Ross County could land a significant cash windfall if Sunderland sell forward Ross Stewart before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Former Staggies attacker Stewart is a major target for Sunderland’s English Championship rivals Southampton.
Saints have already had a bid of more than £4 million turned down, but have returned with an offer believed to be in excess of £6 million for the 27-year-old.
County, who sold Stewart to the Black Cats for a fee of around £400,000 in January 2021, stand to make a healthy sum due to a sell-on clause which is understood to be 15% of any potential deal.
The Staggies have already pocketed a substantial profit for Stewart, who was signed from St Mirren for £25,000 by then co-managers Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell.
A return of 28 goals in 82 appearances for the Dingwall club alerted the attention of a number of sides, with Sunderland ultimately his destination.
Stewart has continued to thrive on Wearside, where he has gone on to net 40 strikes in 81 outings.
County received a fee when Stewart helped Sunderland to promotion from League One in 2022.
His form also earned a call-up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad, and he won the first of two caps in a Nations League fixture against Armenia later that year.
Any sum would come as welcome boost for Staggies boss
County boss Malky Mackay says any sum received would come as a welcome bonus to the Staggies.
He said: “I don’t know Ross, but obviously I know his background and his 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 come back into the well-being of the club.”
Mackay does not expect the potential windfall to land directly into his transfer kitty, insisting the sustainability of the club must come first.
He added: “Would that be something where I was saying ‘I need to go and spend that?’ No, it’s not the way we work.
“I understand our limitations in how we do things here and the extras that go on.
“It 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, and we were half an hour from going into administration.
“Being involved in it right at the coal-face trying to save money left, right and centre has always given me that sense of understanding 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.”
County must spend wisely to sustain Premiership model
The Staggies boss says the cost of sustaining a setup befitting of a Premiership club must also be factored into the Highlanders’ budget.
Mackay added: “Roy MacGregor and myself spoke about that way at the beginning, bringing in the high performance aspect I was involved in at the Scottish FA.
“There are a lot of little things involved in that which cost money, with travel around the country given that it is not as easy for us as, say, Livingston going to St Mirren or Kilmarnock going to Motherwell.
“It is slightly different up here. We have to be professional and look at overnight stays to give us the best chance possible
“Mid-season we went on a winter training camp I was really thankful of and hopefully that is something we can do again this year.
“All these aspects cost money and I’ve always been very conscious of that.”
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