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Newcastle are reportedly in the race to sign Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser.

What's the story?

According to The Daily Record, Newcastle will battle Arsenal to sign Fraser this summer.

The Scottish international, capped six times by his country, will enter the last year of his contract next season, meaning Bournemouth could well be tempted to cash in this summer.

According to the aforementioned report, Arsenal are weighing up a £20m bid for the winger while the Magpies take a different approach, plotting to use Matt Ritchie as “bait” in a player-plus-cash deal.

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A senseless swap

On the surface, a swap deal does makes sense for Newcastle, upgrading a winger who rarely adds goals or assists to one who has 18 goal involvements in 37 games this season.

However, even if the Cherries do indeed fancy taking Ritchie back, this swap would actually weaken the Magpies’ squad more than it would strengthen it.

Due to low quality and poor depth available to Rafael Benitez, players like Ritchie are used in multiple positions. He has already played left-midfield, right-midfield and left-wing-back this season.

Fraser meanwhile is an out and out winger, and would not offer the versatility or leadership that Ritchie adds to the side, even if the latter vey rarely gets on the scoresheet.

Fraser is also at his best on the left flank, where Miguel Almiron has surely got the first choice spot nailed down for the considerable future.

Quite simply, this move makes no sense for the Magpies, and if this is the type of deal Mike Ashley is going to spend the summer shopping for then it would be no surprise if Benitez walks out the door.