Ryan Fraser, who has been targeted by Arsenal over a summer move, has hinted at staying at current club Bournemouth beyond the summer.

As quoted by Daily Mirror, Ryan Fraser has broken his silence over speculation surrounding his future at Bournemouth. The Scottish international has handed Arsenal a major blow in his pursuit, hinting that he is likely to stay put at the Vitality Stadium for at least one more season.

Bournemouth have made it a habit of shining light on many underrated talents ever since they secured promotion to the Premier League. From strikers Callum Wilson and Joshua King to Nathan Ake and David Brooks, there is no dearth of talent coming to the fore at the south coast club. And one such talent is Ryan Fraser.

While he joined Bournemouth over six years ago, it is over the last couple of seasons that he has finally started getting noticed. The 2018-19 season, in particular, saw him record a return of 7 goals and 14 assists in the Premier League – only Eden Hazard supplied more assists. As a result, the big clubs have started taking notice, with Arsenal especially keen on signing him.

Committed to Bournemouth. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Committed to Bournemouth. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

The interest from Gunners makes a great deal of sense despite the fact that they boast a strong attacking unit already. A closer inspection though, would reveal the issues that still need some sorting, with Arsenal lacking a natural winger in the squad.

As a result, Unai Emery was forced to deploy several players out of position in the wide areas over the course of the season, which ultimately affected the efficacy of Arsenal’s attacking moves. To address the issues, the North Londoners have been linked with a gamut of wingers this summer, with Fraser being a priority.

In Fraser, Arsenal would not just have a player who can provide a pacy outlet out wide but also someone who would add some more creative impetus, which should aid the central playmakers. But, the 25-year-old has dealt a big blow to their hopes of signing him this summer with his latest comments.

“The likelihood is I will be at Bournemouth for another year. And what will happen, will happen. That is all I can really say about it. No one has really spoken to me about it. “

Fraser has previously admitted to being flattered to see him being linked with the likes of Arsenal and other big clubs. But, in the wake of his latest comments, it is all but confirmed that he will still be a Bournemouth player once the summer transfer window ends.

Arsenal must now turn their attention away from the Scottish international and towards other targets if they are to bolster the wide areas. Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco could be an alternative, but it remains to be seen who, if anyone, is the solution out wide for Arsenal next term.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.