Southampton could be left with no choice but to move on from a player who has remained a target all summer with weeks of the transfer window remaining.
Russell Martin has been working hard with the Southampton hierarchy to identify potential signings ahead of the club’s return to the Premier League.
So far, that has seen eight first-team arrivals at the club, but Martin is still keen to add more.
The forward areas are looking particularly light currently after the defence was prioritised early in the transfer window.
The Saints need at least an attacking midfielder and improved options in the wide areas if they are to have any chance of Premier League survival.
With the injury sustained by Kamaldeen Sulemana against Oxford United last weeks meaning the Ghanaian will miss the start of the season, it could even be the case that Southampton sign two wingers.
Southampton target Ryan Fraser has no future at Newcastle United
Having been frozen out by Eddie Howe at Newcastle United, Ryan Fraser underwent something of a career revival whilst on loan at Southampton last season.
Martin played with Fraser for Scotland and was sure he could help the 30-year-old rediscover his form at St Mary’s.
He was proven right in a move that worked out for all parties as Fraser contributed with some important goals before unselfishly playing a key defensive role as a wingback in the play-offs.
Fraser and Martin have both made no secret of their desire to reunite this season, but a deal that seemed all but a formality has dragged on for most of the summer as a permanent move to the south coast has proved complex.
The Athletic have now reiterated that both ‘Ryan Fraser and Isaac Hayden do not have a future at Newcastle’ in their latest Transfer Deal Sheet.
Russell Martin may be forced to move on from Fraser transfer
With just one year left on his Newcastle contract and the fact there is no chance of being reintegrated at St James’ Park, this was not expected to be a transfer that took long to complete.
However, Fraser’s potential move to Southampton has gone very quiet since the early weeks of the transfer window.
The winger would command a minimal fee given his contract situation, age and the fact Newcastle do not want him, but there was talk that Fraser could negotiate an early termination of his deal at the Magpies to facilitate a move.
That is yet to materialise and may be what is holding up any potential move, but Martin cannot afford to wait forever to sign Fraser permanently and may be left with no choice but to move on.
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Fraser was a decent addition last season but his ability to make an impact in the Premier League is up for debate.
The experienced winger’s know-how would be welcomed and Marin was full of praise for Fraser in Janaury, saying after a brace against Walsall: “He was really good, really brilliant. He has such an amazing attitude and is a good example for the young boys.
“He maybe hasn’t started as many games as people may have thought or what he’d like but he’s been a huge player for us.”
Southampton would still need to sign a more marquee winger regardless of whether Fraser signed, though, so it is perhaps the case that he is simply not high enough on the current list of priorities.
It was obvious from the start of the summer that Fraser’s future was not at Newcastle and it was assumed it would be on the south coast, however with the saga continuing to rumble on that is now far less certain.