Who is Ross Stewart? Rangers linked striker goes from needing dad to stump up transfer fee to Sunderland star man

Rangers have been linked to Sunderland striker Ross Stewart as Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side continue to look to next season.

The 25-year-old Scotsman is rumoured to be on the Ibrox side's radar, with Norwich City and Swansea also eyeing him up.

Stewart is currently a key part of Alex Neil's squad as the Black Cats bid to play their way into the play-offs in the final five games of the 2021/21 campaign.

The Scot is the joint-leading scorer in League One so far this season with reports this week suggesting that form has helped catch the eye of the Scottish champions.

Stewart mainly plays as a central striker, working between with width of the box as well as getting involved and build-up play on the pitch.

He won his maiden call-up to Steve Clarke's Scotland team last month for friendlies against Poland and Austria.

But where has his career taken him so far and why has it sparked Rangers' interests?

Record Sport takes a look.

After spells within the youth systems of professional clubs, Stewart moved down to what was once known as the West Region Juniors with Ardeer Thistle and then Kilwinning Rangers.

He then made the step up to senior football with Albion Rovers in July 2016.

The part-time Coatbridge side were unable to pay the £1,500 transfer fee to snap up the striker, with the funds instead provided by the club's supporters as well as Stewart's dad.

Cameron Stewart stumped up five ton to force through the move as his son told Record Sport last year: "Gus MacPherson at Queen's Park was trying to get me to go there but they couldn't pay a fee because they were an amateur club.

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