Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has insisted that Scotland international Ryan Fraser will not leave the club this summer. It all but ends Aberdeen’s hopes of gaining from a potential Fraser transfer.
The Daily Record reported back in April that the Dons have a 20% sell on clause from any Fraser transfer.
The Daily Mail had reported he was a £30 million pound transfer target for Arsenal recently. If such a deal went through, Derek McInnes’ side would have bagged a cool £6 million from it.
Now Howe has all but put a stop to rumours of a potential cash injection. He was asked at a recent press conference about whether he thought Fraser would still be a Cherry by the end of the English transfer window.
His response, as reported by the Bournemouth Echo, was: “Yeah, I am confident that we can keep the squad together and keep adding players the other way to make us improve.
“Especially if you’re excelling and doing well, you’re going to have people talk about you, write about you and speculate. I would urge any player in that situation to ignore the talk and just play football and do what you do best.
“I think Ryan’s done that very well.”
Fraser cash from Bournemouth would have been a big boost
Fraser has been in fine form for the Cherries over the past 12 months. Last season he scored seven goals and notched 14 assists, a figure only topped by Belgian superstar Eden Hazard.
McInnes won’t have been banking on this deal going through. It would have been a nice boost for the club though, especially with the building of the new Kingsford Stadium underway currently.
Fraser’s only got 12 months left on his deal. There’s a chance he could walk for free at the end of this season, ending all hopes of an Aberdeen cash boost.
Until the transfer window slams shut though there will always be a chance that Fraser could move on. Judging by Howe’s comments though and the fact that the English window shuts on August ninth this year, it doesn’t look likely.
Aberdeen will perhaps be hoping a big money bid does come in for the former Don though. They’ll be eager to get their hands on the potential millions any Fraser deal would bring to Pittodrie.