Saints' chairman Rupert Lowe's patience with the �3.2m Ecuadorean striker finally ran out after he failed to return on time for pre-season training with a recurrence of a knee injury.

Lowe followed up a fine of two-weeks wages by transfer-listing the AWOL striker for a "breach of his contractual obligations to the club".

Delgado insisted he would return to the club on 5 August and his brother Marcos claimed everything will be resolved when Delgado returns to full training.

Marcos Delgado said: "At this point he is 90% recovered and on 4 August he will go to Southampton where everything will be solved with football and goals."

Despite transfer-listing the wayward striker, Lowe maintains the door remains open to Delgado to return.

But Marcos Delgado claimed any Saints decision to sell his brother could backfire.

"It will be somewhere else where he will show all his power, because now he's recovered."

Delgado, who has played just 134 minutes for Southampton since his move from Mexican club Necaxa last November.

He claimed he had little confidence in English doctors and Southampton's medical staff, and insisted on recovering at home in Ecuador.

He failed to return from the World Cup finals and underwent further exploratory surgery in Ecuador without Southampton's permission and knowledge, further antagonising the club.

Marcos Delgado said: "I'm sorry Southampton's bosses have pushed so much about this issue.

"They knew all we needed was some more time before going back there."

Southampton may have trouble getting their �3.2m outlay back on Delgado, who despite scoring Ecuador's first-ever goal in the World Cup finals, failed to shine in the shop window.

Spanish club Real Sociedad were reported to be interested in Delgado, while Marcos Delgado previously claimed his brother would favour a move to Italy.