Middlesbrough have solidified their strong transfer moves with the announcements that two more key players have penned new deals with the club. It was announced on the club’s website in quick succession.
Dael Fry, (Or The Lighthouse, as he’s affectionately known as) agreed a new three-year deal which will see him surpass ten years with his hometown club should he see it out. He had recently entered the final year of his current deal. It is an incredible achievement since those early days, making his debut under Aitor Karanka. It is staggering to think that at 25, Fry is almost considered a stalwart of the club.
Young FA Cup hero Josh Coburn has also committed to a long term deal with the club, gleefully posing alongside Head Coach, Michael Carrick on the club’s website as he scribed his signature on a contract that will run until 2027.
Both deals come off the back of decisions to extend the contracts of Johnny Howson, Hayden Hackney and Matt Crooks. A clear signal of intent from the Boro backroom staff to get the core players of the group secured into deals. It erases any uncertainty about the longevity or importance of their role within the current project at the club. An essential move given the young age of the squad.
The club now has a number of senior professionals without distraction in Howson, Crooks and Fry. Moving quickly to secure Hackney and Coburn-who are the future of the club-is a smart move.
What both players bring to the club:
Josh Coburn
The unassuming assassin. Coburn enjoyed a successful spell on loan at Bristol Rovers last season. Although his goals dried up in the second half of the campaign, he still made enough of an impression for manager Joey Barton to make comparisons with Erling Haaland! The Teesside Haaland has since become his moniker with the Boro faithful. Boro fans were already acutely aware of his goal scoring prowess, though. Smashing home the winner against Spurs in extra time in an FA Cup fifth round tie was an iconic moment. He will be hoping that this move to secure his future is an indicator that he will get his chance to impress this coming season.
Dael Fry
At 25-years-old, Dael Fry has more experience than most of a similar age. He has seen promotion, relegation, ups and downs and a number of managers come and go. One thing all previous managers and coaching staff would agree on, is that Dael Fry has undoubted quality. A towering Centre-Back that commands his defensive area with poise but assurance. He is basically a Premier League player in waiting. Hopefully, the next time he lines up for a Premier League game, it will be in the Red and White of Middlesbrough.