Leeds United returnee backed to overcome injury delicacy as Daniel Farke makes fitness prediction

This summer the full-back came home to the club that brought him into professional football through the Thorp Arch academy, rejoining his former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke as a free agent.

Byram missed significant game time through injuries while at Norwich, playing just 54 times in four years, and his arrival back at Leeds was initially portrayed as a mutually beneficial arrangement to help him get fit again. Leeds' lack of depth at left-back and Byram's pre-season performances led to a one-year contract and the 30-year-old featured heavily at the start of the Championship campaign.

A groin problem kept him out of the Sheffield Wednesday game at Elland Road but he returned to play 90 minutes against Millwall at the end of the international break. Farke was unable to start him again at Hull City, though, due to concerns over the toll three games in six days would take.

"It was a difficult decision because I think he was one of our best players on the pitch at Millwall, but we waited till the last moment to have a conversation with him after our short training in the morning and he said to me he doesn't feel ready to play 90 minutes, doesn't feel ready to start again," said Farke.

"Sam is an experienced player and I trust also his choice and when we see where he's coming from, we have to give him lots of credit that he plays on a regular basis and delivers so many top class performances. But yes to play on this level three games within six days is at the moment a bit too much too much for him."

Despite that, Farke believes the full-back can get to a stage this season where he can feature three times in a week. The presence of Jamie Shackleton, Luke Ayling and the eventual return from injury of both Djed Spence and Junior Firpo should mean that Farke does not have to rely too heavily on Byram in the meantime.

"I'm sure he will be capable to do this," said the German.

"He's improving his endurance and his stability and also his belief in his body, more or less from day to day, but he comes from a period in the last two years he hardly played the game and now he's playing so many games. We also have good options with Luke Ayling, with Jamie Shackleton, so I'm happy that I have good options. I'm quite confident that the longer the season takes if he stays uninjured that he's capable of playing three games within one week."