In what would be a questionable move by the Celtic recruitment team, Ryan Fraser – despite reports claiming he is close to a move to Newcastle United – is still on a “wanted list” at Parkhead, according to The Daily Record.
The report is short on details but claims that he is holding out for a bigger club and one that is closer to Scotland, however, if his reported wage demands of £50,000 a week are to be believed there is little chance that he will be playing in green and white hoops anytime soon.
Even on a smaller wage, to make the former Aberdeen winger the club’s highest earner would be poor decision making, despite being available on a free contract after leaving Bournemouth in the summer and not having played since March.
James Forrest and Ryan Christie are regularly the players responsible for keeping him out of the Scotland line-up and if he isn’t good enough to command a starting position ahead of them, then Celtic should walk away from any negotiations – if they are in the running for his signature.
Fraser is a decent player but he has never been a prolific goalscorer, there is also the small matter of him admitting – whilst he was still at Bournemouth – that he wasn’t pulling his weight and had been thinking about himself, prior to watching the club get relegated whilst he refused to extend his contract until the end of the rescheduled season.
Ryan Fraser?
Yes
No
With Neil Lennon wanting players that are committed to the cause, signing a player – on big wages – who might not start every game and who has a questionable attitude, is not the route I would want the gaffer to go down regardless of the league he has been playing in.