Daniel Farke on Leeds United trialist as boss reiterates transfer window ambition message - YEP 30/7/23
Daniel Farke can find few arguments against signing Sam Byram but says Leeds United's ambition in the transfer market should be judged after August.
By Graham Smyth
Byram has been on trial with the Whites following his
departure from Norwich City and the Thorp Arch academy graduate featured again
at Hearts in the final friendly of the summer. The right-back has been used on
the opposite side of the back four by Farke and with Junior Firpo currently out
with another injury issue, Byram has joined Leo Hjelde as the German's
left-back options. Farke is not yet ready to say that Leeds will offer the
29-year-old a deal.
"We will see, so we will assess right now," said
the manager. "We have not discussed so far but we know what we've got. Sam
is a great lad, great attitude, experienced, homegrown player, free agent so
then I don't find many, many arguments against him, with more or less some
really good performances.
“But yes, we'll have a closer look at this. It's not a big
topic and not a big issue. But we're all happy that he's gone through this
pre-season without any injuries and also we need to listen to what he thinks
and what he wants and then I will come to a conclusion I think over the next
week."
So far in the window Leeds have added midfielder Ethan
Ampadu from Chelsea for £7m and goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Newcastle United
for around £400k. The latter is a 'brilliant' signing for Leeds according to
Farke and one they needed to strengthen the goalkeeping department.
The manager has made no secret of his desire to bolster the
ranks in all positions but suggested on a number of occasions that it's not an
easy task financially.
Speaking ahead of the final week of pre-season before
Cardiff City visit Elland Road in the league opener, Farke reiterated that the
club's ambitions need to matched with more transfer business.
Farke aded: "I've spoken about this quite in length,
also last week, that I think we if we want to be ambitious, we will need a few
more signings. But we also have to stick to the to the financial circumstances
of what we can do and we also accept this, so we try to work unbelievably hard
until the end of August to present our supporters with the best possible squad
in order to be successful.
"And in the end of August we can really judge how far
we've come. Right now we need to win as many points in August and then we keep
going."
