Sunderland are not interested in cashing in on their assets this summer and are prepared to offer Ross Stewart a new deal, according to the Northern Echo, in what is a blow to Middlesbrough and Rangers. 

The Scottish striker scored 26 times for the Black Cats as he helped them win promotion back to the Championship after four years in League One.

That form has seen him linked with a move to nearby Middlesbrough as Chris Wilder searches for more forward firepower (The Mirror (26/05: p62) while Rangers have also been touted with an interest in the 25-year-old.

However, a report from the Northern Echo indicates that both clubs have been handed a blow in their pursuit of the Sunderland man.

It is understood that the club are ready to offer Stewart, who is out of contract next summer, a new deal while sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has revealed that the Black Cats are not interested in cashing in on any of their prized assets in the upcoming window.

He said: "From our contractual status and planning, we have got players that are on contracts where it’s Sunderland’s decision what happens to those players to a certain degree”

"We are constantly negotiating with players. You want happy players in the club to obviously then perform but ultimately we are putting ourselves in position where we are protecting the club. We are looking after the players and therefore everyone is happy.

“We want players that want to play at the highest level. I’ve got no issue with players in League One saying they want be in the Championship or players saying ‘if we are going to be stuck in League One, I want to move to the Championship’. They are the players you want. You don’t want the players that are happy just doing what they are normally doing.

“We have got to try and service them with having the club in the right league. At the minute, that puts us in the box seat. Hopefully in a few years, we’re going to be talking about Premier League teams taking our players and we have got to try and get in the Premier League to keep those players again.

“There are some really talented individuals regardless of age in our squad that I think are going to be really important for us next year.”

The Verdict

Speakman's comments and the club's reported plans for Stewart are certainly a blow for Boro, Rangers, and the other sides in pursuit of the towering striker.

They indicate that the chasing teams will have to make Sunderland an offer they can't refuse if they're to prise the 25-year-old away from the Black Cats.

It's the right stance for the North East club to take.

They've battled for four years to get back to the Championship and losing Stewart now would be a real blow to their hopes of extending their stay in the second tier beyond just 2021/22.