Ryan Fraser of Southampton is in Australia as he prepares to sign a surprise loan with Western Sydney Wanderers.

The 31-year-old has not played for the Saints since their Boxing Day loss to Oxford United, and with his contract set to expire in the summer, his future at St. Mary’s Stadium is uncertain.

A permanent exit in the summer is unavoidable, but Fraser appears to have already played his final game for Southampton.

Ryan Fraser is likely to join Western Sydney Wanderers from Southampton.

That comes after the Daily Echo reported that Fraser is in advanced talks to join Western Sydney Wanderers on a loan deal that will last until the summer.

They add that the former Newcastle player has already traveled to Australia, implying that an agreement is in place and will be confirmed shortly, in what will be viewed as a coup for the A-League club.

It will also be a welcome acquisition for Western Sydney Wanderers, who have had a terrible season thus far, now sitting second from bottom in the table after 13 games.

Southampton will save money on Fraser’s wages before he leaves on a free transfer, while Tonda Eckert clearly believes he has enough cover in the right wing-back position, especially now that James Bree has returned to the club after spending the first half of the season with Charlton Athletic.

Ryan Fraser’s departure makes sense for all parties.

This is an excellent opportunity for Fraser to go to a different part of the world, and while some may be surprised, the player will gain new experience before becoming a free agent in the summer.

It became clear in recent weeks that Fraser was not in Eckert’s future plans, therefore the opportunity to play football on a regular basis was always going to be a priority for the wide man.

The fact that he was not involved demonstrates that Fraser will not be missed by Southampton during the run-in, which is understandable given that the manager has several of options for the wide right role in his setup, including Bree, Elias Jelert, and Tom Fellows.

Despite this, it is evident that other aspects of the team must be addressed before the deadline, and Eckert will be hoping Fraser’s impending departure has freed up some space on the pay bill and in the squad to bring in some reinforcements.