NIALL Quinn is poised to sever his ties with Sunderland in the next fortnight after succumbing to his long-standing back injury.

Quinn, 36, had a scan on the problem yesterday and is expected to confirm his decision to retire after a second X-ray early next month.

The Sunderland player-coach will hold discussions with Howard Wilkinson after that scan, but Quinn already fears the injury is so serious that he would be best served by hanging up his boots.

The striker is understood to have offered to quit Sunderland on Wilkinson's first day at the Stadium of Light, but the manager persuaded him to stay.

However, the departure of close friend Peter Reid - who appointed Quinn to his coaching staff over the summer - allied to his back problem has convinced the forward to call time on his illustrious 16-year professional career.

His impending departure would leave reserve team coach Ricky Sbragia as the only remaining member of Reid's backroom team still at Sunderland.

Meanwhile, Sunderland are still sweating on Claudio Reyna's knee injury after it emerged he would need a second scan to determine the full extent of the damage.

Reyna, 29, had an X-ray yesterday.

But the Sunderland medical staff must wait for the swelling on his left knee to go down before they can properly assess the problem.

Wilkinson said last night: "Claudio Reyna has had a scan today but it did not show the full extent of the damage.

"We need to wait until his knee settles down so he can have a further scan and more tests. We're not really any further forward at this stage."

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