Arsenal are reportedly the favourites to sign 26-year-old Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, who is set to become a free agent this summer.
As per an exclusive report by TEAMtalk, Ryan Fraser is once again on the agenda for Arsenal, who are eager to bolster their attack in the summer transfer window. The 26-year-old Scottish winger is in the final months of his contract with Bournemouth and looks set to depart Dean Court a free agent.
Ryan Fraser is one of many talented players that have burst into the spotlight while featuring for Bournemouth. Part of an quartet that was one of the more underrated attacking units in the Premier League last season, the 26-year-old finished second in the assists chart in the 2018-19 campaign (14), behind only Eden Hazard (15).
Fraser was subsequently linked with a move away from the Vitality Stadium, especially with his deal with the Cherries ending at the end of the 2019-20 season. With the possibility of snapping him up on the cheap propping up, Arsenal were heavily linked with a possible move last summer.
However, a move failed to materialise, which seems to have rendered the Scottish international into a shell of a player he was last season. In 32 outings this season, the 26-year-old has a paltry return of 1 goal and 4 assists. Having refused to put pen to paper to a new deal with Bournemouth, Fraser is set to leave as a free agent. In turn, Arsenal have reignited their interest in him.
Arsenal bolstered their attack last summer by signing Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe. The Gunners, though, continue to remain in pursuit of improving their attack, particularly amid concerns over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future at the club.
Should the Arsenal captain end up leaving, the north Londoners will have to address their attack, which perhaps, explains why Mikel Arteta is keeping his options open, especially when it comes to wingers, especially seeing Aubameyang has played out wide for much of the season.
As a result, Arsenal have been linked with a plethora of wingers lately, with Willian emerging as an option lately. However, with Tottenham set to provide the Gunners some stiff competition in pursuit of the Chelsea star, other targets need to be identified as well.
To that end, Fraser is a viable target for Arsenal, who would find him an even more appealing option owing to the fact that they will be able sign him on a free transfer, much like Willian. Having been restricted on the budget front in recent years, signing a player with Premier League experience at no cost is certainly a step in the right direction.
While Fraser has struggled this season, his exploits in the 2018-19 season suggest he could potentially boost the creative quotient for Arsenal. What now remains to be seen is if a summer move sees the light of the day, with Arsenal also set to go up against other Premier League clubs in the 26-year-old’s pursuit.
