Despite the player himself expressing his desire to leave Newcastle United and join Southampton and his well publicised friction with Eddie Howe it seems that his time in the north East may drag on a little longer.
Ryan Fraser has barely played for Newcastle since Eddie Howe arrived at the club in November 2021, initially he kept his place in the side, but in the following season his Newcastle first team career was over by October 2022, it seems that Howe could not let the feud that started at the end of Fraser's time at Bournemouth drop.
Before joining Saints he has been banished to the U21 squad.
So when he arrived at St Mary's at the end of August 2023, he had not played much football in the best part of 10 months, more than that he had not trained at the level needed for first team football.
It was hoped that his permanent move to Southampton would have been long done and dusted by now, after all what could be more simple, a player is not wanted at his parent club and he want's to join a club he has spent a season on loan with.
But according to The Newcastle Chronicle the deal is far from done and from what they say, it seems Eddie Howe is making it as difficult as possible for a player with whom he clearly holds a grudge.
They go on to confirm that Fraser is completely frozen out by Howe, he was not included in Newcastle's trip to the Adidas headquarters in Germany last week and it seems that Howe is quite prepared to banish him to the U21 squad again.
Fraser and Howe's falling out remains clouded in mystery, it seems to have originated back in the summer of 2020, when after letting his contract run down so he could join Newcastle, Fraser did not extend his contract in the summer of that year, to allow him to play for Bournemouth in the covid extended season after it's restart.
But surely Eddie howe would have forgiven that by now and it seems initially he did, but it has got worse rather than better and there is a more deep rooted issue than what was assumed to be the cause, neither side have revealed just what that issue is.
So the stalemate at the moment would appear to be money, the Wee Man is entering the final year of his contract, and although his wages will be higher than what Saints would be willing to pay, it should have been easy to reach a compromise.
At 30 and with a year left of his contract, not to mention not having played top flight football for nearly two years, Fraser's market value is low, so surely Newcastle would be keen to get his wages off the books.
But that doesn't seem to be the case and it seems another loan deal could be on the cards according to The Newcastle Chronicle .
There has to be a bit of give and take here, but by the look of it neither Ryan Fraser or Eddie Howe are in the mood to back down.