Hull City head coach Ruben Selles says it's too soon to write off Marvin Mehlem as a Tigers player after the midfielder left the club on loan earlier this month.

The summer signing was one of Tim Walter's key summer transfers when he joined from Darmstaad but was told he would not feature at City under Selles. He has since joined Paderborn in Germany's Bundesliga.2 in a bid to play regular football again.

That move does have the option to be made permanent in the summer, and the smart money is on that happening in the close season with Mehlem unlikely to force his way back into the Selles' thinking.

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Despite that, however, Selles says it's important the 27-year-old midfielder gets back to playing games, something he wasn't going to get at the MKM Stadium.

Mehlem got off the mark in a friendly against SC Verl last friendly, as the German side prepared for Sunday's relaunch of the domestic league after the Christmas break against Hertha Berlin.

"I think it's too far in advance to talk about that," Selles explained. "I think, for the moment, we wish him all the best. Thank you for your time here with us and for your time here with me.

"I wish him all the best, and hopefully, he can go there, play games, and feel himself again as the football player that he is, and then we will address the situation in the summer."