ADAM JOHNSON will be back on the training ground this week to give Sunderland’s attacking options a real lift after a frustrating start to the campaign.

Head coach Dick Advocaat has been without Johnson since he suffered a shoulder problem on the opening day of the campaign but now he is ready to compete for a starting spot again.

Johnson’s return to fitness comes at a time when Sunderland have finally got the options Advocaat had wanted in attack, so the Dutchman will have some welcome selection headaches coming up in the final third of the field.

The arrival of Fabio Borini from Liverpool last week means Sunderland now have the Italian, Jermain Defoe, Jeremain Lens, Ola Toivonen, Steven Fletcher, Danny Graham and Johnson all vying for the front three positions.

Advocaat will attempt to work with all of those players this week in a bid to come up with the best front three to face Tottenham on Sunday at the Stadium of Light. Even if Johnson does not figure against Spurs, he should be given a chance either against Bournemouth or Manchester United.

The Sunderland boss has preferred an attacking three so far this season, but with the players he now has available he could switch systems if he thinks that is the best option. That could see a three-man supply line operating behind a lone striker.

Toivonen, a season-long loan signing from Rennes, has already hinted he would prefer to play as a No 10 but such a role has not been accommodated so far under this season’s 4-3-3 formation; until he was introduced at Aston Villa ten days ago when he had a hand in the equaliser.

The Swedish international will be prepared to play further forward like he often has for his country and Rennes, although Advocaat knows he is far more effective in the more withdrawn position from their time together at PSV.

Sunderland swooped for Toivonen after deciding not to pursue former Swansea City midfielder Jonathan de Guzman any longer. Advocaat became frustrated with the player’s stalling tactics in the build up to the transfer window closing so opted to go down a different route.

De Guzman also ended up rejecting a chance to go to Bournemouth, so is now back at Napoli who had looked to move him on.

The player’s agent Fabio Parisi said: “During the transfer window a few opportunities emerged for De Guzman. The player made some assessments and did not see fit to accept the offers. He decided to remain at Napoli.”

But the Naples club’s head coach Maurizio Sarri did not want him back and now he faces an uncertain few months having not even played a single minute so far this season in Serie A.