Southampton are edging closer to their second signing of the summer, with Ryan Fraser set to join ahead of Premier League return.
22-year-old centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis has already been confirmed as the first arrival, with his loan deal being made permanent once promotion was secured.
Ryan Fraser also spent last season on loan and was an important member of the squad both on and off the pitch as his experience and quality helped Southampton to promotion via the Championship play-offs.
The 30-year-old enjoyed something of a career revival on the south coast, with former Scotland teammate Russell Martin keen to give the winger an opportunity to play regular football again whilst recognising the impact he could have.
Fraser has fallen way down the pecking order at parent club Newcastle United since their takeover and now it appears the Magpies could be about to facilitate a permanent move.
Southampton could sign Ryan Fraser for free
If it wasn’t going to be tough enough for Fraser to be a regular at Newcastle following the injection of cash associated with their takeover, the fact that Eddie Howe became manager saw this task become almost impossible.
That is because Fraser and Howe fell out during their time together at Bournemouth with Fraser unwilling to extend his contract to play the matches delayed by Covid in 2020 before leaving on a free.
Howe also banished Fraser to train with the under-21s at Newcastle, so an exit was needed and Fraser has constantly expressed his desire to make his stay at Southampton permanent.
The player himself has reportedly agreed a deal to return to St Mary’s next season.
Now, it looks as though Newcastle are about to make that a whole lot easier, with talkSPORT reporting that: ‘Newcastle are ready to negotiate a pay-off with Ryan Fraser to facilitate the Scotland international’s move to Southampton.’
Fraser adds vital Premier League experience to Southampton
Given Fraser is clearly not part of Newcastle’s plans, they look to be keen to get rid of a player on £60k-a-week wages one year prior to the end of his contract.
This is good news for Southampton, who should have a clear path to sign the player affectionately nicknamed ‘Wee Man’ by his teammates.
Whilst he may not be the most exciting signing ahead of the club’s return to the top flight, Fraser brings a wealth of experience with 173 Premier League appearances, scoring 18 goals and assisting a further 31 according to Transfermarkt.
Any question marks over Fraser’s attitude after his fallout with Howe were answered emphatically as the Scotland international was an incredibly positive influence on the squad; his dogged performances at left wingback in the play-offs highlighting his desire to work for the team.
With eight goals and three assists, Fraser had a tangible impact in his season on loan and Martin will know he has a player he can rely on should Southampton secure his services.