Are you looking for details on what Russell Martin, the Southampton manager, said about Ryan Fraser’s potential transfer to the club? Or do you want me to explain the situation based on available information?

Ryan Fraser signed a five-year contract with Newcastle United in the summer of 2020. Currently, he remains a Newcastle United player, with less than 11 months left on his contract. Despite spending last season on loan at Southampton and playing a key role in their promotion, Fraser has expressed a strong desire to join the Saints permanently, but no deal has been finalized yet.

Russell Martin’s comments reveal the challenges Southampton faces in trying to secure Ryan Fraser on a permanent deal. Martin expressed optimism about the possibility of signing Fraser but highlighted a key obstacle: Fraser’s existing contract with Newcastle United. Martin acknowledged that while everyone at Southampton, including Fraser himself, wants the deal to happen, Newcastle holds the cards due to Fraser’s “good contract” with them.

Fraser, when joining Southampton on loan in August 2023, expressed excitement and a strong desire to contribute to the team’s promotion efforts. However, his lucrative contract at Newcastle seems to be a sticking point, potentially hindering a permanent move. The £3 million-a-year deal he signed with Newcastle after controversially running down his Bournemouth contract has yielded limited returns for the Magpies, with only 30 Premier League starts and three goals.

Despite Fraser’s apparent enthusiasm for joining Southampton permanently, it seems that financial considerations—both from Newcastle’s standpoint and Fraser’s—are complicating the transfer. The situation underscores the complexities of football contracts and the differing perspectives of clubs and players when it comes to transfers.