Ryan Fraser withdraws from Scotland squad ahead of Eddie Howe's imminent appointment at Newcastle United

Fraser had started two of the Magpies’ Premier League fixtures last month against Crystal Palace and Chelsea before being dropped to the bench for the 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

The diagnosis of his injury remains unclear as Fraser is forced to miss matches against Moldova and Denmark.

Newcastle aren’t back in action until they host Brentford at St James’s Park after the two-week break – but they will have a new manager by then.

Indeed, Eddie Howe managed Fraser at the Bournemouth, where he helped the 27-year-old arguably reach his richest form as a professional footballer – forming a deadly partnership with Callum Wilson.

Fraser, however, has struggled to replicate those performance levels since joining last year on a free transfer.

The former Aberdeen man will be hoping Howe’s imminent arrival can go a long way to turning around his Newcastle career.

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