Ross County set for potential £1.2 million windfall if Sunderland's Ross Stewart seals deal with one of a clutch of suitors including Southampton, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Luton Town
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Malky Mackay would love to see Ross County rewarded with a big cash windfall from Ross Stewart’s sale.
But a possible £1.2 million share of a mooted £8 million Southampton move for the ex-Staggie would not see Mackay beating a path to chairman Roy MacGregor’s office with begging bowl in hand.
It is understood County would be due 15 per cent of any fee Sunderland receive for the Scotland striker.
Despite missing a chunk of this and last season with an achilles injury, Stewart is believed to be on the radar of a host of clubs including Saints, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Luton Town and Rangers.
Stewart, 28, has hit 40 goals in 66 starts since leaving Dingwall for the Stadium of Light in February 2021.
Before injury in January last year, he hit 11 goals in a 14-game streak of form in England’s Championship.
Saints are believed to be leading the race to secure his signature before the transfer window closes, but nothing has been confirmed.
Ex-St Mirren and Alloa talent Stewart will be out of contract next summer.
In his time at County, he hit 28 goals in 69 starts across three seasons.
Mackay, while hopeful of a cash injection at the Global Energy Stadium, stressed: “It would probably not affect my own budget
“I don’t know Ross personally, but obviously I know his background and history. I know that he was absolutely flying before he got injured.
“I know there is something there with a lot of people looking at him and thinking ‘the minute he’s fit, we need him to be ours’.
“He is a boy that did really well for our football club and I’m sure the deal meant the club could be rewarded for future transfer earnings.
“If that happens, it is a lovely little bonus and something that would feed back into the well-being of the club.
“Would that be one where I was going ‘I need to go and spend that’? No, it’s not the way we work here.
“I understand our limitations in how we do things here and I understand the extras that go into that.
“Roy MacGregor and myself spoke about that way back at the beginning when I came in, about bringing in the high performance aspects I was involved in at the Scottish FA.
“There are a lot of little things involved in that that cost money, such as travel and overnight stays given that it is not as easy for us as, say, Livingston going to St Mirren or Kilmarnock going to Motherwell.
“Mid-season we went on a winter training camp and I was really thankful for that.
“All these aspects cost money and I’m grateful to the chairman for his input.
“That gratitude probably stems from my days at Watford where I took over and, within 30 days, we had to sell half the playing staff to keep afloat. We were half an hour from going into administration.
“Being involved in that right at the coal-face, trying to save money left, right and centre has always given me an appreciation for and respect for whoever is funding a football club.
“I’m conscious that Mr MacGregor does everything he can to make sure that he gives us the best chance inside of a budget that Ross County should be in.
“We have to live within our means and we have to have a puncher’s chance in the Premiership, so it would be a great reward if we do get a fee.”
