'Everyone wants him': Manager's frustration grows over NUFC transfer deal that should have happened by now

It's of little comfort to Newcastle United fans to know that we aren't the only fanbase growing frustrated at the slow pace in which the club are conducting their transfer business.

Especially when that comfort comes from another club who are trying to sign a player from Newcastle United.

If ever there was a transfer that looked teed up and easy to complete this summer is was that of Ryan Fraser to Southampton.

The diminutive winger spent a season on loan at the Saints last season and helped them to regain promotion back to the Premier League.

Getty Images

Russell Martin is growing impatient

After his falling out with Eddie Howe he clearly has no future at Newcastle and has been sent to train with the U21s as soon as he returned from Southampton.

Yet still, with just three weeks to go until the season starts he remains a Newcastle United player and Southampton boss Russell Martin is growing impatient as reported in The Chronicle.

"I think we're all hopeful that at some point that will happen. But he's contracted to Newcastle. I think he would love to come back and we would love to keep him.

"Everyone wants him: Me, the fans, the owners, the players and the staff - Wee Man himself, but he is under contract at another club and a good contract.

"It's their prerogative to do what they want with him at the moment and unfortunately for us and for Wee Man, it's not what we want.

"There'll come a time where if a deal can't be done with Newcastle, we're going to have to move on to other people and I think that's a natural thing. So much of football is about timing and there might come a time where it's no longer viable for us or an option. We have to be looking at other people as well."

Are Newcastle trying to avoid a situation in which Fraser faces off against us on the opening weekend?

A cynical way of looking at it could be that Newcastle are dragging the deal out so that Fraser won't be able to face Newcastle on the opening day of the season, but if that's the case then we could end up stuck with him as Southampton will inevitably have moved on to another target by then.

The issue seems to be that Fraser's contract at Newcastle is so good that Southampton can't match it and that's what's causing the hold-up, but surely Fraser would rather take the pay cut to go somewhere he feels valued rather than rotting where he isn't wanted for a few extra quid?

We can't believe that Fraser is still on Newcastle's books at this point in the summer, we were sure he'd have been the first out of the door, especially with Southampton's promotion.