Hull City's £5m talisman handed injury blow ahead of Sunderland in Championship

Hull City have been handed a major injury blow ahead of the Christmas fixtures.

Key winger Jaden Philogene is unlikely to return to action until 2024, with The Athletic claiming the attacker could be out for "four to six weeks" after suffering a knee injury.

Hull City are due to face Middlesbrough this week and then face Championship clashes against Cardiff City, Bristol City and Sunderland towards the back end of the year with Philogene likely to miss the game against the Black Cats on Boxing Day.

The £5million summer signing from Premier League club Aston Villa was sent for a scan on Monday and now it appears he will be ruled out of the busy festive period. The news will come as a blow to head coach Liam Rosenior with The Tigers playing five matches before 2024 rolls around.

The 21-year-old has netted six goals and produced five assists in 14 league appearances since moving to the MKM Stadium during the summer window but will definitely miss Hull's Wednesday night game against Middlesbrough in the Championship.

Rosenior, whose side take on Boro at the Riverside, told Hull Live: "Football is more than just one person. I love this group and I am super confident in them. We signed Jaden on the last day of the transfer window. He has made an amazing impression here in terms of what he has done so far but we were winning games before he came in.

"We go to Middlesbrough missing a very, very good player but, at the same time we have got a very good squad here."