Sunderland are set to open talks with Ross Stewart over a new contract in the coming days when he returns to the club following his summer break, according to a report from the Daily Record.
It is understood that the Black Cats are ready to offer the forward more money in a bid to fend off interest from elsewhere.
Rangers, Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Swansea City have all been touted as potential suitors for Stewart.
The Scotland international's current deal at the Stadium of Light is set to expire in 2023 and thus some of the aforementioned teams may decide to test Sunderland's resolve by submitting bids this summer if a breakthrough in terms of negotiations cannot be made.
Sunderland recently secured fresh agreements with Lynden Gooch, Anthony Patterson and Patrick Roberts.
Gooch and Roberts both signed two-year deals with the Black Cats while Patterson put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal which will see him remain at the club until 2026.
Whereas some Championship sides have opted to engage in a great deal of transfer activity this month, Sunderland have yet to bolster their squad despite being linked with moves for a plethora of players.
The Verdict
Sunderland will be hoping to convince Stewart to commit his long-term future to the club when they engage in talks with the forward over a new deal as he is one of their key players.
During the previous campaign, the 25-year-old helped the Black Cats seal a place in the Championship by scoring 26 goals in 49 league appearances.
Currently playing the best football of his career, there is every chance that Stewart will hit the ground running next season if he stays at the Stadium of Light.
Whereas the Black Cats could secure a reasonable fee for Stewart this summer, there is no guarantee that they will be able to draft in a sufficient replacement for him in the current transfer window.
Providing that Stewart is able to maintain his fitness as well as his consistency in the upcoming campaign, he could potentially help Sunderland achieve a relative amount of success in the second-tier.