Reports: Chelsea and Manchester United to go to war over 20-year-old defender

What's the story?

English clubs have always fought over who gets the pick of the talent that the land that invented the game always throws up, and this winter we will be privy to one of the most heated battles for a promising young talent when Chelsea and Manchester United go head-to-head over World Youth Cup-winning central defender, Middlesbrough's 20-year-old Dael Fry as per the good folk over at Talksport

While it's Fry's defensive partner, Ben Gibson, who had scouts abuzz with his defensive performances for an otherwise abysmal Middlesbrough side in the Premier League last season, this season the Riversiders are in the Championship and Fry has slotted into the centre-back role with the ease of a veteran.

In case you didn't know

Born in Middlesbrough, Fry has spent his entire career, youth and senior, at Boro although he spent the year they were back in the Premiership on loan at Rotherham United in the Championship

Apart from the U-20 FIFA World Cup, Fry has also won the Tournoi U-20 Four Nations and the U-17 UEFA European Championships with the Three Lions

The heart of the matter

Both Chelsea and United are always on the lookout for the brightest young talent in England, and although neither need the services of a 20-year-old centre-back immediately, they always like to have the option of knowing that they have talented back-up on hand; not to mention how important having a reliable Englishman in your squad in the future is considering the quota restrictions that necessitate a minimum amount of English nationals in the League squads.

But more than this Fry has the potential and the talent to become the next great English center-back and neither club want to miss bagging the man who could be the next John Terry, or the next Rio Ferdinand, for that matter and is being touted as the future of the England national team.

Video

Here's young Fry having a bit of fun, courtesy Middlesborough TV:

Author's take

The mere fact that Fry is keeping talents of the likes of Daniel Ayala out of the starting XI week-in and week-out is testament to the ability of the 20-year-old... the centre-back loves playing the ball out of the back and his short passing ability is highly rated.

Whichever club does end up signing him, will have made a quality purchase!