Saints attacker Sadio Mane’s participation in next year’s African Nations Cup is in doubt after hosts Morocco called for a postponement of the finals because of fears over the Ebola virus.

The lively winger, a £10m summer signing, has made a good start to life at St Mary’s as he settles into the world of the Premier League.

He was back representing his country, Senegal, in yesterday’s 0-0 qualifying draw against Tunisia at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar.

The result maintained Senegal’s position as leaders of Group G with seven points from three games and right on track to qualify for the tournament which starts on January 17 and runs until February 8.

However, the Ebola outbreak has cast a shadow over the event with Morocco’s government calling for the 16-team tournament to be postponed following a report by its health ministry into the possible spread of the virus.

Any postponement of the tournament would be a particularly tough blow for Mane and his nation, who were banned from the 2013 competition after a riot that occurred during a play-off game against the Ivory Coast that forced the fixture to be abandoned.

Responding to Morocco’s calls for a postponement of the finals, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said today it would meet the Moroccan government next month, sending a high-powered delegation to discuss the issue in Rabat led by its president Issa Hayatou.

“CAF acknowledges this request and confirms it will make no changes to its calendar of scheduled competitions,” the organisers said.

“We have taken into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization and various medical experts. It should be noted that since the first edition in 1957 no African Cup of Nations has ever been postponed or deferred.”

CAF had already banned international matches in Liberia, Guinea and Ebola-affected Sierra Leone. The latter two are still involved in Nations Cup qualifiers and will clash later on Saturday.