Sam Byram admits taking Leeds United contract gamble as defender reveals details of summer transfer – YEP 12/10/23

Leeds United defender Sam Byram admits he gambled on being offered a contract by the club following his Norwich City release and a trial period at Elland Road.

By Joe Donnohue

The 30-year-old re-joined his boyhood club over the summer after a successful trial, signing terms on a one-year deal on the eve of the new season. Byram’s second debut came from the substitutes’ bench the following day as Leeds drew 2-2 with Cardiff City at Elland Road.

Having left the club seven years prior, playing no part in Leeds’ subsequent 2020 promotion, Byram’s homecoming did not yield considerable fanfare, but his performances in white since returning have been impressive.

The versatile full-back’s longevity over the first 11 league games of the season has been equally pleasing for fans and the club, after the player’s history of injury issues which ultimately led to his release at Carrow Road. Byram has featured in ten of Leeds’ Championship fixtures this term, starting eight.

Speaking to the Official Leeds United podcast, Byram talked hosts Michael Bridges and Matthew Lewis through his summer trial and the eventual reward of a new Leeds contract.

“There was definitely no guarantee [of a contract],” Byram said. “I'd come off the back of not the best injury situation at Norwich, I was obviously a free agent and not heard a right lot, to be fair.

"There were a few clubs that were interested, a couple of options abroad as well, and I was just waiting to hear what the next step was. I'd done a lot of fitness and extra training through the summer, so I felt like I was in a really good position, fitness-wise.

"I got a message off the boss and his staff saying: ‘You're a free agent and we know you know the club, we've worked together before, do you want to come and train with us?’”

Farke and Byram crossed paths at Norwich where the latter played over 30 times for the Canaries in the Premier League, mostly under the German manager.

"At the start, it was just a case of ‘come and train with us, it’s good for you, you're in a team environment to keep fit.’

"And then just as it progressed, I feel like I did well in training, they said: ‘Look, we've got pre-season games, do you want to be involved in them? We'd like you to play in them.’

"From my point [of view], it’s always a risk being out of contract, but for me, the chance to impress and to sign again for Leeds massively outweighed any potential risk.

“Obviously, I know it's a huge opportunity to come back here, to work with a manager I'd worked with before so for me it was just pure excitement and relishing the opportunity.”

While Byram admits the possibility of picking up an injury during a pre-season game whilst not contracted to any club was a risk, the 30-year-old says he and his partner took a different type of gamble with regard to their living situation around the same time.

"It’s funny, it got to the point where I’d just sold my house in Norwich, and we had the completion dates, and I needed to shift all my furniture and because I didn't know what was happening, at Leeds, me and my partner just started looking for houses to rent.

"The first five or six weeks even when the season started, we were in between hotels and Airbnbs – she was pregnant at the time as well, still is pregnant – so it was a stressful start.

"But, we gambled and we put our name down for this house to rent for 12 months before Leeds had offered anything. We thought, we’re just going to go for it and luckily all that paid off, they offered the contract and we moved [in].”