Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe’s five-word response to Ryan Fraser to Celtic links

Ryan Fraser is reportedly attracting interest from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic - but Eddie Howe isn’t aware of any update regarding the player’s future.

The Magpies are looking to offload Fraser this summer after falling out with Howe earlier this year. The Scotland international last played for United in October and spent the second half of last season training with the club’s under-21s.

Fraser’s absence has continued into the start of this season. He didn’t feature in any of the pre-season games and has been stripped of his squad number with new signing Tino Livramento taking No.21 shirt.

The 29-year-old has attracted interest from Championship clubs, including Leeds United, but Celtic are reportedly the latest team to launch an enquiry.

Asked about the links to Celtic, Howe replied: “Not that I know of.”

Speaking about Fraser’s future earlier this year, Howe said: Ryan is training with the under-21s. I made the decision to concentrate on the players that are committed to Newcastle. For the benefit of the group, I’ve made that call.

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 winger. Fraser opted not to sign a contract extension allowing him to play for Bournemouth when the Premier League restarted following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The former Aberdeen star was one of Howe’s regular picks during the 2021-22 sesason as he guided Newcastle to Premier League safety. Last season, Fraser, who has two years left on his contract, played just eight times.