West Ham United’s search for a new defender is taking them to the Championship amid interest in both Middlesbrough’s Dael Fry and QPR’s Rob Dickie.
That’s according to 90Min, who claim that Fry and Dickie are both on West Ham’s transfer wish list for the summer.
After seeing Jarrod Bowen thrive in the Premier League, it seems that West Ham are now planning to dip back into the Championship market.
With a new central defender wanted this summer, David Moyes and co are now looking at Fry and Dickie as potential signings.
Who is West Ham target Dael Fry?
Fry, 23, was born in Middlesbrough and has come through the ranks with the Championship club.
Fry has been branded ‘special’ by Jonathan Woodgate, with the former Boro boss predicting England honours for Fry.
That hasn’t happened for Fry yet, but he has picked up 44 caps for England across youth levels from Under-17’s to Under-21’s.
Maybe Fry will become an England international if he excels in the Premier League, and he may well be ready for that step up having played almost 150 Championship games.
Who is West Ham target Rob Dickie?
25-year-old Dickie failed to break through at Reading before becoming a star following a 2018 move to Oxford United.
Now with Queens Park Rangers, Dickie is one of the Championship’s top defenders.
Dickie has a considerable frame at 6ft 4in tall, but his ability on the ball has seen him compared to Harry Maguire by The Athletic.
That may well be appealing to West Ham, and staying in London could be appealing to Dickie – especially if QPR don’t go up.
Fry is now into his final 18 months at Middlesbrough which may make him a little cheaper for West Ham, who just splashed big money on a centre back in Kurt Zouma in August.
Cost will absolutely be a factor for West Ham, with the £12million deal Burnley struck for Nathan Collins potentially a good guide for the Hammers as they plot moves for Fry or Dickie.
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