Black Cats in the summer but after a long and thorough rehab process is now back in training.

Boss Regis Le Bris is reluctant to rush Samed back into action, but the cup visit of the Potters could be an ideal opportunity to give the 24-year-old his first taste of action.

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"Salis returned to training this week and trained this morning," said Le Bris in his press conference on New Year's Eve.

"He was injured for six months so we need time to go layer by layer to the right level. I hope he'll be ready soon, he is in full training now.

"Fingers crossed, touch wood, he will be back soon. He's in a good place now but with a muscle injury, of course there is a risk of recurrence when you are a little bit tired and we have to build the layers with him.

"But he seems OK and I hope that he will be ready to get his first minutes maybe when we play Stoke City in the FA Cup, or maybe the week after. Around this period it will be, I think."

Le Bris also stressed the need for patience with Romaine Mundle, with Sunderland's head coach not yet able to put a timeframe on the winger's return to action.

He said: "For Romaine we have to wait a little bit. It was a hamstring injury for a young intense player, so it's always the question of health. We have to take care of our players and protect them because it's very important for the future."