Everton Lead Arsenal & Spurs for Ryan Fraser as Bournemouth Reject Huge Contract Demands
By Tom Gott
Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser has his sights set on a move to Everton this summer after the Cherries declined to meet his £100,000-a-week demands.
The Scot has not agreed a temporary contract extension at the Vitality Stadium and is now expected to walk away from Bournemouth on 1 July.
In a world in which free agents are expected to be more valuable than ever, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have both been tipped to land Fraser, but the Daily Mail state that the 26-year-old has decided that Everton would be his preferred landing spot.
We can also confirm that Ryan Fraser has declined to sign a short-term contract extension. #afcb ?https://t.co/JEsuO4juxW
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) June 17, 2020
Fraser is said to have told teammates that he hopes to end up at Goodison Park, with a switch to either Arsenal or Spurs seemingly not in his plans.
However, whether Fraser will actually get that Everton move is another question entirely.
The Times note that Fraser is looking for £100,000-a-week for his next contract, and the Toffees aren't exactly going to leap at the chance to pay that.
Everton are looking to reduce their bill this summer and will be reluctant to commit to such a high figure for a player who has managed just one goal and four assists in 32 appearances this season.
Another problem is that Everton are not looking to sign a left winger. Bernard, Alex Iwobi and Gylfi Sigurðsson are already battling for minutes in that position so Everton want to focus on finding a right winger, given Theo Walcott is their only natural fit on that side of the pitch.
If this was all happening last summer, you get the sense that Fraser might have had his pick of lucrative contracts from across Europe. He managed seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League last year, but after failing to seal a move away in the aftermath, things have gone downhill.
Links to Arsenal and Spurs have started to fade, with West Ham United, Newcastle United, Watford and Crystal Palace taking their place on the gossip column, so Fraser may have to adjust his demands accordingly.