Southampton reveal major Ross Stewart boost | OneFootball

Southampton striker Ross Stewart has been spotted in training with his new side as he steps up his recovery from an Achilles issue with Sunderland last season.

Stewart was the subject of plenty of speculation for some time during the transfer window in the summer, with Alan Nixon reporting that the likes of Middlesbrough, Stoke City, and Southampton were all queuing up to land the 27-year-old striker; whilst Luton Town and Rangers were also credited with an interest.

He was never going to be an easy player to replace, given that he scored 26 goals and claimed five assists in his first season with the club and helped guide them to promotion via the play-offs in League One.

Unfortunately, Stewart suffered from multiple injury issues over the course of last season in the Championship, meaning he was restricted to just 15 appearances. However, he scored an impressive 11 goals and notched a further three assists in that time.

In spite of that issue, Stewart signed for the Saints late in the window, arriving in a reported £10 million deal on deadline day from Sunderland.

What's the latest from Russell Martin regarding Ross Stewart's injury?

That Achilles injury has kept him out of action since January; however, he is nearing a return to action, scoring in an U-21 clash with his former side recently as he continued his recovery.

Russell Martin has warned supporters to not expect too much too soon from Stewart.

“Firstly, it is a huge moment for him as a person because he has been out for a long time and anyone can see how hard he has worked since he has been here," said Martin, via Hampshire Live.

“I have no doubt that he had the same mentality when he was at Sunderland to try and get fit. He has had a couple of setbacks along the way which is to be expected with such a long-term injury.

"For him as a lad and a person, I am really delighted. Selfishly for us as a group of coaches and a squad, it is a brilliant moment for us because he is going to contribute a lot.

“I don’t think we should expect too much too soon from him. He has been out a long while.”

Southampton revealed via their Twitter (X) account that the Scot is back in training, and that he is stepping up his involvement with the first-team.

How big of a boost is Stewart's involvement?

Despite the presence of Che Adams and Sekou Mara, as well as Adam Armstrong - Stewart's return could have a transformative impact on this Saints side.

Martin has struggled to settle on a centre-forward, opting for different profiles depending on the opposition, occasion, and game state. However, Stewart is a well-rounded striker who could fix issues in a variety of ways.

Strong enough to hold the ball, fast and tenacious enough to run the channels, all whilst having strong finishing ability at this level, as he's proven in the past. Stewart could turn Southampton from a play-off team to a side challenging harder for automatic promotion.