JAN KIRCHHOFF will return to Sunderland’s squad at Everton at the weekend, after swerving the club’s bonding break in New York in order to focus on building up his fitness.

Kirchhoff has been sidelined since tearing the cartilage in his knee in December’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, and the Black Cats have missed his steadying presence at the base of midfield during his time on the sidelines.

While the rest of his team-mates crossed the Atlantic to spend time in the Big Apple last week, Kirchhoff enjoyed a fruitful period of his own closer to home.

He trained with Sunderland’s Under-23 squad in order to build up his fitness, and was able to play a full part in Monday’s open training session at the Stadium of Light.

He has continued to train with the rest of David Moyes’ senior group since then, and will be restored to the match-day squad for Saturday’s trip to Goodison Park.

Whether he finds himself back in the starting line-up remains to be seen, but he has done everything possible to increase his prospects of a first start in more than two months this weekend.

“It’s tough to be out because during your rehab, you have to train on your own,” said Kirchhoff, who has been restricted to just seven Premier League appearances all season. “So it’s good to be with the team again.

“I used last week as the next phase of my rehab schedule because I needed team training, so I worked with the Under-23s instead of travelling to New York.

“It was better for my personal development if I stayed here and trained, and it was good for me as I’m now back with the team and I hope I can play my role and help the club. Our goal is to stay in the Premier League, and we will all do our best to achieve that.”

Last season, Kirchhoff’s January arrival was a key factor in Sunderland’s successful survival push under Sam Allardyce.

The German’s experience proved crucial as he steadied the ship at the heart of midfield, and with Lee Cattermole and Jack Rodwell both battling against long-term problems, his return could hardly be timelier with the Black Cats rooted to the foot of the table.

Lynden Gooch has also returned to full fitness, handing Moyes the kind of selection dilemma that has been all-too-rare in the last few months.

Last week’s Stateside trip helped lift morale in the wake of the 4-0 home defeat to Southampton that preceded the break in the Premier League schedule, and the sight of more than 7,000 fans watching Monday’s open session provided another boost.

“It was a great feeling to get back onto the pitch, and an even better feeling to do it in front of an incredible atmosphere,” said Kirchhoff. “It’s so nice that so many fans found their way to the Stadium of Light to watch us train, and give us a real lift.”