As the phenomenal ace returns to Sunderland due to a new injury, Tony Mowbray is “gutted” for him.

Elliot Embleton is on loan at Derby County but will undergo rehab on Wearside after suffering a major injury blow

Tony Mowbray has confirmed Elliot Embleton has returned to Sunderland to recover from a thigh injury expected to sideline him for several months. The midfielder spent eight months out of action after suffering a broken ankle while playing for the Black Cats in December, and joined League One Derby County on a season-long loan on deadline day in order to get regular gametime to help him get back up to speed.

But the 24-year-old had made just two appearances for the Rams before tearing his thigh muscle in training last week and, following a scan which confirmed the severity of the damage, both Sunderland and Derby have agreed that Embleton should undergo his treatment back on Wearside. “It’s a big blow for the boy – a huge blow,” said Mowbray.

“I’ve had long chats with him, he’s been in my office, and I’ve been on the phone to him. He’s obviously pretty down, pretty low.

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“He had eight months out here [with a broken ankle] and the reason he went out on loan was to try and get some gametime at a level where he wouldn’t find himself on the bench playing ten or 20 minutes here and there, but where he would be going out and playing. We felt that after an eight-month lay-off, that [a loan] would be more beneficial for him but a few weeks into that it looks like he has torn his thigh muscle and it’s going to be a good few months [before he is ready to play again] I would think.

“We discussed with him coming back here to do his rehab with what we would call his ‘family’, with the players here so he can be around the place and maybe he will come to some of the away games with us to integrate him into the club and make sure he feels part of what we’re trying to do.”

Embleton’s loan deal runs until the end of the season, although it is understood the Black Cats are able to recall him in January if required. And, as yet, Mowbray says no decision has been taken as to whether Embleton will go back to Derby once fit, or if he will stay at Sunderland.

He said: “I haven’t had that discussion with Kristjaan [Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director], so I don’t know the answer to that. My first thought when I heard about the injury was the welfare of the boy, having earlier had the conversations with him about whether he would stay here and get some bits of gametime or does he want to go out [on loan] and play 20 games between September and January.

“We all thought the best thing was for him to go out on loan. The good thing about Embo is that he loves football, and he just wants to play.