JONATHAN WOODGATE will not be distracted by growing talk that Premier League clubs are interested in signing Dael Fry in January.

The Boro, speaking to the media this afternoon at Rockliffe Park, is aware of “paper talk” suggesting Manchester City and Tottenham are now keen, having already heard about Burnley and Liverpool’s credited interest in the summer.

The 22-year-old centre-back has spoken this week of his desire to play in the Premier League but with Middlesbrough and that is good enough for Woodgate, who is set to field him again against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday at the Riverside.

“That's an ambition for Dael, you read a lot of speculation linking a lot of players with a lot of clubs, that's what it is at this minute, it's speculation, let's wait until January to see what happens,” said the Middlesbrough head coach.

Middlesbrough will head into the Owls game with no fresh injury concerns, although Jonny Howson is fitter following another week’s training after hernia surgery. Hayden Coulson, Rudy Gestede and George Friend remain absent.

Sheffield Wednesday are three points clear of Middlesbrough in the Championship and Woodgate knows that Garry Monk’s team will be a test.

He said: “Since the new manager came in they've been on a good run. I watched them against Huddersfield live, I watched that game, I thought they were very good and they've got some special players in their team so it will be a tough challenge for us.”

Howson was an unused substitute at Cardiff last Saturday when Middlesbrough lost.

Woodgate said: “He came knocking on my door, he'd had a hernia operation eight days previous, and he said 'I'm fit'. That'll do for me, that's the type of player I want at this football club, players who, when they are not 100 per cent fit come and knock on my door and say, 'Listen, I'm not 100 per cent right it I'll give it my all', and that's the type of player I've got and I can rely on him.”

He added: “We need aggression and determination going forward, that's one thing for sure, that's why I wasn't happy at all, how we didn't create chances, I was annoyed with that. Although we defended well I wasn't happy with how we were with the ball.

“Every single day we work with the ball and we attack with the ball. Hopefully we get it right on Saturday against Sheffield Wednesday. They are a good team with good players.”