According to Last Word on Sports, Sam Byram is likely to be unveiled as a new Leeds United signing “imminently” after being observed at Elland Road with a family member.
According to the outlet’s website on Friday (4 August), the defender is expected to “complete media obligations” before being named a permanent part of the Whites side.
According to “sources and eyewitnesses,” Byram, 29, is set to become the club’s third signing of the transfer window, following Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea and Karl Darlow from Newcastle.
The former Leeds United academy product played under Daniel Farke at Norwich City and has been training with the Whites, as well as featuring in preseason friendlies.
The Yorkshire Evening Post reported (3 August) that Byram would need to be registered by Friday in order to be available for the Championship opener against Cardiff City at Elland Road on Sunday (6 August).
It was always the logical outcome once Byram started to actually feature for Leeds United during the preseason that he would be added to squad at least on a short-term basis.
Farke’s incoming transfer business has been hampered by a combination of the late confirmation of his appointment and the 49ers takeover, and the fact that outgoing players have nearly all been on loan and so have not generated transfer fees.
With left-back an ongoing problem position at Elland Road, with Junior Firpo expected to leave but so far still a Whites player and Leo Hjelde relatively unproven, Byram’s versatility will be useful.
Having apparently proven his fitness to a sufficient degree he should be able to cover both full-back spots and potentially fill in as a centre-back.
Max Wober’s late loan exit, on top of similar moves for Robin Koch, Rasmus Kristensen and Diego Llorente, has left the defence looking light, and with an offer apparently materialising for captain Liam Cooper to go to Saudi Arabia there is scope for it to become even more sparse.
But if Byram was at the stadium on Friday he may even be in line to feature in the season opener if the club managed to get the necessary paperwork through in time.
