Newcastle United attacker ruled out of Manchester United final amid shock twist

Ryan Fraser’s Newcastle United career has taken a sour turn after the winger was told to train with the under-21s this week.

The Scotland international’s last appearance for the Magpies was during a 1-0 win over Everton in October. Since the World Cup break, Fraser has been named in the matchday squad on just three occasions.

And ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley, the 28-year-old has been told to train with the club’s second string at their academy base.

There was potential for Fraser to have exited United during the January transfer window after the player lost his appetite to challenge the likes of Miguel Almiron, Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon for a starting spot. A move, however, failed to materialise.

Head coach Eddie Howe was asked about Fraser’s absence last month and said: “No, he’s not injured, he’s training, He’s just got to keep training well and training hard.

“He’s a valued member of the squad. I know him better than anybody, I know what he’s capable of, so I’d love to see him back in a Newcastle shirt.”

When Howe landed the Magpies job in November 2021, the 45-year-old was forced to confirm there was no bad blood between him and the player. Fraser opted not to sign a contract extension allowing him to play for Bournemouth when the Premier League restarted following the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the former Aberdeen star was one of Howe’s regular picks last season as he guided Newcastle to Premier League safety.