Celtic cannot compete financially with the Premier League clubs interested in signing Ryan Fraser this summer, according to Barry Ferguson.
Fraser rejected Bournemouth’s offer of a short-term extension to his contract earlier this month and will now become a free agent. He’s been recently linked with a move to both Arsenal and Tottenham (as per TalkSPORT).
More recently, it has been said Celtic are the favourites to land the 26-year-old (via The Daily Record) but former Scotland international Ferguson told the PLZ Soccer show the Hoops will be unable to compete financially, putting them at a disadvantage in the race for his signature.
Ferguson said: “He’ll be on a small fortune down in Bournemouth and the teams that are after him that have been interested in him in the last 12 months will be able to pay him a fortune – he’s on a free transfer as well. I’m sure he would like to come and play for a club like Celtic but wages-wise, Celtic couldn’t compete anywhere near the clubs that are interested in Fraser.”
Would you have liked to have seen Fraser sign for Celtic?
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TIF Thoughts…
Fraser has struggled to replicate the form he displayed last season. During the 2018/19 campaign, the winger scored seven goals and provided 14 assists in the Premier League (as per Transfermarkt.co.uk).
However, this season, he has managed just one goal and four assists and that could impact on what clubs would be willing to invest in the Scotland international.
You could argue that Fraser’s refusal to agree to play out the remainder of the season with the Cherries suggests his representatives have been involved in negotiations with his next club already. However, based on the reports in the Scottish Sun, Fraser is looking for a six-figure weekly pay packet which would rule the Hoops out of the running and potentially prove Ferguson right.