MANAGER Ivan Juric insisted Saints have to keep Kamaldeen Sulemana following his star performance in a 3-0 win over Swansea City on Sunday.

Sulemana, 22, opened the scoring against Championship Swansea when he dinked over Jon McLaughlin from outside the box.

He then turned provider by teeing Tyler Dibling for Southampton's second having caused the Swans backline heaps of problems.

The Ghana international has been linked with a move away this week, with reports indicating that Genoa, Ajax and Nantes are interested in signing him.

However, Croatian boss Juric believes the former Rennes winger can help Saints in their battle against relegation from the Premier League.

He told the Daily Echo: "Sulemana has worked hard in the last 20 days, he wasn't in very good shape.

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"Now, it's the first game that I'm satisfied with him, assist and goal. He's a young player, he needs confidence but he can give us a hand.

"I knew him before. I know everything about Sulemana when he played in France and the problems he has had here.

"I think he's a good player and now, in this moment, the good players have to stay in Southampton. For me, all the good players have to stay here."

Kamaldeen had been close to joining Ajax on loan this summer but a move fell through after the Dutch giants failed to file their paperwork in time.

His two previous starts this season, against Tottenham and Brentford, ended with heavy 5-0 defeats in the Premier League.

His opening goal ended a near-19 month wait for a Southampton goal, his last before Sunday coming against Liverpool on the final day of 2022/23.

Saints skipper Jan Bednarek was withdrawn with injury in the final 20 minutes but Juric confessed his knock was nothing serious.

"It seems it's okay," the former Torino boss confessed. "I think for Jan it's good to have 20 minutes to rest a bit."