It has recently been confirmed by West Ham United that Axel Disasi will be returning to Chelsea. The club could replace the center-back with Darl Fry from Middlesbrough.
SportsBoom has reported that "West Ham are emerging as frontrunners to sign Dael Fry, with talks progressing as his Middlesbrough deal nears expiry. Blackburn, Burnley and Sheff Utd are also monitoring, while Boro continue efforts to keep him."
There was optimism that Disasi would stay if the Hammers retained their Premier League status. However, relegation has meant that he will be returning to Stamford Bridge and will likely be sold elsewhere.
Fry is a 28-year-old center-back from Middlesbrough and has played the entirety of his career at his hometown club. This, barring a loan at Rotherham United during the 2016/17 campaign. This was the season where Boro were last in the Premier League.
Who is Middlesbrough's Dael Fry?
The defender has played 262 times in the Championship for Boro, scoring five goals and setting up nine. He also played 10 times in the division for Rotherham. Fry also represented England up to the Under-21 level.
He was a part of the Middlesbrough side that got to the Championship playoff final this year. They were awarded a place at Wembley Stadium after Southampton had been kicked out for spying. However, Boro lost 1-0 to Hull City in the final due to a goal from Ollie McBurnie.
West Ham need to recruit defenders with Championship experience for the campaign in which they will be looking to bounce straight back up. Disasi has gone, but Dinos Mavropanos could follow as he has been linked to Borussia Dortmund.
It is unlikely that Jean-Clair Todibo will play for the club again after falling out with Nuno Espirito Santo. The West Ham boss clearly does not rate Max Kilman, but the player could rebuild his confidence in the Championship.
Fry would be a good fit for West Ham
Joining West Ham, who are a big club, would be a great opportunity for Fry. This is one that will not likely come again for the player, given his age. However, it would mean for him to move down south, which he has not done before in his career.
Fry would stand the best chance of gaining promotion to the Premier League with the Hammers. Burnley, who have also just been relegated, stand a good chance of going back up. Boro, too, as they were one game away from promotion to English soccer's top flight.
It is a surprise that Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers are in contention, given they finished 13th and 20th respectively in the Championship last season. However, the Blades are managed by his boss at Boro, Chris Wilder. Blackburn have recently appointed Tony Mowbray as their manager. Mowbray was Boro's manager from 2010 to 2013, when Fry was a youth team player at the club.
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