HULL City have been handed a boost for their trip to Saints with influential midfielder Jean Michael Seri returning to the club.

Seri, who won the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast earlier this month, has missed the Tigers' last nine matches since he's been away on international duty.

The 32 year old is an important member of Liam Rosenior's squad, having featured in 25 Championship games this season for Hull.

Speaking regarding the midfielder's return, Hull boss Rosenior said: "Mika (Jean Michael Seri) will be back on Monday morning and we're preparing something really good for him.

"He deserves it and he's going to be another really welcome addition back to our group.

"(He) will come and add his experience and his quality because I genuinely feel he made a difference for Ivory Coast in that tournament.

"I watched every game and he knitted the game together. He did exactly what he does for us, now, we need him to come back and do it for us."

Seri did not play in any of Ivory Coast's group games but they then sacked their manager after scraping through to the knockout stages, and the Hull man played a crucial role from then on.

Hull do have a fitness concern regarding another of their midfielders with on-loan Liverpool man Tyler Morton going off early during Saturday's 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town.

Rosenior added: "Tyler got a kick on his ankle, and it swelled up. It swelled up too much.

"I'm not delighted, but I'm pleased that it's not a muscular injury, it's just something that we have to pain manage and hopefully get the swelling down."

Saints beat Rosenior's side back in October with a late Ryan Fraser strike earning all three points in a 2-1 victory at the MKM stadium.