Ex-Sunderland play-off hero Ross Stewart in legal contract dispute after Southampton ‘spygate’ drama
Ross Stewart’s Southampton future is uncertain amid a legal dispute over his contract extension
Former Sunderland striker Ross Stewart is reportedly locked in a contract dispute with Southampton amid uncertainty over his future.
The Scotland international, who remains fondly remembered on Wearside after scoring in Sunderland’s 2022 League One play-off final win over Wycombe Wanderers, could yet leave Southampton this summer despite the club’s attempt to trigger a 12-month extension in his deal.
Stewart moved to St Mary’s from Sunderland in August 2023, but his time on the south coast has been heavily disrupted by injury. The 29-year-old was due to be out of contract this summer, though Southampton held an option to extend his stay by a further year.
However, Stewart has reportedly instructed lawyers to assess the terms of his contract after Southampton’s season ended in unusual and controversial circumstances. The report claims the club’s play-off expulsion created uncertainty over whether the extension clause was triggered within the required timeframe.
Southampton owner Dragan Solak told the Southampton Echo: “We had to initiate the option up to five days after the last game of the season, and we were out of the five days when our final got cancelled. When we knew there was no last game, we immediately sent the notice of the extension, but his lawyers say that they’re disagreeing with us.
“Ultimately, it’s on Ross and his team to basically decide whether they want to stay or not. In my opinion, nobody would be better for Ross than us. We worked hard to allow him physically to show how good he is. He went from a guy who didn’t play for two years to be invited to the World Cup team. I’m really proud of that. If he wants to try his luck somewhere else, I can’t stop him, but I would love to have him back. We have made an effort to keep him.”
Stewart had been just one game away from a Premier League return before Southampton were removed from the play-off final picture, with Middlesbrough replacing them and then losing to Hull City at Wembley. The former Sunderland favourite endured a difficult start to life at Southampton due to fitness issues, but still finished the season with 11 goals and three assists in all competitions. That included a goal in Southampton’s FA Cup win over Arsenal in April.
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Stewart’s spell at Sunderland remains one of the standout chapters of his career. Signed from Ross County in January 2021, the striker quickly became a key figure at the Stadium of Light and played a major role in the Black Cats’ promotion from League One.
His goal in the 2-0 Wembley win over Wycombe helped seal Sunderland’s return to the Championship and ended the club’s four-year stay in the third tier. Now, three years on from that defining Wembley moment, Stewart’s next move is uncertain once again. Southampton want to keep him, but the legal dispute over his extension clause means the forward’s future could become one to watch as the summer window develops into June, July and August.