MEXICAN international Giovani dos Santos has been given the all-clear to play for Ipswich this Sunday despite widespread concerns over a swine flu epidemic.

Derek Davis

MEXICAN international Giovani dos Santos has been given the all-clear to play for Ipswich this Sunday despite widespread concerns over a swine flu epidemic.

The 19-year-old striker on loan to Ipswich from Tottenham Hotspur was in Mexico five weeks ago on World Cup duty although he did not play due to a groin strain.

Dos Santos returned to England at the beginning of April and has recovered from injury and has shown no signs of even having a cold.

With the incubation period for swine flu one week there is no indication that dos Santos, or any of the Mexican squad players based abroad, have shown any symptoms.

It is understood dos Santos was at White Hart Lane on Monday for a precautionary check on his overall well-being and came back to train with Town during the week.

Arsenal had put their Mexican international Carlos Vela in quarantine as a precaution but only because he had visitors from his home country the week before.

Dos Santos is meant to link up with the Mexico squad again in July for their Gold Cup campaign which is being played in America.

With new manager Roy Keane keen to assess as many members of the Town squad as possible it is not certain the former Barcelona player will start for Town while youngsters such as Connor Wickham, Reggie Lambe and Tommy Smith may get a look in.

Keane was in the Republic of Ireland yesterday in his capacity as patron of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and will be back in Dublin tonight, after spending time on the training ground and doing the pre-Coventry press conference.

Town will complete their pre-match preparations tomorrow and Keane will see who is fit before picking his team.

Skipper Gareth McAuley remains a doubt with a hamstring injury as does right-back David Wright but that allows Smith a chance to play after recovering from a broken ankle, while Matt Richards hopes for one last chance to convince Keane he is worth a new deal.

It is the same for Alex Bruce, who will play with a strapped thumb after dislocating it at Cardiff.

Even though Keane will want to experiment he will also set up a team to win in front of an expectant crowd that could be as many as 26,000, all looking to welcome the new manager to Portman Road.

The former Manchester United captain's arrival has already added 1,000 season tickets for next year with sales now past the 14,000 mark.