Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has provided a potential return timetable for injured star Dael Fry.
Middlesbrough are in the midst of preparing for the upcoming 2024/25 Championship season.
Manager Michael Carrick will be eyeing promotion success this time around after finishing fourth and eighth in his first two years at the Riverside Stadium.
Boro will face Swansea City in their Championship opener on Saturday, August 10th, and are currently working their way through a hectic pre-season schedule.
The Teessiders’ proper pre-season fixture list began on July 20th and saw the Reds come away with a 3-0 win.
Carrick most recently watched Middlesbrough pick up a 1-0 win over Gateshead on Wednesday evening.
It was a largely positive evening for the North East outfit but there was one big blow coming out of the game.
Michael Carrick reveals Dael Fry Middlesbrough return timeline
Dael Fry missed the final 16 games of the 2023/24 Championship season due to injury.
The former academy starlet returned to action against Bolton last week, coming off the bench for 30 minutes.
However, Fry was once again absent in midweek versus Gateshead due to another injury issue.
In a boost for Middlesbrough, though, Carrick confirmed post-match that Fry’s latest problem is nothing serious and he could return as early as Saturday for the meeting with Doncaster Rovers, as per Teesside Live.
He said: “Dael is alright. He just had a bit of a niggle, it’s nothing serious. Maybe he’ll be ready for Saturday, maybe not, but it’s nothing to worry about.”
Has Dael Fry lost his place in Middlesbrough eleven
Following Fry’s initial injury last campaign, the centre-back was promptly replaced by Matt Clarke and Rav van den Berg.
The duo formed an excellent partnership at the heart of Boro’s defence, playing a key role in Carrick’s side losing just one of their last 12 league matches.
As a result, Fry may struggle to force his way back into the team come the start of 2024/25.
The 26-year-old has played 241 times for his local club and was one of the first names on the teamsheet in the first half of 2023/24.
But given how well Clarke and Van den Berg played together, Fry may be forced to take a back seat next term.