Mauricio Pellegrino has played down reports that Manolo Gabbiadini will leave Saints before the end of the month.

Gabbiadini has been heavily linked with a loan move to Bologna after finding game time hard to come by at St Mary’s.

Saints have completed a club record deal for Guido Carrillo, but with Charlie Austin sidelined can ill afford to let another striker leave with Gabbiadini and Shane Long the only frontline alternatives.

Pellegrino said: “I don’t think so.

“This morning I was talking with Les. Every day we are talking about some news in the market, about how we have the possibility for some players to leave and some to try and bring in but nobody told me anything about Manolo.

“He’s an important player for us.

“He’s not playing too much right now but is one of our main strikers, our main players, and I want to keep him.”

Pellegrino, who also dismissed speculation linking Saints with a loan move for Tottenham youngster Kyle Walker-Peters, was also quizzed on the possibility of Quincy Promes joining from Spartak Moscow and replied: “It’s all speculation.

“Obviously we have been working with many players to bring players with capacity, with quality.

“It is not easy but we will keep pushing and we are not sure until the end what will happen with us.”