Big Dael Fry dilemma is looming at Middlesbrough, they must take action: Opinion | OneFootball

At the start of the season, Dael Fry somehow find himself out of favour under former Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder.

The 25-year-old was an unused substitute for three of the club’s first four Championship matches, for example, and did not start and complete a match until September – eight league matches into the campaign.

That was despite Boro enduring a really rough start to the season, too, with just one win in their opening seven matches.

He soon found his way back into the side, though, and ever since Michael Carrick’s arrival at the club, he has been a regular in the starting line up.

That was at least until recently, at least, after missing out against Watford due to suspension.

In the four games since, Fry has started just once, and has been an unused substitute twice in those games.

Aside from all of that, though, there is another important discussion to be had surrounding the 25-year-old.

That is that the club are facing a big, looming decision on his future as the summer approaches, with the central defender’s deal growing shorter and shorter by the day.

Fry is contracted beyond this summer, so there is no immediate threat of him departing on a free or anything like that, however, come the summer, he will only have one year left on his Boro contract.

Now, when a player enters the final year of their contract, naturally, it is a concerning time for clubs.

Suddenly, the prospect of the player running down their deal and walking away on a free transfer is very real, and clubs often tend to cash in on their valuable assets if they do get to this stage.

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With Fry having attracted previous transfer interest from Premier League sides, he is certainly a key asset.

However, rather than look to cash in on him this summer, it is the opinion of this article that Middlesbrough must do everything they can to ensure the 25-year-old pens a new deal at the club.

Fry has shown himself to be a very good defender in the Championship in recent seasons and can be a key part of Michael Carrick’s side moving forwards.

That goes for both the short and long term, too.

Clearly the club will have ambitions to be promoted to the Premier League in the future, if indeed they are not this season, and Fry is good enough to be a part of that rise.

Furthermore, the fact he came through the Boro youth ranks should also count favourably when the club are assessing his future, in my opinion.

There is nothing better as a supporter than getting behind a player that is ‘one of their own’ and with players such as Fry in the side, the connection with the local area and community in the dressing room remains.

Indeed, then, with his contract about to enter its final year this summer, Middlesbrough really must try to get Dael Fry tied down on fresh terms sooner rather than later.