The report says Stewart will depart after scoring 12 goals in 50 appearances for Southampton since joining in 2023. His international record remains less established, with three Scotland appearances and no goals, making the upcoming tournament an important opportunity to change that narrative.
Scotland are scheduled to face Morocco and Brazil after Haiti, giving Stewart a demanding stage even if his role is limited. A strong contribution could improve his options in the transfer market; a quiet campaign would leave clubs weighing a forward whose Southampton spell produced flashes rather than sustained scoring form.
The reported departures point to a wider change at St Mary’s. Oriol Romeu, Will Smallbone and Alex McCarthy are also expected to leave, while Joe Aribo, Jamie Jones and Charlie Taylor are due to follow when their contracts end in June.
Smallbone’s exit would close an 18-year association with the club. The report credits the Republic of Ireland international with 90 first-team appearances and a role in the promotion-winning play-off campaign. McCarthy, meanwhile, is said to be ending a 10-year spell after making 165 appearances.
Those numbers underline the scale of the turnover. Southampton would not simply be replacing squad players; it would be losing experience tied to both promotion and the club’s recent Premier League return.
The next storyline is how quickly Southampton can replace that leadership and how Stewart performs in Scotland’s World Cup campaign. His international minutes may shape the next stage of his career, while the club’s summer recruitment will determine whether this reported clear-out becomes a genuine rebuild or another period of instability.