New injury blow for Delgado

The Ecuadorian striker suffered a recurrence of his long-standing back problem while on holiday and he now needs to go under the knife to clear up the problem.

The 28-year-old is set to be sidelined for three months and means he will miss the big kick-off to the new season next month.

Ecuadorian doctors urged Delgado to undergo an operation back in his homeland last month, but Southampton's own medical staff wanted to have a look at the player before making a decision.

They have now decided to send him in for surgery and the 28-year-old is set to be sidelined for three months.

The news is a major blow for Delgado as he looks to kick-start his career at St Mary's after being blighted by a series of injuries since his £3.2 million move from Necaxa in November 2001.