Saints have blocked Agustin Delgado from playing for Ecuador next week.

The injury-prone striker was amazingly called up for the friendly against Peru next week - even though he has been sidelined for almost a year.

Delgado told the Daily Echo yesterday that he believes he is fit to play but Saints have veteod the call-up.

The controversial South American needed a major back operation in the summer and, although he is back running, the £3.25m striker is still a long way off match fitness - and nowhere near ready to play a full international.

Apart from that, a long trans-atlantic flight would not be good for his back, which is still tender and vulnerable following surgery.

In a statement to Ecuador coach Hernan Dario Gomez, Saints said: "The long-term interests of Southampton FC and the Ecuadorian national team will be better served if Delgado stays here and continues his rehabilitation."

The Ecuadorian FA confirmed: "Delgado did not receive permission from the Southampton directors because he had not recovered sufficiently."

The Ecuadorians have a track record of using Delgado when he has been injured.

When he signed from Necaxa with a knee injury that required surgery, he answered a plea from the country's president to play in their vital qualifier against Uruguay when they needed a point to reach the World Cup Finals for the first time.

They got the point but Delgado then immediately went under the knife.

Delgado suffered a setback last season, ruling him out for the season, but he was called up for a friendly in Spain.

He was allowed to go on the understanding that he would not play and it was just to keep him involved.

But again Ecuador played him - and he played 90 minutes in all three of their World Cup matches.

He then required further knee surgery but recovered to score against Liverpool and Arsenal last autumn before suffering a relapse and then a series of back problems.

Delgado's last appearance for Saints was at West Ham last December.