SAINTS chairman Rupert Lowe was quick to rubbish speculation that Agustin Delgado is set to quit Saints, warning him to return to the club - or else!

The Ecuador international gave the strongest hint yet that he will not return when he said that he had a very bad experience in England and that he will consider his options after the World Cup.

But this morning Lowe issued a stark choice to Delgado - come back to Saints or don't play football.

He said: "Delgado has a contract with Southampton, so if he wants to be playing football, he has to return for pre-season training after the World Cup.

"This is rubbish - both he and his Equadorian teammate Kleber Chala are coming back."

Delgado joined Southampton for £3.5 million in November but his season was cut short by a knee injury, which he believes was not taken seriously by Saints.

"I really had a very bad experience in England - I didn't enjoy my days there at all," said the striker before a friendly between Ecuador and Brazilian team Internacional de Porto Alegre that ended 2-1 in favour of the Brazilians.

"The people there thought that I didn't want to play, but I was injured. My left knee was never right. The doctors failed the diagnosis."

For the last two months, Delgado has been training without problems as he prepares for the trip to the Far East.

And he said: "That's all I want to think about.

"I want to do a good job there and, after that, I will see where I can play."

Lowe said Saints were in touch with the Ecuador Football Association and that his understanding was that Delgado was making good progress.

"Apparently he is doing well and, naturally, we wish him, Chala and Ecuador all the very best for the World Cup.

"I hope he scores a hat-trick in the first game against Italy on June 3! We want him firing on all cylinders and are looking forward to having him back."

Saints agreed to send the striker back to Ecuador last month to prepare for the World Cup finals after deciding he had no chance of playing in the club's final Premiership matches against Aston Villa and Newcastle.

Delgado has so far only made two first team appearances for Saints - against Rotherham in the FA Cup and as a substitute against Manchester United in the league.

But his talent is undoubted - he finished as joint top scorer with Argentinian Hernan Crespo in the South American World Cup qualifying group that saw Ecuador clinch a place in the finals.