Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has dismissed reports of Sadio Mane leaving as "rumours". Ian Kington / AFP
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has dismissed reports of Sadio Mane leaving as "rumours". Ian Kington / AFP

Southampton ‘will sell nobody’: Ronald Koeman warns Chelsea and Man United off Sadio Mane



Southampton forward Jay Rodriguez will be sidelined for at least two months after undergoing surgery on his foot, manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed.

Rodriguez, 26, had come back into the side at the start of the season after spending more than a year on the sidelines recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

He made 12 appearances this season but has not played since a 2-2 draw with Leicester City on October 17.

Shorn of Rodriguez, Southampton’s options up front are limited and Koeman said striker Sadio Mane would not be sold despite speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea or Manchester United in January.

Mane joined Southampton from Red Bull Salzburg in September last year and has six goals this campaign.

[Predictions: Spurs inflict more misery on Chelsea, Man United knock Leicester off top spot]

“Rumours aren’t important. We will sell nobody,” Koeman said. “You can ask again about Sadio, Man United, Chelsea, but we will sell nobody in January.”

Koeman said that Mane had yet to reach his full potential but was working to achieve that at Southampton.

“Because the player is developing himself, with all the help from the technical staff and the rest of the players. They are showing qualities, and then of course big teams are interested,” he said.

“It’s a normal progress of players who are developing themselves.

“In my opinion it’s not about money, it’s about ambition of players and people.”

Southampton, who are eighth in the Premier League and saw a six-game unbeaten run end at Stoke last weekend, travel to face third-placed Manchester City on Saturday.

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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Scores

Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)

THE SPECS

Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6

Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm

Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km

Price: Dh375,000 

On sale: now 

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE

Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)

Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1

Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)

Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)

Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)

Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)

Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)

Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)

Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)

Source: Emirates

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
GCC-UK Growth

An FTA with the GCC would be very significant for the UK. My Department has forecast that it could generate an additional £1.6 billion a year for our economy.
With consumer demand across the GCC predicted to increase to £800 billion by 2035 this deal could act as a launchpad from which our firms can boost their market share.

SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal

Rating: 2/5

If you go…

Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.

Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days. 


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