"I love him" - Howe names struggling NUFC player he plans to get 'back to his best'

Eddie Howe has revealed that he has no issues with Ryan Fraser following his appointment at Newcastle, saying he "loves him as a lad" and hopes to get him "playing at his best level again" soon.

Scottish international Fraser infamously downed tools in the final chapters of Howe’s reign at Bournemouth as he seemed a move away, with the Cherries ultimately getting relegated at the end of that season.

In an interview with BBC Radio Newcastle, our new manager has opened up about their relationship and says that they met up and talked “a long time ago” to set their differences aside and make up.

Howe also says that he “loves him as a lad” - comments that have left any naysayers eating their words after claims the pair fell out following his exit at the end of the 2019/20 season.

This is what he said while speaking to BBC Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck: