Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry has said he is flattered to be attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

According to TEAMtalk, Fry is being monitored by a host of top-flight clubs including Manchester City, Tottenham, Wolves and Everton with Boro fearing they could lose the defender in January.

The 22-year-old has started in each of Middlesbrough's last three Championship outings, while he has also been handed the captain's armband by Jonathan Woodgate after making 39 appearances last term.

Fry's impressive form has led to reports linking him with a move away from the Teesside outfit, but Fry is adamant that his primary focus is reaching the Premier League with his boyhood club Middlesbrough.

"If I want to play in the Premier League, I want to be at Middlesbrough," he told Sky Sports.

"This season I'm going to give 110 per cent to try and get in the Premier League, but obviously if not, who knows what's going to happen."

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It is thought that Boro may be forced into selling their academy product if a club bids in the region of £20million for his services, and Fry issued a clear response when he was asked whether the high-profile interest was flattering.

"Yeah it is," he said.

"There's speculation with a lot of top clubs, but as I say, I’ve got to put it to one side and keep working hard because if you look at it too much you can get distracted and lose concentration."

The Verdict

It is important that Fry remains grounded following the emergence of these reports, and these comments seem to suggest that he is certainly doing just that.

The interest has come at a bad time for Middlesbrough as Fry was just appearing to be finding his feet in place this season, and this may come as an unwelcome distraction to Woodgate's plans.

Fry will surely be tempted by the allure of Premier League giants such as Manchester City and Tottenham, but I think he is speaking the truth when he claims he would rather reach the Premier League with Boro.

This should be his priority having risen through the club's academy ranks, and I wouldn't be surprised if Fry only starts to entertain this interest until the current season is over.