Burnley Opinion: Clarets should go all out to sign Dael Fry this summer
According to the Daily Mail, Burnley are interested in signing Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry in the summer transfer window, with reports claiming that the Clarets are keen to bring the highly-rated England U21 international to Turf Moor ahead of the upcoming campaign.
The move, if it materializes, would be Burnley’s second raid on Boro’s backline in a space of one year, with the Clarets splashing a club-record £15 million on Ben Gibson last summer.
Gibson struggled to make an impact and barely challenged for a first-team place in his debut season at Turf Moor but Burnley are seemingly confident that Fry can make the step to the top-flight.
Back in November, TEAMtalk reported that Dael Fry had caught the eyes of several top clubs in the Premier League, including the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Hence, it is pretty clear that the 21-year-old is not likely to be short of potential suitors this summer, and with Boro under pressure to cut down their expenses after failing to challenge for promotion, a move to the Premier League looks very much likely to materialize for the talented youngster.
A product of Middlesbrough’s youth system, Fry broke into the first-team in the 2015-16 season before being sent out on loan to Rotherham United in the Championship to further his development.
Having impressed on his loan spell, the youngster made 14 Championship appearances for the Teessiders in the 2017-18 campaign before establishing himself as a regular at the heart of the defence this past season.
Fry was an ever-present at the back for Boro this season, as the club finished 7th in the standings and narrowly missed out on the final promotion playoff spot.
Used predominantly in his preferred centre-back role, the 21-year-old also showcased his versatility to play in multiple positions across the backline, with former manager Tony Pulis often fielding him at right-back.
Standing at 6ft. 4 inches with a towering frame, Fry is seen as a centre-back with a mountain of potential and he has been tipped by many to make the jump to the Premier League very early in his career.
The 21-year-old combines the virtues of an old-school centre-back and a modern-day aggressive ball-playing defender, meaning that he has all the raw attributes to taste success at the highest level.
Fry has shown a level of maturity that belies his tender years, both in terms of his decision-making and ability to read the game at the back. While essentially being a centre-back, the youngster’s ability to fill in at right-back shows that he is very fast and agile for a player of his stature.
Noted for his calmness and composure at the back, Fry rarely commits himself into making dangerous challenges and prefers to stay on his feet to intercept and clear the ball away to safety.
Exceptionally strong in the air and quick across the ground, Fry has already won plenty of accolades for England at several youth levels. He was an integral part of the U-20 side that won the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and also featured in the Team of the Tournament in England U-21’s triumphant 2018 Toulon Tournament.
To put things into perspective, Dael Fry has shown strong signs of excellence very early in his career and Burnley could bag a massive coup if they manage to beat off competition for the highly-rated England U-21 international this summer.
The Clarets are currently not crying out for a centre-back, with the likes of James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Kevin Long and Ben Gibson all in their ranks, but the acquisition of Fry would be a big statement of intent.
Moreover, Tarkowski has been targeted by Leicester City as a potential replacement for Harry Maguire if the Englishman leaves for a bigger club this summer (h/t Daily Mail). Hence, it would be a good idea for the Clarets to bring in a young and talented defender and groom him for the future with controlled exposure at the highest level.
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That said, Burnley should not be put off by Ben Gibson’s failure and complete another audacious raid on Boro’s backline for Dael Fry this summer.
