£6.8m Southampton transfer agreement could leave Ross Stewart sweating for his St Mary’s future | OneFootball

Southampton's current transfer business could spell the end for Ross Stewart's time at the club

Southampton’s imminent arrival of Damion Downs could spell trouble for Ross Stewart’s future at the club under new manager Will Stiil.

It was reported earlier this week by Florian Plettenberg that a bid worth €8 million (£6.8 million) was submitted for the Koln forward, and it has since been claimed that the USA international is set to complete the switch to St Mary’s for that fee following the completion of his participation in the Gold Cup with his national team.

It is understood that he has been the top striker target for the Saints as they look to build a team to fight for promotion straight back to the Premier League next season.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding Downs’ potential after he scored 10 goals in the 2. Bundesliga last season as Koln earned promotion to the top flight - but it could mean bad news for at least one current Saints striker.

Damion Downs will surely be key to Will Still’s Southampton plans

Downs will become Southampton’s second signing of the summer after already adding Joshua Quarshie from Hoffenheim earlier in the window.

It is clear that the club are targeting young players with potential, with these two both arriving from Germany at the age of just 20 (with Downs set to turn 21 this weekend).

His arrival also means that Still will have the likes of Downs, Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton Diaz and Ross Stewart to choose from as striker option - somewhat of an embarrasment of riches to select from.

Still will more-than likely have to leave a few players out on a consistent basis depending on what system he chooses to operate, and the incoming Downs - who stands at 6ft 4in - being more of a big man, all-around striker will probably mean bad news for the player in Southampton's options that is most similar to him.

The signing of Downs surely means that he will be a consistent presence in the side, as it would be nonsensical to spend such a fee to bring him in and then not do anything with him.

Brereton Diaz also has a much stronger proven track record of scoring goals at this level compared to Stewart, so will likely be a preferred option if he stays - although if Still decides he wants to operate with wingers or wide forwards, that could push the Chile international out to that role.

You also have to factor in Stewart's concerning injury record over the years, both for Southampton and Sunderland, so it will also be harder for Still to believe he can rely on having the Scotsman as an option if more departures do occur.

Stewart spent pretty much all of his first season on the south coast on the sidelines, and he was only able to manage 12 appearances in the Premier League last season, with injuries again proving pivotal.

The arrival of Downs will likely see him move ahead of Stewart in the pecking order, which will be a cause for concern for the 28-year-old.

Stewart has had a tough time with Southampton, but this move could even spell the end of his stint in Hampshire - and it might be the right time for him to make way and move on instead of hoping to be anything other than third or fourth choice.

It’s been an unfortunate few years, with injuries meaning he’s only played 15 times in the league for the club across the last two seasons, far below expectations when he arrived in 2023, and it's unlikely that number will increase significantly if he does stay.

There will likely be plenty of teams willing to take a chance on Stewart despite his negative fitness record, so it's perhaps an option all parties should consider this summer.