Summary
Journalist Conor McGilligan expressed his concern about Sam Byram's ability to be a regular starter for Leeds United next season should he sign for the club permanently this summer.
Is Byram joining Leeds?
After being released by Norwich City at the end of last season, Byram is now technically a free agent. However, the full-back has been training with Leeds, the club he came through the academy at, and even featured briefly during the Whites' pre-season friendly with Monaco.
Such an appearance suggests that Byram may join up with Daniel Farke permanently, potentially reuniting with the coach he worked with at Norwich City for a period of time.
Speaking about Byram's future, Farke said: "Sam is obviously a top, top player once he's fit, a top class character, elite academy product, he has had a really good spell, top character, homegrown also important for the Championship.
"But the most important topic for Sam is that his body is fit and ready to go. I was quite pleased with him in the last 30 minutes today."
Byram left the club seven years ago and failed to live up to the potential he had when he arrived at West Ham United back in 2016, and McGilligan is very uncertain of his ability to make a first-team impact at Leeds.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, McGilligan said: "Let's talk about Sam Byram. So, came on yesterday [against Monaco], was okay. He's a player who fits a certain type of profile. He's not a full-back, for me. He's a wing-back. He's always been a wing-back.
"Can play left, can play right. As a rotation option, a complete rotation option by the way, someone who's on the bench, I don't mind it. He's not reliable, he's not dependable, he's always injured and his career's gone, in my opinion, nowhere really since he left Leeds with the hype that he had – which I think, fair play, was generated by a lot of Leeds fans.
"He's bang average, bang, bang average, but maybe that's where we're at at the minute when it comes to rotation.We're not going to be getting a player of high skill and high technical ability if we're in the Championship."
He continued: "Sam Byram at left-back and Luke Ayling at right-back. Listen, I'm not here to be a martyr, what I'm saying is there needs to be work done. Work needs to be done and I'm not on this mantra that there needs to be [only] two or three players signed because people are underestimating the Championship.
"When Sam Byram's getting injured, you know, constantly throughout the season and we're relying on that, that would be highly disappointing for me."
Given that left-back Junior Firpo is set to leave the club this summer (via LeedsLive) and right-back Rasmus Kristensen has already moved to Roma on loan, Byram's versatility may be desirable for Farke.
However, whether or not Byram has the quality or consistency to help push Leeds back to the Premier League is questionable.
Who else might Leeds sign?
Having only brought in Ethan Ampadu in the window so far, and the Championship just two weeks from commencing, Leeds need to move quickly in the transfer market to assemble their squad ahead of the upcoming promotion push.
Someone who could bolster the Whites next year is Edouard Michut of Paris Saint-Germain. Leeds have been linked with the young midfielder who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, with a £2.2m move on the cards.
The attacking areas seem to be where Farke is targeting reinforcements at present, with both Emmanuel Dennis and Joel Piroe of Nottingham Forest and Swansea City respectively on the club's radar.
