Burnley facing new Middlesbrough transfer blow | OneFootball

The Clarets will be disappointed as Boro defender Dael Fry is expected to sign a new contract at the Riverside Stadium.

Burnley will be finalising transfer plans ahead of the upcoming summer window as they aim to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The Clarets suffered another immediate drop out of the big time to the Championship after finishing 19th in the top-flight, taking 22 points from their 38 league games.

They finished the campaign in the interim charge of Mike Jackson, following Scott Parker’s departure, and the Lancashire outfit are still on the lookout for a successor who can deliver a promotion push at Turf Moor.

Of course, with no head coach to guide the team yet, preparing for the transfer window will bring its challenges, with the recruitment team unsure about whether any players they bring in will suit the style of an incoming boss.

One player Burnley were looking at to aid themselves on their return to the second tier was defender Dael Fry, who had just come off the back of a demoralising play-off final defeat to Hull City.

But after hugely contributing to Boro’s trip to Wembley over the course of the 2025-26 season, Burnley have viewed him as a potentially crucial asset to their promotion ambitions themselves, with a report by TeamTALK claiming they are eyeing up the 28-year-old due to incoming interest from Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Liverpool in Maxime Esteve.

But a fresh report from Teesside Live could have put the brakes on any potential move, with Boro writer Craig Johns delivering an update over Fry’s future at the Riverside Stadium.

Dael Fry expected to pen fresh Middlesbrough contract in bitter Burnley blow

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As per the report by Middlesbrough journalist Craig Johns, he has expressed his confidence in defender Dael Fry extending his contract at Boro, which would be a bitter blow for Burnley in their pursuit.

When reviewing who would stay and depart the Middlesbrough squad this summer, Johns came onto the central defenders, detailing summer expectations for Fry.

Johns said: “Fry is out of contract at the end of this month, but is in talks and expected to sign a new deal.”

Burnley will have to surrender Dael Fry pursuit

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The news that Dael Fry is expected to remain at Middlesbrough will be a difficult one for Burnley to take, particularly when they had immediately identified the central defender as their preferred target in the event that Maxime Esteve departs.

From Fry’s perspective, he’s been part of the Boro setup spanning two decades, and after getting so close to returning the club to Premier League glory, there’s no surprise that he will want to stick around a bit longer to make that dream a reality.

But while one door closes, another will open, and Burnley should have many more targets to explore, while the club remains an attractive proposition as the Clarets are expected to be situated towards the top end of the table and become a Premier League outfit once again.

Regardless of it being a setback, Burnley still have plenty of time to get their squad ready for the 2026-27 term, with the appointment of a new boss needing to be made before any major change can occur on the pitch.