Strachan trying to contact Delgado

Southampton manager Gordon Strachan will today attempt to contact striker Agustin Delgado to discover why the Ecuador World Cup star failed to report for pre-season training yesterday.

Delgado, 29, was sent home early to prepare for the Far East finals after failing to overcome the knee injury which has plagued him since last November’s £3.2m (€5m) move from Mexican club Necaxa.

But he angered Saints boss Strachan last month by declaring he was unhappy at the St Mary’s Stadium and saying he had no intention of returning to the club.

Strachan said: "I don’t know why Agustin has not come back with the other players but we are looking into it and we will make a formal statement once we have found out why.

"It’s frustrating for me because it is clear that he has the ability which he showed with the goal he scored at the World Cup. But the club has spent millions of pounds on the player and I have only seen him train five times since I came here."

Delgado underwent knee surgery just 24 hours after he arrived in England and his only Southampton start to date came during their 2-1 FA Cup third-round defeat at Rotherham in January.

He made a brief substitute’s appearance during their Premiership defeat to Manchester United in January and scored Ecuador’s first-ever World Cup finals goal against Mexico.