Red tape cleared for Saints' Senegalese striker
By Ossian Shine
SOUTHAMPTON England (Reuters) - Southampton's Senegalese international striker Sadio Mane has finally received his work permit and will arrive in England on Friday, his English club said.
The winger, a signing from Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in a deadline-day deal worth almost 12 million pounds more than two weeks ago, will not be ready to feature in Southampton's Premier League clash with Swansea on Saturday, manager Ronald Koeman said.
But Koeman is hopeful the 22-year-old will feature in the squad for Saints' midweek League Cup clash at Arsenal.
"(All things being normal) he is flying back today and he will arrive tomorrow morning very early," Dutchman Koeman told reporters at Southampton's St Mary's stadium.
"It is too close for him for Saturday -- I don't know what he has been doing for the last 10 days.
"But there is a good chance for him to be part of the squad for the League Cup game."
Mane fired the second goal in Senegal's 2-0 win over Botswana in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last week, and has been battling red tape since.
His arrival boosts a crackling Southampton frontline which has shot the Saints to an early fourth position in the table after four matches.
Mane boasts six goals from 16 international appearances and, in Austria, bagged 45 goals at an average of more than one every other game.
Southampton, with three matches in seven days, will welcome the strengthening of their squad. They visit third-placed Swansea on Saturday, travel to Arsenal on Tuesday and host Queens Park Rangers the following Saturday.
(Editing by Tim Collings)
