Swansea City Nears Deal for Free Agent Ross Stewart After Southampton Exit
Swansea City is on the verge of signing free agent Ross Stewart after the Scotland striker’s exit from Southampton. Stewart left St Mary’s in June following a contract disagreement, concluding a three-year tenure with the Saints.
The 30-year-old, who has four caps for Scotland, was part of the national squad during this summer’s World Cup.
As he prepares to join Swansea, doubts arise regarding the future of Zan Vipotnik, who was the Championship’s top scorer last season.
Swansea has already transferred Liam Cullen to Leicester City this summer, leaving Vipotnik and Adam Idah as the senior forward options in Vitor Matos’ squad.
Additionally, Swansea is interested in Valencia midfielder Andre Almeida, although further discussions are needed before finalizing a deal for the former Portugal Under-21 international.
During a fans’ forum at the Swansea.com Stadium on Wednesday, Matos addressed inquiries regarding both Stewart and Almeida.
Swansea are interested in Andre Almeida having lost Ethan Galbraith and Malick Yalcouye this summer [Getty Images]
“The most important thing when we go to transfers is we try to add something that we don’t have or something that is related to the quality of the players [we already have],” the Swansea head coach stated. “Of course Ross and Andre are really good players.”
Stewart missed a significant portion of the 2025-26 season due to a hamstring injury but remained productive when fit. He scored nine goals and provided two assists in 27 league appearances last season. Additionally, he contributed two goals during Southampton’s FA Cup journey, including an opener in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over Arsenal.
Previously, Stewart played for clubs such as Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers before joining Albion Rovers in 2016. He later had spells with St Mirren, Alloa Athletic, and Ross County, where he won both the 2018-19 Scottish Championship and Scottish Challenge Cup. In 2021, he moved to Sunderland.
While at Sunderland, Stewart scored 40 goals in 81 appearances, helping the club win the EFL Trophy in 2021 and earn promotion to the Championship a year later. His notable performances at the Stadium of Light led to his transfer to Southampton in 2023, where he netted 12 goals in 50 appearances.
The Swans have already strengthened their squad this summer by bringing in Moussa Yeo, Elijah Just, Joseph Opoku, and Stephen Welsh, along with finalizing Leo Walta’s loan. They also signed Tiago Parente, a left-back from Benfica, on loan. Randers’ Ousseynou Fall Seck remains another target, and the club is keen to bolster its central defense before the transfer window closes.
Advertisement
