'Ongoing' – Charlton Athletic midfielder discusses potential permanent transfer exit

08/05/2024 09:56

Charlton Athletic loanee Scott Fraser has said his potential permanent move to Hearts is an ‘ongoing’ matter.

Charlton Athleticsent midfielder Fraser out on loan in January, giving him a shot at regular game time away from The Valley amid a drop down the pecking order in the New Year.

He headed back to his native Scotland with Hearts and has played nine times across all competitions, chipping in with one assist along the way.

Fraser has had a calf problem to contend with and that has disrupted his loan somewhat, but having stated he would be keen on a permanent stay earlier this year, that desire remains heading into the summer.

Speaking to the Edinburgh Evening News, the Charlton Athletic loanee stated that his potential stay with Hearts is an ‘ongoing’ matter.

"It's something that is ongoing," Fraser replied when asked about returning for next season.

"They made it quite clear that this wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment thing. I've known about the previous interest so it's been a long-standing thing. My thing was to come up and show that I could play at a club like Hearts which is trying to go places, and that I could help get to that next stage.”

The report adds that Charlton have told Fraser to report for pre-season training next month, and he vowed to remain professional should he return to South London. Fraser added:

"I will keep working hard and whatever the future holds will happen. I've obviously got to remember that there is another club involved that I've spoken with.

“It sounds as if they expect me and want me back down. I said when I first moved up here that I would respect that and respect the fact that I've got another year left there. They start back pre-season at the end of June and I'm expected back down there.

“I assume we'll have more discussions in the future regarding that and regarding here. We will see what comes of them."

Eyes on an exit

Fraser has already made his desire to stay at Hearts clear and these latest words suggest there’s been no change to that. The fact the Scottish club have been keen on him before suggests they may well try to keep a hold of him too, even despite a slightly disrupted loan.

Having dropped down the pecking order at Charlton Athletic, you can understand why he’d be keen on staying there too.

However, while the matter remains up in the air, it seems Fraser will be reporting for pre-season training with the Addicks as it stands. Whether that changes over the coming weeks though, time will tell.

A new chapter at Charlton Athletic

It is worth noting that Fraser left the Addicks while Michael Appleton was in charge. Of course, he has since moved on from the club and Nathan Jones has taken the reins.

It’s not out of the realms of possibility that Fraser returns for pre-season training and Jones decides the Scotsman can have a part to play in his plans, so that could be something to keep an eye out for as the Welsh manager changes things up at Charlton Athletic.

Whether that aligns with Fraser’s desires, time will tell. But it is worth keeping in mind that the change in manager during his Hearts loan might just change the landscape regarding his future.

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