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Sunderland transfer news: Defender returns to training at Academy of Light amid interest from Turkey Sunderland are stepping up their preparations for the new Premier League season Arthur Masuaku has returned to the Academy of Light to begin his pre-season training despite ongoing uncertainty over his future at the club. Having represented DR Congo at the World Cup this summer, Masuaku was initially expected to join the second half of the club's US tour alongside the other players whose nations were knocked out in the round of 32. Masuaku did not make the trip, however, with Turkish club Konyaspor in talks to sign him. As of yet, no deal with an interested party has been agreed and so Masuaku is back on Wearside with his team mates ahead of the new campaign. With Sunderland working hard to sign a new left back, with Toulouse's Dayann Methalie the primary target, Masuaku is still likely to leave the club this window as he enters the final year of his contract. The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel. Head coach Régis Le Bris has also been boosted by the return of his final cohort of World Cup players, with Granit Xhaka and Chemsdine Talbi pictured linking back up with their team mates at the Academy of Light. They have also been joined by summer signing Thomas Meunier, who represented Belgium in the summer World Cup. The trio have alongside Masauku undergone their pre-season testing and depending on their progress, could have some involvement when the Black Cats face RC Lens in France on Saturday. A Sunderland XI will play a behind-closed-doors game at the Ligue 1 club's training ground on Saturday morning, before Le Bris fields a strong side at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Omar Alderete is understood to have also returned from his World Cup break, but was not pictured as he is on a slightly different training schedule to the club’s other World Cup players. Your next Sunderland read: What Sunderland fans should remember as Chemsdine Talbi linked with potential summer move