Ryan Fraser established himself as a key player Bournemouth (Getty Images)
According to the Metro, Arsenal manager Unai Emery is eyeing a major squad overhaul in the summer, with a new centre-back, left-back, left-winger and an aggressive box-to-box midfielder all on his wishlist.
The same report claims that Emery has set his sights on Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser in a bid to bolster his options down the wide areas.
The Gunners brought in Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona in January with a view to a permanent deal at the end of the season but the north London giants are unlikely to take up that option after the Spaniard’s unimpressive run of form.
Suarez was expected to push for a first-team spot but he has struggled to acclimatise to the physical nature of the Premier League and his involvement has been limited to four substitute appearances only.
Suarez’s failure has prompted Emery to draw up a list of alternatives and Ryan Fraser is more than capable of adding that cutting edge to Arsenal’s attack. The 25-year-old Scotsman has racked up 6 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season, an assist tally that has only been bettered by Eden Hazard with 11.
Fraser is out of contract in 2020 and the Metro reports that the 25-year-old is not close to signing a new deal, which means that the Cherries might be forced to cash in on him in the summer to avoid losing him for free in a year’s time.
To put that into perspective, Fraser, with his ability to inject pace and creativity from the flanks, could prove to be a useful squad player for the Gunners. The Scottish international has been one of the standout performers for Eddie Howe’s side and he certainly has the consistency to deliver the goods for a top-six club like Arsenal.
Standing at 5ft.4 inches with a diminutive frame, Fraser doesn’t look like a physically dominating attacker but he can be deceptive with his stocky and muscular physique which is designed to take the knocks and the blows that come his way.
Fraser knows exactly how to use his small frame to his advantage, combining his low centre-of-gravity with his good turn of pace and excellent close control to terrorise full-backs. He likes to drive forward with pace and run with directness at his opposite number, making him a little pocket dynamo out wide on the flanks.
Fraser’s key attributes are his immaculate crossing, eye for playing key passes, brisk link-up play, ability from set-pieces and clinical finishing. He gets the right dip and elevation on his crosses, as well as on his deliveries from indirect set-pieces to put the ball on a platter for the centre-forward to finish.
To add to that, the 25-year-old is also capable of causing a lot of problems for the opposition with his clever movement in and around the penalty area.
Arsenal currently have Alex Iwobi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as options down the left but Emery would relish the prospect of having someone like Fraser to spark creativity. The Scotsman’s versatility to play on the right and also through the centre in a No.10 role should appeal all the more to the Gunners.
He has averaged 2.2 key passes and 1.7 crosses per game in the Premier League, stats which speak volumes of his worth as a wide player. Also, Fraser is a tireless worker who likes to press the opposition off the ball and tracks back to help out his defenders, meaning that he would be a good fit for Emery’s philosophy.
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The Gunners have shown strong signs of promise in their first season under Unai Emery but striking a deal for Fraser in the summer might help them reach greater heights in the Premier League next season.