Leeds United: Sam Byram signs one year extension
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00:00Moving on then, we've got the retained list for Leeds United. That's come out, of course,
00:05as all clubs publish around this time of the year. Now, firstly, we'll do this in two parts. We'll
00:12look first at Sam Byron, because of course, all the players who you'd expect to be staying
00:17are staying or at least have been retained at least. But Sam Byron, he's been offered a contract
00:22extension. So what's the latest on that one? Yeah, I mean, that just seemed like a no-brainer
00:26really. I mean, obviously, he joined the club on a one-year deal or rejoined the club, obviously,
00:30because he was there as a youngster. The big issue with Byron has obviously always been injury
00:34record, you know, and like, could he keep fit and this, that and the other. But I mean, at the day,
00:37I think it was 33 appearances in the Championship. I mean, obviously, not all of them were from the
00:40start, but two goals and assists and a lot more than that, really, just always looked very solid.
00:45And, you know, when he looks at the players that are out of contract this summer, as I said,
00:48he only joined on a one-year deal. He was the first one where you thought that should just
00:52be essentially a straightforward decision in terms of like, you know, staying at the club.
00:56And he's basically signed another one-year extension. So he's definitely here for next
00:59season. And yeah, like I said, I mean, I think basically that's just the right thing. And I
01:03think it's just a no-brainer. It's where he fits into it in terms of, will he be a week-in,
01:08week-out starter? I mean, that basically depends quite simply on what they've got at right-back
01:12and left-back going into the new season. I guess as it stands, obviously, Connor Roberts has gone
01:17back to Burnley. So I guess as it stands, you're talking probably Archie Gray is probably first
01:23choice right-back really. Although, obviously, we all know that he's a naturally midfielder.
01:28And Firpo's first choice left-back is, I guess, how you would see it. Two players, I mean,
01:34the summer was very hard to predict that you don't know if they will both definitely be here.
01:38Obviously, Archie is the one that, you know, everybody will talk about being big bids in
01:42for him. So we wait and see what happens with that. It's not impossible that Firpo, you could
01:46see there being interested in potentially from Spain or somewhere. But I mean, if they both stay,
01:49then they're probably the first choice full-backs. And Byron, quite simply, can play right-back or
01:54left-back. So, you know, he's just a good person to have around, isn't he? He's a good option at
01:58right-back. He's a good option at left-back. I think he's probably more than good enough to be
02:02first choice in either of those positions if it comes to it. I don't think you'd want him,
02:06obviously, to be the only person there or to be, let's say, heavily reliant on him as a first
02:11choice because of his injury record. And that's just common sense. But like I say, pretty much
02:17every time he's played, he's always looked pretty solid, pretty reliable, gets forward,
02:22hard-working, you know, 30 years old. I mean, you sometimes think he's younger than that, really,
02:28the way he plays. So, yes, I just think that one totally made sense. And straight away,
02:32he was straight onto social media saying he was relishing the challenge and delighted to be here
02:36for another year and to help get the club back to where they belong. Again, he's like a local lad,
02:40like come from the academy and whatever. So, you know, he's someone who's been among the more
02:44desperate players, they all will be, but him enormously so to get the club back into the
02:49Premier League. So, yes, just ticks all the right boxes, I think. And it's going to be one of those
02:54summers where you just don't know what's going to happen left, right and centre. But that was
02:58quite an easy call and definitely the right call. So, yes, good news for Leeds, I think, to have
03:01him for another year. Very much so, yes. As you say, with Firpo and Archie Gray, Archie, as we
03:09know, is going to probably move into midfield, as you rightly say, in the years to come of his
03:13career. Firpo, of course, is a natural fullback. So, it is good to have someone of Byron's ilk
03:19about because then you've got, if Byron wasn't a star and you've got the other two, he's your
03:24natural cover. Yeah, 100%. But then if one of them were to leave, then you've got another
03:29someone who can come in and be a first choice star. So, it's a good move from Leeds.