Hull City defender Ryan Giles was not part of the Tigers squad for their early kick-off at Millwall on Saturday lunchtime amid a growing expectation he will join Championship rivals Middlesbrough.

The Tigers' left-back, who joined from Luton Town in a £4m deal back in the summer after the club were obligated to buy him following a loan spell, was the subject of strong interest back in the summer, but the deal did not go through, but Boro have retained that desire to sign the 24-year-old, and now that deal is on the verge of being completed.

Giles did not travel to London with the rest of the Tigers squad, and Hull Live understands a return to the club he played for on loan from Wolves in the 2022/23 campaign is expected to be completed next week after extensive talks in recent days to finalise a deal.

READ MORE: Hull City seal £2.5m transfer deal with Ruben Selles' squad set for another big boost

READ MORE: Battling Hull City seal huge away win at Millwall as new signings bring fresh hope

Michael Carrick has been the principal driver of the move to get Giles back at the Riverside Stadium, in the hope the Telford-born defender can recapture the form which helped the Teesside club get to the play-off semi-final a couple of seasons ago, a form he hasn't been able to find since moving to City last January.

City has been actively looking to try to sign a left-back, and it's understood that the Tigers are confident of concluding a loan deal in the coming days, and there was no Ryan Longman against his former club.

Elsewhere, Ruben Selles made a big change in goal, with Carl Rushworth handed a first Championship start, ending a run of 26 straight league outings for Ivor Pandur. Rushworth made his debut in the FA Cup last Sunday but will get his first taste of league action for the Tigers.

All three of City's new January signings, Matt Crooks, Joe Gelhardt and Nordin Amrabat, were named on the bench for the clash at The Den, while Selles handed a first league start since the Sheffield United game in September for Fin Burns, who started in the heart of the back four with Sean McLoughlin shifting across to the left side with Matty Jacob named on the bench.

Further up the pitch, Selles' side had a familiar feel with Steven Alzate, Regan Slater and Gustavo Puerta in midfield, with Mason Burstow and Abu Kamara on the flanks in support of Joao Pedro.

City's starting XI: Rushworth, McLoughlin, Burns, Jones, Coyle (c), Alzate, Slater, Puerta, Burstow, Kamara, Pedro. Subs: Pandur, Vaughan, Simons, Drameh, Crooks, Smith, Jacob, Gelhardt, Amrabat.

Millwall: Jensen, Cooper, Tanganga, Bryan, Leonard, Watmore, Saville, De Norre, Ivanovic, Scanlon, Honeyman. Subs: Roberts, McNamara, Wallace, Hutchinson, Mitchell, Connolly, Langstaff, Bangura-Williams, Crama.

Referee: Stephen Martin