Exclusive: Don Goodman tips £9m man to be "big player" under Will Still at Southampton FC | OneFootball

Ross Stewart's first two seasons at St Mary's haven't gone to plan

Don Goodman believes that Ross Stewart could have a big impact on Southampton's return to the Championship next season after a frustrating two-year spell at St Mary's thus far.

The Scottish forward was signed for a reported £9m under Russell Martin in the latter stages of the summer transfer window in September 2023, having impressed massively during a two-and-a-half-season stint with Sunderland which began during the North East side's lengthy stint in League One.

As well as suffering two major setbacks during his final season on Wearside, one which continued into the early stages of his three-year spell on the South Coast, the club's dismal season back in the Premier League was once again a tale of frustration for the 28-year-old, who spent most of the campaign sidelined before featuring in the final eight games.

However, with the highly-rated Will Still appointed last Sunday, as well as being in attendance for the Saints' final game of the season - a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in which the Scot netted his first goal for the club - Stewart could be one of the 32-year-old's key assets upon their return to the EFL, as the pressure will immediately be on the newly-relegated outfit to mount a promotion bid alongside Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Don Goodman tips Ross Stewart to have big influence on Southampton's 2025/26 campaign

Despite his current employers swapping places with his former club as Sunderland returned to the Premier League after eight years with a dramatic 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the second-tier play-off final, Goodman believes that Stewart could be a key man for Still next term, despite making just 17 appearances in red and white thus far.

"You would imagine if Southampton can get the Ross Stewart of a couple of seasons ago, the one that left Sunderland, then they'd be in business," the former striker exclusively told Football League World.

"He could be a big player at Championship level," he continued. "I think in his last (full) season, before he left Sunderland, he got 11 goals in 15 games. It was a remarkable effort and was off the back of a decent season before (in League One).

"But injuries have played a massive, massive part," Goodman added. "He only managed to start four Premier League games and scored the one goal, which was in the final game against Arsenal.

"It very much depends if Southampton are able to get Ross Stewart to play a full season of football. If they can, he could be a real asset," the Sky Sports pundit concluded.

Southampton's current striking options could cause plenty of damage in the Championship

As Goodman referenced, Stewart's previous record in the division in an extremely limited number of games emphasises how lethal a finisher the two-time international can be, if he can put his injury woes behind him under the new manager.

There is no faulting the frontman's work-rate, which has been evident as Saints looked to restore some pride in the final weeks of an extremely below-par campaign that saw them accumulate just 12 points, suffer 30 defeats and hit the back of the net only 26 times.

Stewart will also be given the added incentive of proving why the club offered him a long-term deal and parted with such a hefty sum two summers ago, as well as looking to play his way towards a potential extension with the aforementioned contract expiring next summer.

He isn't alone in the striking department when it comes to wanting to prove a point next season either, with Cameron Archer also excelling at Championship level in loan stints with Preston North End and Middlesbrough, scoring 18 times in just 40 appearances in the division before two underwhelming top-flight seasons for Sheffield United and the Saints.