SEB LARSSON still does not know when he will be able to return from medial ligament surgery, and admits he had been putting off a knee operation for the best part of two seasons.

Larsson went under the surgeon’s knife in August after a long-standing knee complaint became increasingly problematic during Sunderland’s pre-season programme.

Having played through the pain barrier on a number of occasions last season, the Swede no longer felt able to continue training and playing, and Sunderland’s medical staff opted for surgery to correct a ligament problem.

It was originally envisaged Larsson would be sidelined for around six months, and while the operation was a success, the midfielder is unable to provide a more detailed time frame for his recovery.

“Basically, I don’t have a date when I am looking to be back,” said Larsson, who is in the final year of his current contract at the Stadium of Light. “So far since the operation, which is (nine) weeks ago, it has progressed really well.

“Obviously, to start with you have a brace on and you are on crutches, but since coming through that stage I have really progressed.

“I’ve not really put a date on it, but up to this point I’m really, really happy with how it’s gone. I feel I am pushing in the right direction to be back sooner rather than later.”

Larsson played in five of the final six games of last season, having missed a large chunk of the campaign with a previous injury problem, and went straight from his domestic duties to represent Sweden at the European Championships.

Had he been able to rest instead, his ligament problems might not have been as pronounced, and while there are no suggestions that playing in the Euros exacerbated the problem, the 31-year-old cannot have been helped by having such a heavy summer schedule.

Sweden crashed out of the Euros at the group stage, failing to win a single game in France, but Larsson insists he would not have swapped his experiences at the tournament for anything.

“Of course I wanted to play in the Euros, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “And you don’t want to go down the surgery route if there is a possibility of not needing an operation.

“If I am honest, I have been struggling with this for at least 18 months. In the end, it was impossible to continue. You feel like you are doing stuff when you are 60 per cent at best, it can only go on for so long that you feel you want to keep doing that. You want to get back to full fitness and getting back being able to do what you know you can do.”

As pre-season progressed, it became clear that Larsson was unable to continue, and his frustrations have only increased as he has been forced to watch Sunderland’s stuttering start to the current campaign.

The Black Cats are at the foot of the table ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stoke City, who are the only other Premier League team not to have won a league game this season.

“I didn’t speak too much about the injury, and I tried to play on without letting people know that you are struggling and carrying an injury,” said Larsson. “But when it was going on for too long and it was affecting me too much, it was getting very frustrating.

“My right foot has always been a big part of my game, being able to do certain things, and I just couldn’t in the end.

"Now, it’s about coming back able to help the team, not half-fit, but 100 per cent fit. It’s been a while since I was 100 per cent fit, and I can't wait for that to be the case again.

“It’s hard being on the sidelines and getting your head around that, going to the games and supporting the boys when you know you aren't going to be involved for a while.

“I am fully focused on my recovery and my rehab, but at the same time I try to get myself as much involved as I can with the lads and help out and push them on and use my experience.”