Middlesbrough backed to replace Dael Fry after 'strange' Birmingham City deal | OneFootball

The Teessider has now made his first-ever permanent career switch

After missing out on a return to the Premier League for the first time in nine years, Middlesbrough supporters will be hoping the club's first full season under Kim Hellberg's management yields success instead.

Boro were one of the Championship's promotion contenders for the vast majority of the 2025/26 campaign, and in February, even sat top of the table.

However, whilst Hellberg's side continued to dominate a plethora of matches as the season drew to a close, their main achilles heel was putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis, eventually slipping down to fifth place and missing out on automatic promotion.

Then came the most unprecedented of sagas in EFL history where, through Spygate, the North East club were reinstated into the play-off final at Southampton's expense, before losing out to Hull City at Wembley Stadium.

It then seemed inevitable that one of Middlesbrough's modern-day cult heroes, Hayden Hackney, was bound to depart, and that proved to be the case as the England youth international finalised a £24m switch to Everton.

Such circumstances came as a blow, even if it was largely anticipated, but then came the exit of fellow Teessider, Dael Fry, whose contract expired on June 30th, allowing divisional rivals, Birmingham City, to swoop for his services on a free transfer.

Both clubs will be expected to compete at the top end of the Championship next term, and with that said, Football League World's Middlesbrough fan pundit, Liam Day, expressed his thoughts on the 28-year-old's departure.

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Following Middlesbrough's latest Wembley loss, one of the main sagas at the Riverside Stadium was the multiple attempts from the club to extend Fry's contract further, after his most recent extension came in the summer of 2023 under Michael Carrick.

Less than an hour before it was confirmed by Birmingham that they had signed the centre-back on a three-year contract, it was revealed by the Sun that the Teesside outfit had failed on two counts to agree fresh terms with their academy graduate, with one of those coming well in advance of the season's official end.

It was also explained that Fry had been the subject of interest from Hull, Blackburn Rovers, Lincoln City and West Ham United amongst a glut of clubs.

Reacting to Fry's departure after 296 appearances and five goals, Day told FLW: "I'm very disappointed that Dael Fry's not at Middlesbrough anymore.

"I never really envisioned him leaving at any point to be completely honest. But, when it became an actual option, it was a bit strange.

"Do I think he's irreplaceable? No. But, do I think the passion he brings is irreplaceable? Yes," he added.

"He's a good footballer. I don't think he's exceptional, and I think he might be slightly overrated by our fanbase. But, that doesn't mean he's a bad footballer whatsoever.

"He's exactly what we need at times," Day claimed. "You need that passion, that tall player in the defence who'll win anything and put his body on the line.

"That's exactly what he'd do and bring to you, and we don't have many others like that.

"Do I think we can replace him? Yes," he stated. "There may be a bit of an overreaction due to claims that he's on £35,000 per week, and that's just not justifiable for Middlesbrough.

"I am disappointed that he's gone. But, do I think he's irreplaceable? No, I do not."

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Given the two attempts to renew Fry's contract, it is clear that he was still held in high regard by Hellberg, even if the Swede attempts to reshuffle his squad ahead of the new season across multiple areas.

The centre-back was, of course, named club captain by former head coach, Rob Edwards, last summer, showcasing his leadership abilities as well as what he brings on the pitch in terms of defensive nous and experience.

Birmingham fans had previously criticised their hierarchy for not acquiring enough players with such experience despite continued investment from Knighthead, and now Fry joins a stacked defensive department that already includes the trio of Christoph Klarer, Phil Neumann and Jack Robinson as direct competition.