Newcastle United player stripped of squad number — now held by £30m signing

New Newcastle United signing Tino Livramento has been handed the No.21 shirt — after Ryan Fraser was stripped of it.

The Scotland international last played for the Magpies in October 2022 after he was frozen out by head coach Eddie Howe during the second half of last season.

Fraser was told to train with the under-21s following a reported fall between the pair, who have known each other for 10 years after Howe first signed the 29-year-old for AFC Bournemouth.

“Ryan is training with the under-21s,” Howe revealed earlier this year. “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.

Asked if he saw a future for Fraser on Tyneside, Howe added: “I think that’s a difficult one for me to answer because I’d never put a firm decision on that because life and football can change quickly.

“But I’d say at the moment, no he doesn’t.”

Howe’s stance hasn’t changed with Fraser’s absence continuing into pre-season. Newcastle announced its squad number list for the 2023-24 campaign last week Friday and the former Aberdeen winger has been stripped of the No.21.

The number is now held by Livramento following his £30million plus add-ons move from Southampton.

Newcastle remain active in their pursuit to offload Fraser, however the player’s reported £70,000-a-week wages are proving too substantial for interested Championship clubs.

SQUAD NUMBERS IN FULL

1 Martin Dubravka, 2 Kieran Trippier, 3 Paul Dummett, 4 Sven Botman, 5 Fabian Schar, 6 Jamaal Lascelles, 7 Joelinton, 8 Sandro Tonali, 9 Callum Wilson, 10 Anthony Gordon, 11 Matt Ritchie, 13 Matt Targett, 14 Alexander Isak, 15 Harvey Barnes, 17 Emil Krafth, 18 Loris Karius, 19 Javier Manquillo, 21 Tino Livramento, 22 Nick Pope, 23 Jacob Murphy, 24 Miguel Almiron, 28 Joe Willock, 29 Mark Gillespie, 32 Elliot Anderson, 33 Dan Burn, 36 Sean Longstaff, 39 Bruno Guimaraes, 67 Lewis Miley.