Emmanuel Mayuka has no future at Saints, according to Ronald Koeman.

The 24-year-old Zambian international has been a massive flop, having failed to score a league goal in a handful of first team appearances over three years at St Mary’s.

Mayuka joined for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £4m, but is likely to be loaned out again this season with two years still remaining on his contract.

Another player whose Saints chances appear to quickly fading is Gaston Ramirez.

Koeman had previously spoken about the possibility of Ramirez being more involved with the first team, having been loaned out to Hull last season.

However, as has so often been the case with the Uruguayan since his £12m move to Saints, injury has again hampered him.

Ramirez didn’t even travel for the pre-season trip to Holland because of another injury problem, and Koeman sounded less than enthusiastic about his chances of making a breakthrough now.

“The future is difficult because Gaston has had a lot of injuries in the last two years and that’s the big problem of Gaston,” said Koeman of the player who has just one year left to run on his contract.

“We had a good hope for this pre-season but after one week he was injured again. He didn’t travel with the team to Austria or Holland and it is difficult because the rest of the players are in a good shape.

“You come from behind and the past is not very positive. You know his situation.

“Mayuka – we have a lot of young people coming into the squad and we have enough strikers and for Mayuka there is no future in the club.”

Mayuka has been linked with a loan move to Spartak Moscow and Koeman confirmed: “There is some contact with Les Reed about Mayuka.”