Following their humiliating relegation from the Premier League last season, Southampton endured a less-than ideal summer and then a tough start to the campaign – which eventually led to the early campaign dismissal of their head coach appointment Will Still.
Results immediately improved though under the management of his replacement, Tonda Eckert, and Saints head into the January transfer window knowing that they could and should, once again, be targeting promotion to the Premier League in the second-half of the campaign.
A part of ensuring they do indeed challenge for promotion will be being active in the market again with key parts of the squad that need reinforcing and, perhaps more importantly, players that need to be shipped out.
The likes of Joe Aribo and Samuel Edozie are among those that will be expected to leave St Mary’s in the winter window and there is also a feeling that it is also time for Ross Stewart to depart the club.
Southampton told to try and move Ross Stewart on – his contract is up in the summer
Having made a few appearances under the management of Will Still, and looked as though he was showing signs of being able to play a key role up-front, former Sunderland striker Ross Stewart suffered yet another injury in October to extend his miserable time of it down on the south coast.
A hamstring problem has kept the attacker sidelined for well over two months now, and injury issues have blighted his time on the south coast of England.
And as the winter transfer window comes into view, Southampton will be looking to trim some of the fat off the squad and, with Stewart out of contract next summer, FLW Fan Pundit Martin Sanders is clear in his assertion that Stewart should be shipped out.
“Game over, a waste of space. Not to be relied on and time to just let him go,” Martin told FLW.
“They won’t get a penny for him but I think it’s time up for him. They don’t have time to be wasting on him any longer.
“They need to go and find someone who is fit and that could do it week in and week out.
“Adam Armstrong is playing the role really well at the moment and he’s been really, really good.
“For me, it’s time to cash in, get rid and get him off the wage bill.”
It has been a disastrous spell for Ross Stewart at Southampton
Having joined Southampton in the summer of 2023 for a fee believed to be in the region of £9 million from Sunderland, Ross Stewart has endured a difficult time of it with Saints, as a result of injuries.
The 29-year-old Irvine-born striker had been prolific for the Black Cats in League One, scoring 24 goals in 46 games as they gained promotion from the third-tier in the 2021/22 campaign.
He even showed real quality in the second division, too, with ten goals in 13 appearances in another injury-hit 2022/23 campaign before his move down to Southampton.
Injuries restricted him to just three appearances in the regular season as Saints beat Leeds United in the 2024 play-off final to secure promotion to the top-flight, where he again spent the majority of the campaign sidelined before scoring his first Saints goal in a final day defeat to Arsenal, post-relegation having been confirmed.
According to Capology, the Scotsman earns £20,000 per week and he has managed just 27 appearances for the club across all competitions in two and a half seasons since he joined.
It would be no shock to see the Ross County striker move on next summer and, if they can, Southampton will surely be tempted to allow him to leave in January, too.
