Why Burnley should go all out to sign Dael Fry from Middlesbrough

According to the Sun, Burnley are lining up a £10million swoop for Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry.

A graduate of Middlesbrough’s academy, Dael Fry, 22, has made a total of 92 appearances in all competitions for the club’s senior side since first making his debut back in 2015. He has made 23 appearances so far this season, impressing at the back for Jonathan Woodgate’s side.

And the centre-back’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed, with Burnley interested in acquiring his services. The report adds that the deal could see Ben Gibson leave the club, and that a swap involving Fry would not be out of the question.

Even though the Clarets beat Man United 2-0, they have conceded 38 goals in 24 games.

Despite experienced campaigners, Ben Mee and James Tarkowski taking charge at the heart of the defence, Dyche’s side have been vulnerable this season.

The defence should be improved and that is why signing Dael Fry would make sense. Fry has certainly been a key figure at the back for Middlesbrough in the past few seasons.

As per WhoScored, the Middlesbrough defender has averaged 1 tackle, 0.8 interceptions, 5 clearances and 0.8 blocks. He has also won 4.4 aerial duels per game, registered 0.1 key passes and 1.8 long balls.

Ben Mee, being Burnley’s senior centre-back, has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 4.9 clearances and 1.1 blocks. The 30-year-old has also averaged 4.3 aerial duels, registered 0.3 key passes and 3.1 long balls. [Courtesy: WhoScored]

Read more

• Why Burnley should let Gibson go on loan rather than keep him
• Why signing Scott Mckenna would be a great move by Burnley
• Why Burnley must plot a swoop for Crystal Palace’s James McCarthy

When compared, Fry won’t be an upgrade over Mee but he would fit into Dyche’s team which has lacked a young and powerful presence in the heart of the defence. Fry is just 22 years old and has the potential to develop into a good centre-back.

Verdict

Considering Burnley’s defensive problems this season, Dyche should definitely sign a new centre-back this month. And a talented player in the mould of Fry would represent a smart long-term investment at Turf Moor.