How Dael Fry feels about staying at Middlesbrough | OneFootball

An update has emerged about Dael Fry’s contract situation, with his Boro deal officially expiring on Wednesday.

As Middlesbrough prepare for another shot at Premier League glory during the 2026-27 season, they have a major contract problem that has to be resolved.

Kim Hellberg’s men will be aiming to put behind their gut-wrenching play-off final defeat to Hull City and be back in promotion contention this term, with the Teesside outfit entering their 10th straight campaign of Championship football.

One player who had a major role in Boro’s end to the season was defender Dael Fry, who started and captained the team nine times out of their last 12 regular league games, and after helping them cement their place in the play-offs, played all three games on their way to Wembley.

Fry, who came through the Boro academy system and is a local lad, has been part of the Middlesbrough setup for the last two decades, but his stint is under threat due to his contract expiring, and it’s something the club have failed to sort out as pre-season preparations get underway.

Due to his contract situation, a handful of Championship outfits have registered their interest in securing Fry’s signature, with newly-relegated Burnley and West Ham holding an interest, while Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers are also believed to be in the race.

Meanwhile, a report from Teesside Live has disclosed how Fry feels about staying at Middlesbrough, as his contract at the Riverside Stadium officially expires on Wednesday.

How Dael Fry feels about staying at Middlesbrough

As per a report by Teesside Live, Dael Fry’s feelings about staying at Middlesbrough have been revealed, potentially hinting at where he will be playing his football next season.

In the article, it reads that Middlesbrough have been in talks with Fry over a new deal since the end of last season, but no deal has yet been agreed, with the 28-year-old set to become a free agent on Wednesday.

It is believed Fry’s preference is to remain at the Riverside Stadium given his local connections to the club, but after an injury-hit last few years, the club are showing some reluctance to not pay too much to retain the defender.

Despite this, Middlesbrough are believed to be working hard to find a solution to the differences they currently have, and are hopeful of reaching an agreement that suits all parties.

Middlesbrough remain in driving seat to retain Dael Fry, but have to work fast

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Making 23 starts last season, including at Wembley in the play-off final, Dael Fry showed he has both the experience and ability to be a mainstay in Kim Hellberg’s plans, but there is concern that another injury might rear its ugly head if they hand him a new contract.

Fry has had injury struggles during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons but has managed to remain injury-free for the entirety of last term, so Middlesbrough should have more confidence than they do in Fry’s ability to remain fit.

For now, Boro remain in the driving seat to keep Fry on the books heading into next season, but the pressure will be on from Wednesday when he becomes a free agent, as other sides could convince him of more appealing projects to be a part of.

With his deep ties to the Riverside Stadium, you do feel Middlesbrough will manage to get an agreement over the line, but time is ticking, and Boro are at risk of having a disastrous start to the transfer window by losing their unofficial club captain, who led the backline stoically on their way to the play-offs.

Only time will tell how this saga plays out, but it’s becoming more intriguing to see who Fry will represent heading into the 2026-27 season.