An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to add to the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…
What's the latest Southampton transfer news?
According to The Sun on Sunday (16/7; page 61), the Saints are one of the teams eyeing up Sunderland centre-forward Ross Stewart during the summer transfer window.
The report claims that Russell Martin's side are plotting a swoop to sign the Scottish finisher in the event of one of the manager's current number nine options moves on over the coming weeks.
It states that fellow second-tier teams Middlesbrough and Stoke City are also keen on securing his signature, as the ex-Ross County star's contract at the Stadium of Light is due to expire at the end of the season.
Burnley, Nottingham Forest, and Everton are all reportedly interested in snapping up Southampton striker Che Adams, who has been valued at £15m, and this could open the door for another marksman to come in.
How many goals has Ross Stewart scored for Sunderland?
The 6 foot 2 titan has been a prolific goalscorer for the Black Cats since joining from Ross County in January 2022 and has racked up 40 goals in 80 competitive appearances to date.
He has proven himself to be an exceptional performer at League One and Championship level, which could make him a big upgrade on Adams at St. Mary's.
His teammate Alex Pritchard once described him as an "unbelievable" player who has been a "revelation" throughout his time on Wearside, which is backed up by the 27-year-old ace's statistics.
Stewart, who scored 26 goals in 49 third tier outings during the 2021/22 campaign, missed 36 competitive games through injury last term but was able to showcase his quality in the final third when he was fit.
The Scotland international averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.40 across 13 Championship matches, which is a score only two players throughout the division managed to better, as the talented hotshot plundered ten goals to go along with three assists.
Adams, meanwhile, is coming off the back of scoring five goals in 28 Premier League games and has never hit double figures for strikes in the top flight.
He did, however, catch the eye with his Championship performances for Birmingham during the 2018/19 campaign. The 27-year-old ace averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 across 46 outings to go along with his 22 goals and four assists prior to his move to Southampton.
This means that the Scottish forward averaged a direct goal contribution every 1.77 games on average in his last season at that level, which is unimpressive in comparison to Stewart's sublime return of one every match on average.
These statistics suggest that the Sunderland star has the quality to be a significant upgrade on Adams as his sensational form for the Black Cats has proven that he has what it takes to be a prolific scorer in the second tier.
Stewart's Championship performances and impact at the top end of the pitch have dwarfed the current Saints number nine's achievements at that level, which is why replacing the ex-Birmingham man with his compatriot could be a shrewd piece of business by Martin this summer.
