Russell Martin’s side achieved promotion via the play-offs last month, but the honeymoon period appears to be over as the Saints look very active in the summer window already.
Southampton will be hoping to establish themselves once again in the top flight, but Martin will know how hard that is to do and the summer recruitment becomes crucial for any club hoping to make the step up.
Fraser, 30, spent last season on loan at the Saints. He made 42 Championship appearances for Southampton, scoring six and assisting two throughout.
It doesn’t appear as if he has a future in the north east and Southampton have reportedly agreed a deal to bring the Scottish attacker back to the club permanently.
Southampton have already captured Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis from last season on a permanent deal and now Fraser is set to follow.
Another loanee from last season who appears to be of interest to the Saints this summer is Flynn Downes. The West Ham midfielder was a key part of Martin’s success last season and it has been reported that the Hammers will listen to offers for the Englishman.
These would be three solid signings, but it remains to be seen whether Fraser can still deliver at the top level.
He fell out with Eddie Howe and subsequently didn’t feature much for the Magpies over the 2022/23 season. He managed just over 300 top flight minutes and didn’t contribute to a goal in any of the eight outings.
Vital experience
But, at 30, Fraser knows the Premier League very well. He has spent seven full seasons in England’s top tier during his time at both Bournemouth and Newcastle United.
The former Scottish international has 173 Premier League appearances to his name and he will be a handy voice to have in the dressing room next season.
Martin is about to embark in his first season as a manager in the Premier League and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the demands and whether the Saints change their approach to suit.
Next season is all about survival. The first year is always tough and Southampton will be hoping to avoid the fate suffered by the three newly-promoted clubs before them.
