RALPH Hasenhuttl confirmed Sam McQueen is still training at Saints, as he continues to battle back from his injury hell.

The 26-year-old, who came through the academy at Saints, has not played a competitive fixture since October 2018, during a loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he suffered a serious knee problem.

Having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament, screws inserted during surgery to help repair the problem became infected, providing a huge setback to the former England under-21 international.

Most expected the Saints academy graduate to be among the list of players released by the club last summer upon the expiry of his contract, but his name was not included.

Instead, he was handed a new short-term deal which allowed him to continue training at the club. He was even listed in the club's Premier League squad list for the first half of the season.

Asked what the latest is regarding McQueen's fitness and contract situation with the club, Hasenhuttl told the Daily Echo: "At the moment he is still with us.

"We will have a look.

"He gets the chance to work on his fitness. If he ever plays again for us, we don’t know it now.

"I will hope it and wish him all the best that it comes back to a situation where he was one time, but nobody knows."

Left-back McQueen has played 29 first-team games for Saints across the Premier League, domestic cups and Europa League.

The last of those came in a Premier League clash against Man City in May 2018.