Southampton to make an offer for Ryan Fraser in January

According to Scott Wilson from The Northern Echo, Southampton will submit a transfer offer to Newcastle for winger Ryan Fraser.

Fraser was expected to leave Newcastle next summer with his deal expiring on June 2025 but minimal playing opportunities barring injuries from other higher-order players in the Magpies roster.

That has been the case in the first half of the season, but it is not the expectation going forward—Newcastle will keep acquiring more and more talent as transfer windows keep coming—nor is a sustainable path for Fraser’s hopes of getting more playing time.

Fraser has started three games for the Magpies this season but he’s been out of Eddie Howe’s plans of late. Fraser, though, is only 28 years old so he could still play his best years away from Newcastle if he decides to do so.

Scott Wilson, writing for TNE, says that Fraser “is ready to move on in an attempt to improve his chances of playing regular football in the second half of the season,” and that Fraser “will not be short of suitors given his extensive top-flight experience.”

“Southampton are expected to lead the chase to secure his signature,” wrote Wilson.

According to the reporter, Fraser “has also been linked with a possible move for Brentford,” with the Londoners “hoping to strengthen in the wide positions when the transfer window reopens at the start of next month.“

Wilson says that Brentford’s coach “Thomas Frank has been told there is money to spend at the turn of the year,” adding that Fraser seemingly “features on a list of potential targets.”

Finally, Wilson reports on Newcastle’s interest in Leicester’s attacker James Madison, saying that “Newcastle will make another move for James Maddison next month,“ in a move that could be facilitated on the economy front by the unloading of unnecessary players such as Fraser.