Middlesbrough centre-back Dael Fry has joined Birmingham City on a free transfer.
On the back of Hayden Hackney's move to Everton, Fry is the second local talent and academy graduate to move in as many days, after turning down a new contract at the Riverside. Fry captained the side at the end of last season, when Championship player of the year Hackney was injured.
With all that he symbolised, the Teessiders were keen to keep Fry, but were unable to agree a new contract with the 28-year-old, whose previous deal expired on Tuesday.
The sticking point boiled down to his injury record, having made 20 Championship starts in 2025-26, and 15 in the previous campaign. He has not reached 30 in any of the last four campaigns.
MOVING ON: Dael Fry (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
MOVING ON: Dael Fry (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
On the other hand, Fry featured in all but four of Boro's games in 2026, including every minute of the play-offs, where they were beaten in the final by Hull City.
Fry, who made his Boro debut in 2015, was thought to have had a clause in his contract which triggered an automatic extension if the club won promotion to the Premier League.
Fry has signed a three-year contract at St Andrew’s, where he is Birmingham’s first addition of the window.