Sunderland AFC played a blinder with Ross Stewart call that made healthy profit - is it the club's best in recent times? | OneFootball

Stewart's signing proved to be a masterstroke by Sunderland, but is he the club's best piece of business in recent times? FLW investigates...

Sunderland's capture of Ross Stewart back in January 2021 proved to be a masterstroke by the Black Cats, as 'The Loch Ness Drogba's' goals would see the Scotland international become a cult figure at the Stadium of Light.

Signed from Scottish side Ross County for a reported fee of just £300k, Stewart arrived on Wearside to no great fanfare, but his performances over the next season-and-a-half would ensure his departure would be met with great sadness.

The Scotsman made a Deadline Day exit in September last year, joining then Championship side Southampton in a deal understood to be worth around £10m.

Stewart's goals would play a pivotal role in helping fire the Black Cats back out of League One and into the Championship. But Sunderland fans were robbed of what had the look of a stellar 2022/23 season, after thigh problems and his later Achilles surgery would end his season after making just 15 appearances, in which he scored 11 times.

He is undoubtedly one of Sunderland's best pieces of business in recent times, but is there another deal that trumps it? Football League World investigates...

Stewart's impact for how little he cost makes him hard to look past

Perhaps since the days when Jermain Defoe called the Stadium of Light his hunting ground, Sunderland haven't seen a centre-forward as good as Stewart was.

The tall striker had everything a prolific forward needs; excellent hold-up play, a deceptive amount of technical ability with the ball at his feet, a constant threat in the air, whilst possessing the ability to score from any angle or distance.

A Sunderland career strike-rate of a goal in every other game he played, the Scot was as prolific as they came at both League One and Championship level during his time on Wearside, and would have surely gone on to add a healthy bit more to his goal tally had he stayed injury-free.

It's fair to say that without him, Sunderland would likely have not won promotion to the Championship in 2021/22, and who knows where they might be today had he not made the move south of the border.

He would net the club a huge profit when the time came for him to leave the club, which also makes it very difficult to see past him being Sunderland's best piece of business in recent times. Anyway, let's take a look at who the other contenders to Stewart might be...

Jack Clarke possesses a major claim

Perhaps the biggest rival to Stewart over who is the club's best piece of business in recent years, Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo are the gold standard of wingers at Sunderland AFC in recent times.

Diallo may well have found a place here too had he rejoined the club for a second loan spell, but as he only spent one season at the Stadium of Light, it's hard to place him here from purely a business perspective.

Clarke's spot is unquestionable though, having signed from Tottenham in July 2022 for a reported fee of around £750-800k, before being sold to Ipswich Town this summer in a deal understood to be worth between £15-20m.

During his time in the North East, Clarke established himself as arguably the best winger in the Championship, scoring 24 goals and providing 16 assists across his two full seasons in the division with the Black Cats.

Trai Hume has been a fantastic find for Sunderland

Plucked from Northern Irish side Linfield in January 2022, Trai Hume has continued to grow into one of the finest right-backs in the Championship since joining Sunderland.

Signed for a reported fee of just £150k, it was widely reported that upon interested parties arriving for the Northern Irish international this summer, the Black Cats had slapped a £10m asking price on the defender.

Thankfully for Sunderland, a move didn't materialise, and Hume has got straight back to business as being one of the second tier's classiest full-backs this season.

If and when the day does come for the Black Cats to sell the young defender, he looks set to land them an eye-watering profit, and has to be in contention as one of the club's smartest pieces of business in recent seasons.

Jobe Bellingham has the potential to land Black Cats huge transfer fee

Jobe Bellingham might not be lighting up the Santiago Bernabéu like his brother Jude, but few have shone brighter at the Stadium of Light than he has since his arrival from Birmingham City in June last year.

Signed for a reported fee in the region of £3m, Bellingham looks like a central midfield player who is only going to continue getting better as his Sunderland career progresses.

With links to Tottenham, Manchester United and even Real Madrid emerging over the summer, Jobe is certainly catching the attention of some top clubs through his performances on the pitch.

Should he continue on the trajectory he appears to be on, he could land the club a very healthy transfer fee in the future, and has all the makings of being one of Sunderland's greatest pieces of business.

Dan Ballard has been a rock for Sunderland since Arsenal switch

Whilst he may not be as much of a household name as the other players featured here, Dan Ballard has been an integral part of Sunderland's squad since his move from Arsenal in July 2022.

Arriving for a fee worth a reported £2m, the centre-back has established himself as one of the best in the Championship, and has seemingly begun to draw the attention of Premier League clubs in the process.

He would put an end to any transfer talk by penning a new long-term extension this summer, which now sees him contracted at the Stadium of Light until 2028.

Locking in his future with the club, and indeed ramping the asking price up substantially as a result, Ballard looks set to once again play a leading role at the back for the Black Cats this season.