According to reports in the cold & windy North East, Ryan Fraser could be about to make a return to the South Coast, but it won't be to the Vitality Stadium, but to St Mary's with Southampton linked for his signature.
Ryan Fraser left Bournemouth under a cloud in the summer of 2020, the 2018/19 season had been a great success for him being voted both players and supporters player of the year, a move to Arsenal was mooted and when it didn't materialise the player admitted in January 2020 that it had affected his form.
He had turned down a new deal with his contract due to expire on July 1st 2020, but then Covid struck, when football returned on June 20th, Fraser was in contract, but declined to be selected stating he did not want to risk injury and therefore jeopardising a big money move, he also declined a temporary extension to his deal to see him through to the end of the disrupted season.
One can only presume that in the middle of a relegation battle that would see the Cherries relegated by only one point from Aston Villa that then Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe did not see Fraser as his flavour of the month.
An out of contract free transfer move to Newcastle followed in September's transfer window and Fraser joined the Toon on a five-year contract.
His two and a bit years at St James Park have not been an entire success, his first season was blighted by injury and his second saw the arrival of Eddie Howe as manager, something that might not have best pleased him given his refusal to play for Howe as the Cherries battled relegation.
Now it seems that he is surplus to requirements at St James Park, in 16 Premier League games he has started just 3 games plus 5 off the bench, playing just 311 minutes of Premier League football, under a quarter of the total he could have with no time at all on the pitch in the last 4 games.
Saints are now being linked with a move for the player, according to Scott Wilson from The Northern Echo, Southampton will submit a transfer offer to Newcastle for Fraser in January, presumably the local journalist is being briefed by someone close to the player.
Scott Wilson, writing for TNE, says that Fraser
"is ready to move on in an attempt to improve his chances of playing regular football in the second half of the season,” and that Fraser "will not be short of suitors given his extensive top-flight experience.”
"Southampton are expected to lead the chase to secure his signature,”
The journalist also claims that Brentford could also be looking to make an offer and it seems that Fraser's agent is now touting about and using Wilson to lead the rumour mill on this one.
Fraser's contract runs until the summer of 2025 and he will be on good money at Newcastle, although it should be noted that his deal was struck before the Geordies were taken over by Saudi Arabia and therefore it will not be as lucrative as those being offered by the club now.
Given that he is not in there plans going forward and that they got him for free, Newcastle might well be prepared to let him go cheaply, given that Fraser will turn 29 in February and will walk for free in 2 1/2 years.
Currently his value is said to be around £10 million, down from the £30 million that was being touted in the summer of 2019.
Fraser undoubtably has experience, but his last good season was 2018/19 and since then he has produced little, Saints are well served for wingers and surely don't need to pay out £10 million for another , I see this one as more about the agent touting his man around, although if Newcastle were prepared to let him go for less that £10 million, say £5 million or so, perhaps we might be interested.