Ryan Fraser is a good player but doesn’t improve this Celtic squad

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·14 August 2023

Ryan Fraser is a good player but doesn’t improve this Celtic squad

According to reliable sources Celtic have made a move to sign Newcastle and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser. The Celtic Star reported on this story several weeks ago and provided another update earlier today.

Fraser is 29 and currently in limbo at Newcastle so any move would be to fill up the squad numbers and nothing more. The fact he’s also Scottish will boost the Champions League home grown legislation.

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There is no doubt that Ryan Fraser is a decent player, you don’t play for that many years in England’s top flight if you haven’t got talent, but that begs the question, is he better than anyone we have in our squad in his position at the moment?

Newcastle United’s Scottish midfielder Ryan Fraser vies with Liverpool’s English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold ( during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield on August 31, 2022. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The answer, in my view, would be a big fat no. Daizen Maeda, I believe is a better player, even Sead Hakšabanović is arguably better and he can’t get a sniff of a start under Brendan at the moment.

So signing Fraser would just be adding to the numbers and nothing more. He would also command a high salary and a significant fee as he’s under contract and that goes against the club’s policy.

Ryan Fraser of Scotland is seen during the UEFA Nations League League B Group 1 match between Scotland and Republic of Ireland at Hampden Park National Stadium on September 24, 2022.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Also what message does that send to a player like Rocco Vata who is now into the final year of his contract at Celtic and is looking for first team experience. If that door remains closed then it’s more likely than not that he’ll make a judgement call that his career could progress further elsewhere.

We only had to watch the Chelsea v Liverpool match yesterday to see former Celtic starlet Ben Oaks come off the bench for the visitors.

I would love to be proved wrong, but this proposed singing doesn’t fill me with any great confidence. Although I suppose you have got to trust Brendan’s judgement. Time will tell.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy