Ross Stewart has suffered another injury setback after making his Southampton debut.
As per the Sunderland Echo, Russell Martin confirmed yesterday that he had picked up ‘something else’ after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ross Stewart had 10 goals and three assists in only 13 games in the Championship before his campaign was brought to an end back in January when he suffered an Achilles injury in the FA Cup draw with Fulham.
The striker hadn’t made an appearance for Sunderland since, but continued to be linked with a summer move away, with contract talks not really progressing.
Despite not kicking a football in over six months, Stewart eventually secured a transfer deadline day move to Southampton for a reported £10 million fee.
The Scot eventually made his first senior appearance in almost ten months as Southampton beat West Brom prior to the international break, before making another brief cameo at the weekend.
However, Stewart was left out of the Saints’ squad for their win over Bristol City and the manager has now confirmed he could be back on the sidelines.
“With Ross, he’s had a bit of a setback from the game on Saturday,” Russell Martin said.
“We are assessing that currently, and by the time I speak to you guys on Friday, we will have a better understanding of the situation.
“It doesn’t look overly positive at this minute in time, it’s nowhere near to the extent of the injury he’s had but he’s picked up something else, which sometimes is part and parcel of the recovery from a long injury and the process of that, and he’s looked in such good shape.
“Hopefully by Friday I’ll be able to give a bit more information, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to be in the squad tonight, and I don’t envisage him being in the squad on Saturday either.”
Should we regret letting Ross Stewart leave?
While Sunderland’s current striker situation makes Ross Stewart‘s exit even more painful, it is hard not to argue that we got a good deal out of it.
The striker would have either left for cheap in the January transfer window or would have gone for free next summer, while he could well be injured right up until around Christmas.
Raking in a £10m fee for him was a great bit of business, but we need to see the club reinvest that money into someone who can score the goals that he could.
There’s no point taking in such a hefty fee and then not spending it wisely, as that is what is currently costing us our place in the play-off spots.
Kristjaan Speakman previously complained about the cost of Championship forwards, but surely now he can afford one.