JENSON SEELT’S progress from a serious knee injury is on track – but the Sunderland defender has accepted he will not be able to make a return to action until much later in the year.

Seelt suffered damage to his cruciate ligaments during March’s defeat to Southampton and was forced to undergo surgery to repair the problem.

He has rehabilitating ever since and was part of the squad that travelled to Spain earlier this week for a pre-season training camp that will feature matches against Nottingham Forest and CD Eldense.

Seelt will not be involved in either game, and is not expected to be back until well into the autumn given the seriousness of his injury setback.

He should be back in the first-team fold before the end of the year though, with Sunderland’s medical staff happy with the way in which his recovery is progressing.

“It’s a long process for me,” admitted Seelt, in an interview that was broadcast on Sunderland’s official media channels. “To be honest, it’s going well at the moment.

“It’s an injury with its ups and downs. You wake up and you have pain in the inside of the knee, and other days, it's the outside of the knee and you're asking questions, ‘How is it possible?’

“But obviously, it's major surgery so it's not weird that you're feeling several things, but the most important thing is that I’m making progress week by week. The physios are really satisfied with my progression, so I just take it how it is and just try to come back as soon as it’s strong enough.”

Seelt made 17 Championship appearances last season after joining Sunderland from the youth ranks at PSV Eindhoven.

The 21-year-old was making a positive impression after stepping into the senior ranks on Wearside, and wants to ensure he is able to do himself justice when he returns to action next season.

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 “When I come back, I want to play a lot more than last season,” he said. “I have to wait and see how I come back and how I feel, but I don't doubt my qualities and I think when I come back, I can be physically stronger. I'm feeling strong, so I just hope that when I come back, (I can) get in the starting XI as soon as possible and make it a nice season.”

Seelt is not able to join in any of the training sessions in Spain, but his presence on the trip nevertheless confirms his continued importance within the first-team group.

“I think it’s a really group trip,” said the centre-half. “Obviously, there is a new manager, and also a couple of new players, so it’s nice to be with each other in a different climate, know each other a little bit more and spent time with each other. The facilities are top as well.”