Southampton striker Ross Stewart could make injury return for playoffs

The 27 year old has played just 17 league minutes across two substitute appearances since joining on deadline day. 

Stewart arrived at St Mary's recovering from surgery on an Achilles injury and sustained further damage to his hamstring this season. 

The £10million forward, who scored at Wembley in a League One playoff final for former side Sunderland, could return for the season's climax. 

Martin explained: "He's only got one way to manage himself really which is being desperate to play and desperate to train.

Russell Martin is hoping to bring Ross Stewart back in the playoffs (Image: Stuart Martin)

"He has a fantastic mentality. If the season extends, which looks likely, then hopefully he'll be an option for us at some point.

"This will be a big boost for him and a big boost for us I think," Martin continued. 

Should Saints fail to finish in the top two after the final day on Saturday, May 4, playoffs begin eight days later with the final on Sunday, May 26.

Saints under-21s have two games left of their Premier League 2 season, visiting Chelsea on Friday, April 26, and hosting Man United on Monday, April 29.

Stewart played 45 minutes for the youth team, against Sunderland, in November, scoring in a 2-1 defeat for Adam Asghar's charges. 

Martin admits it is unlikely Stewart will feature in either of those fixtures, adding: "I don't think so.

"I think it's about weighing up the benefit of that. It depends on the timing for Ross as well.

"It depends what game we decide he's ready to come back into the squad, how ready he feels and how long our season is.

"It will depend on that. If one of the under-21s games falls in the right place for Ross then potentially." 

Ross Stewart scored 10 goals in 13 Championship matches last season (Image: PA)

Martin confirmed that defender Juan Larios, 20, is not set to return this campaign with his focus on being ready for pre-season. 

Larios has not played for Saints since November 2022, injuring himself again on a return to under-21s action in March 2023. 

Martin detailed: "Juan most definitely won't play for the under-21s and only because what's the rush with Juan now?

"It's taken this long to get him back ready to train in a good place. To then put that at risk a little bit just to get some minutes on the pitch ahead of pre-season and the break?

"It would be crazy if anything happened to him in that where we can't control it as much. No, I think Juan is really comfortable with the process.

"He's starting to really ramp it up in terms of the physical fitness and football fitness which is different and so he'll be in a good place for us come summer."