Sunderland AFC latest: Danny Rohl reacts to links, Jack Clarke update, injured trio return | OneFootball

As we head into Easter weekend, some Sunderland updates have been revealed that could impact the season finale at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats have had a tough time of late, picking up four losses in their last five league games, the other result being a draw.

Now 12 points adrift from the play-off places, it would take a monumental push from interim manager Mike Dodd to reach that goal, and as such, attention seems to already be turning to next season.

Here, FLW brings you all the latest Sunderland headlines...

Sheffield Wednesday boss addresses Sunderland links

Following a disastrous start to the season for Sheffield Wednesday under former boss Xisco Munoz, the club have decidedly turned a corner since Danny Rohl entered the fray.

Although still in the relegation zone, a positive turn in form led by Rohl has given the club a fighting chance. They now sit just one point from safety, where they once looked consigned to a League One return.

The turnaround under the German coach has made waves in the footballing world, and he is reportedly one of the candidates being considered at the Stadium of Light following the short-lived tenure of former Sunderland boss Michael Beale.

Amid the speculation, ahead of the Owls' Friday clash against Swansea City, Rohl reiterated his commitment to the Yorkshire club, maintaining that his current focus is only on the final games of this season.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the 34-year-old said: "Honestly, I said this some weeks before, that my focus is 100 per cent on the next eight games. What happens with the next game is the difficult one and all the rumours around me are not important.

"My focus is here at Sheffield Wednesday, my focus is on my team and my focus is to achieve our goals with this club.

Rohl was keen to stress that the rumours are not a distraction and that he is already planning ahead with Wednesday.

"I can say that at the moment I am very happy here at Sheffield Wednesday," he continued. "I enjoy the club and the supporters. I know how strong the relationship is and this is a key point for me as well. I have a good group here around me and I know what I want to do here. I know what we have to do in the summer to make a step forward."

Links are likely to intensify in the summer with the Black Cats still uncertain who will take them into next season. It remains to be seen whether that figure is Rohl.

Jack Clarke injury update

Jack Clarke has been one of the most important figures at the Stadium of Light in his second full season with the club, so when he suffered an ankle injury, which kept him out of action for over a month, it was a big blow for the Black Cats.

However, the latest update, from journalist Phil Smith, suggests that the 23-year-old could soon be making a return.

Smith confirmed that Clarke can now run again, but is yet to resume full training, so he will not be involved in Friday's game against Cardiff City, but appears to be making progress towards a return.

Although Clarke's short-term view at the club has taken a positive turn, his long-term future remains uncertain amid Premier League interest, and the news that contract talks with the winger have stalled due to the Black Cats being unwilling to break their wage structure to tie the star to a new deal.

Injured trio back for Cardiff clash

Injury issues at the Stadium of Light went beyond Clarke, with Corry Evans, Bradley Dack and Aji Alese all having faced varying spells on the sidelines.

In the same update from Smith of the Sunderland Echo, he confirmed that all three will be available for selection when the squad travels to Cardiff City Stadium, giving Dodds greater options when it comes to picking his team.

Young defender Alese has spent a significant time on the sidelines, with a thigh issue that dates back to last March. He did appear briefly for Sunderland's play-off semi-final second leg last season, but received surgery the month after and has not been in action since.

Evans was another long-term absentee, suffering a cruciate ligament injury at the beginning of last year. The 33-year-old has already returned to the pitch for the U21s, so he looks set to achieve his goal of returning to first-team football by the end of this season.

Dack, having only joined the Wearside club last summer, has been out of action for a shorter time, with smaller but persistent injuries that have disrupted his first season with the club. He was an unused substitute in Sunderland's 0-0 draw with Queens Park Rangers, so Smith's update appears to suggest he will be in contention for a place in the starting XI this time around.

The returnees may arrive too late to rescue the Black Cats' season, but even if the play-offs prove unreachable, a positive final run-in could set the tone for the summer transfer window, and allow the club to hit the ground running in the next campaign.