Sunderland manager Lee Johnson has revealed that Denver Hume is likely to miss this weekend's clash with Rotherham United after suffering an injury setback during the club's League Cup victory over Queens Park Rangers.
Hume limped off in the first-half of Tuesday's showdown with the Hoops and is now waiting to learn about the extent of his issue.
After letting his previous contract expire, the full-back eventually decided to sign a new deal at the Stadium of Light last month.
Since opting to commit his future to Sunderland, Hume has been used on a sporadic basis by Johnson in recent weeks.
As well as making three appearances in the cup competitions, Hume recently featured for the Black Cats in their 4-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra.
Having suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Charlton Athletic last weekend, Sunderland will be determined to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they head to the AESSEAL New York Stadium to face Rotherham.
Ahead of the club's meeting with the Millers, Johnson has shared an update on Hume.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference for this fixture (as cited by Sunderland's official website) about the full-back, Johnson said: "With Denver, we're just awaiting scan results, but it doesn't look good for the weekend.
"Hopefully he won't be out for too long - it will be disappointing for him, but that's part of being a footballer and he'll bounce back."
The Verdict
When you consider that Hume was forced to watch on from the sidelines earlier this season due to an issue with his hamstring, he will be incredibly disappointed by the fact that he has suffered another injury setback.
The 23-year-old will now be hoping to make a swift recovery from his latest problem.
In Hume's absence, Johnson is likely to turn to Dennis Cirkin for inspiration as the full-back has made 11 appearances in League One for Sunderland this season since joining the club on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window.
By producing an assured display against Rotherham this weekend, Cirkin could potentially help his side secure an eye-catching victory in this particular clash.