Former Saints boss Nigel Adkins has spoken about the possibility of signing Sam Gallagher on loan.

Gallagher, 23, has the first of his three loan spells at Milton Keynes and scored a total of 19 goals in 63 starts in loans at Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City.

His 20-minute run-out at Brighton in the EFL Cup in August was his first in a Saints shirt in more than four years.

He suffered another hamstring injury earlier in the season but has now returned to full fitness.

Hull City boss Adkins was at the club when Gallagher was a youngster and said: “We’re going to get linked with a lot of players.

Daily Echo:

Ex-Saints boss Nigel Adkins

“I was the manager at Southampton when Sam was a young lad coming through, so I was aware of him then and I’ve tracked his career, as I have done with a lot of players.

“He’s a talented footballer.

“We’re looking to bring another striker in, we’ve talked about that, so let’s see what materialises. I’m not saying we’ve made any enquiries at all.”

It is five years since Gallagher scored the first of his two Saints goals, both under Mauricio Pochettino at St Mary’s, against Yeovil in an FA Cup fourth-round win and a last-minute strike in a 4-2 win against Norwich two months later.

He has continued to learn his trade under several managers during his various loan spells; Karl Robinson at MK Dons three years ago, Owen Coyle and Tony Mowbray at Blackburn and then Harry Redknapp, Steve Cotterill and Garry Monk at Birmingham.