Ross Stewart has fired in the goals for Sunderland this season in League One and helped them climb back into the Championship via the play-offs - and now clubs are circling with an eye on a potential move for the player.

The 25-year-old has been in excellent form in League One this campaign and after hitting double digits with his goal return, Ross County chief executive Steven Ferguson has told the Sunderland Echo that the striker can continue to get better and better.

The forward of course played for the club at one point, helping them to the Scottish Championship title with six goals when he was just 22-years-old. A season later in the top flight, he bagged a further seven goals as the club sealed a tenth place finish.

 

 

He has gone from strength-to-strength since switching to England and to the Black Cats and has now hit his best goal tally of his career so far, bagging 24 in 46 league outings for the club during their promotion season.

Stewart then might relish the chance to test himself a division higher again next season - but there is interest from Rangers in possibly taking him back to Scotland during the offseason.

Either way though, it looks like the player is impressing with his performances for Alex Neil's side and his old club are certainly paying attention to the progress of the 25-year-old. Ferguson, who still works with Ross County, has admitted to the Sunderland Echo that he feels Stewart can get even better as a player over the next few campaigns.

Speaking about him, he said: "We feel that his trajectory has been an upwards one, and it’s continuing to climb. There’s not really any ceiling for Ross with the attributes that he’s got and the attitude that he’s got."

The Verdict

Ross Stewart has performed perhaps even better than anyone could have imagined since his move to Sunderland and it is no wonder there is now plenty of interest in his services.

When the Black Cats agreed a deal for him from Ross County, his highest goal tally in the league had been seven. Even when he first joined up with Sunderland, he could manage only two starts and two goals. However, given the chance to lead the line this campaign, he has thrived and proven anyone who doubted him wrong.

It does seem like the sky could be the limit for him and he certainly is one of the hottest striking properties in the Football League right now. A total of 24 goals is a solid amount for the striker and if he can emulate that or get even half of that total in the Championship, then it will be steady progress made by the player.

Ross County's Steven Ferguson is right though in saying that he can continue to get better - and if he does and if he stays with Sunderland, then it could certainly keep them competing in the second tier going forward.