Leeds United defender's blunt future verdict as contract deadline looms
Three Leeds United players will leave this summer as things stand.
Sam Byram has outlined a desire to stay at Leeds United beyond his current contract but admits the decision is not only his.
Byram is one of three senior players currently due to leave Leeds in June, with fellow defender Junior Firpo and October free agent arrival Josuha Guilavogui the others. The 31-year-old himself arrived for free 18 months ago and after reaching an appearance threshold last season, triggered a one year extension.
But that extension is up this summer and while focus inside the squad is on winning promotion to the Premier League, those with uncertain futures will surely have one eye beyond the current campaign. And while Byram admits he too is zoned in on the present, a new deal would be welcomed.
“Obviously I’d love to stay here but it’s not always in control of the player,” Byram told BBC West Yorkshire Sport. “For this season, my aim is to help Leeds get promoted. Whatever comes after that, will come. I’m just focusing on staying fit, and helping Leeds get promoted.”
Byram availability surprising most
Leeds took a slight risk in signing Byram ahead of their Championship return, with the defender only released by Norwich City a few months beforehand. He brought with him what Daniel Farke called an extensive ‘injury CV’ and was expected to cover in odd games over the course of the campaign.
After racking up enough appearances to trigger an extension - he started 24 games and came off the bench nine times - Byram has continued to play more regularly than most would have expected this term, with his ability to play on both sides only increasing the need for him to remain fit. And he has, often starting two or three consecutive matches including what Farke described as a ‘crazy’ load over the festive period.
“The games that come every three days, when you're not used to playing that regularly, it’s hard to come in and play every three days,” Byram admitted. “Credit to the staff for the training regime. The way we train is so even if you’re not playing, you’re still at 100 per cent throughout the week. I’ve done a lot of work with physios for the next games, other than a slight illness, I’m really pleased with my availability and the games I've played.”
Leeds contract latest
Farke has regularly maintained that his focus, and the focus of his players, is on winning games and fighting for promotion, but club chiefs will surely have an eye on those imminent contract decisions. Three first-team players will leave as free agents in June as things stand, while a host of other senior players will enter the final year of their own deals.
From New Year’s Day onwards, all of Firpo, Byram and Guilavogui have been free to speak with foreign clubs over a potential summer move. But Farke is not worried about that kind of uncertainty and trusts the aforementioned trio to remain focused on the main goal.
"We are aware what can happen, so it's not like we are naive," the Leeds boss said last month, responding to a question regarding a possible pre-contract agreement. "If I'm honest, I would never sign a player just because we are afraid of losing him to a different club. We just want players who are fully convinced that they are with us.
“And for that, there is a moment also to speak about this, but not during such a busy period. My players running out of contract know this, they know that they can trust us and we back them."