Nathan Fraser was in and around Wolves’ first team before experiencing a terrible loan spell at the start of 2024/25.
In the summer, Gary O’Neil sanctioned a loan for Fraser, who was in need of senior football to prepare himself for first-team action.
The striker embarked on a loan at second-tier Belgian club Zulte Waregem, and to Wolves’ frustration, the spell couldn’t have gone much worse for their academy product.
Fraser was sent back to Wolves and has since featured just once for the U21 team, prompting fans to question what has happened to the bright talent.
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Why Nathan Fraser is not playing matches at Wolves
Before leaving Wolves in the summer, Fraser signed a new contract to extend his stay to 2028, with an option of a further two years.
The Old Gold have promise in their Wolverhampton-born talent, but it’s fair to say things have gone downhill for the forward since his loan spell.
Fraser barely played at Zulte Waregem, leaving the club with just five appearances and 93 minutes of action to his name.
Returning to Wolves was certainly the right decision for the 20-year-old, but he’s not been involved in matches for one reason.
MORE WOLVES STORIES
A report from The Athletic revealed that Fraser is taking part in a training programme ‘designed to improve his physicality’, keeping him away from match-day action.
The loan spell in Belgium was evidently detrimental to the rising star, who is working hard to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself when he next ventures elsewhere.
That’s the plan for Fraser, as The Athletic reported, stating that another loan is ‘expected’ for the youngster ‘next summer’.
What Gary O’Neil said about Fraser
It was only last season that Fraser impressed O’Neil enough to earn his Premier League debut.
The forward gained 184 minutes of Premier League experience, as well as featuring for the first team in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, where he scored twice.
Speaking after Fraser’s full Premier League debut against Fulham, O’Neil lauded the striker for his work rate.
“He worked his socks off, he carried out our out-of-possession plan to the letter,” O’Neil said.
“We worked hard with him on it this week. I knew today would be tough, and being solid was important. He’s also been out for some time. He suffered a hip injury early in the season and hadn’t played too much football. I’m delighted with how he did.”
The loan spell in Belgium was a setback for the academy jewel, but only a minor one, with a plan in place to get the 20-year-old his confidence back ahead of his next challenge.