My point was more than even if all three of the below are true...
- Everton want to sign Stewart
- Stewart wants to sign for Everton
- Sunderland are willing to sell Stewart to Everton due to his contract situation
... it doesn't mean it will happen for him in January.
Firstly, Everton might not want to pay us as much now he's been injured. That was even if they were hitting our asking price originally.
Secondly, Stewart and his agent may recognise that actually 6 months of goals in the Championship until May, will allow him to achieve a higher salary. If he scores consistently in the championship, he will have more than one option. And more than one option creates an auction, and he will be able to negotiate a higher wage.
Thirdly we may decide that we also want that auction. Sure, in 6 months he'll have 6 months less contract left. But if he scores loads of goals and becomes in demand, then that auction may also increase his value. At the moment the guy has played 7 games ever above League One level. By the summer he will hopefully have played 30+ above League One level.
All of that is based on risk and gamble, but so is everything.
It's definitely not as simple as him wanting PL football, Everton wanting him and us wanting to cash in. There's far more to it than that.
The fourth dynamic here is that we may decide to "cave" and break our salary bands for him. And if we start doing well and looking secure in our championship status, that might be enough for us to uplift our bands slightly.
It's all supposition and all guesswork. Nobody, and I mean nobody will know what's going to happen until it happens.