Following Arsenal’s underwhelming Premier League season, there is a clear need to improve the club’s attacking players, especially in wide positions.
As a result, Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser has emerged as a prime target for the Gunners, with the speedy Scottish international catching the eye of Unai Emery.
Yet Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has poured cold water on claims that Fraser was set to move to north London this summer, spelling bad news for Arsenal’s pursuit of the forward.
Talking with The Bournemouth Daily Echo, Howe raised the possibility of letting 25-year-old run down his contract until it expires next summer.
“Ryan is probably more valuable to us on the pitch than the money we could ever get on a resale,” Howe said.
“He’s under contract next year, and we’re looking forward to working with him again.”
Although that prospect would allow Arsenal to capture Fraser on a fee when he is a free agent in 2020, few supporters would relish waiting an entire year for the winger.
The Scottish international is undoubtedly enjoying the best form of his career, supplying 14 assists and seven goals this term for the Cherries.
The thought of Fraser plying his trade for a star-studded Arsenal attack is an enticing one, with his creativity linking well with the Gunners formidable frontline.
But Arsenal seem poised to be denied a chance at securing the signature of Fraser this summer thanks to Howe’s determination to keep him on the south coast.
