The German winger has shown some of his best and most frustrating qualities during pre-season so far, leaving Alex Neil with something of a problem to solve.
Thorben Hoffmann has made some major allegations about his time at the club, including being forced to play when suffering from Covid and being refused further examination.
Sunderland’s quest for Sky Bet League One promotion continues this Saturday with the latest test against Cambridge United at the Stadium of Light (KO 3pm).
Lads face off with Cambridge safc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from safc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.