This summer in football has been one of the quietest to date. No clubs in England have exactly broken the bank to make signings, despite continued efforts by the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. However, perhaps this is not where the big story will emerge from throughout this campaign, when in fact a young Leeds United player is currently flying up the ranks and already being kept on the radar of many top teams in English football.
Sam Byram is the youthful prodigy who has garnered much anticipation and excitement from Leeds fans, and there is little wonder. During last seasons transfer window, a struggling Neil Warnock was desperately searching for a replacement full back, and after tirelessly failing to secure a transfer signing, he looked within the clubs youth academy for the answer, and boy did he find it. The Championship squad have struggled in the way of successes since their plummet from the summit of the Premiership all the way down to League 1 at one stage, however long-time fans of The Peacocks will certainly have some sort of nostalgia in the progress that is being made.
Leeds are no strangers to the concept of having a potential England international amongst their youth squad and now first team squad, with players such as Jonathan Woodgate, Alan Smith and Paul Robinson to name but a few of the excellent players who have progressed from Elland Road. And that is where the dilemma for both Leeds United, and Sam Byram will start. Each of the superstars who emerged through the youth academy at Leeds eventually moved on, granted for high transfer fees, but the club did not have enough about then to prevent teams competing near the top of the Premiership from poaching them. Alan Smith in 2004 to Manchester United for £7 million, Jonathan Woodgate in 2003 to Newcastle for £9 million, and Paul Robinson to Tottenham in 2004 for £1.5 million. So, what is best for this youngster?
He has already represented the England Under 20s squad on several occasions, as well as managing to secure a first team place at Leeds in the Championship, and surely it will not be long before the Yorkshire-based team are reinstated in to the top division in England. It may seem ridiculous to question whether Byram should accept an offer from a top team such as Chelsea or Man Utd, however in reality would he be gaining that crucial first team experience he would require?
At Elland Road last season, Byram competed in 44 Championship games, scoring 3 in the process whilst assisting 5, and this exactly what the 19 year-old needs right now. So many players have succumbed to the prospect of mind-boggling wages and moved, which in some cases has ultimately ruined prospects of reaching the International side. The examples of Woodgate, Smith and Robinson should serve as the perfect example as to why remaining a Leeds United player for a couple of seasons is the ideal move. The set-up is one of the best in the country for youngsters to develop into future England Internationals, and there is very little doubt that Byram is the next big thing to have emerged in the past few seasons.
Surely the best thing the right back can do is spend the next few seasons with Leeds, gaining yet more experience which will help him to get the opportunity to line up for England’s first team, as well as prove to the bigger clubs that he was not a one-season wonder and that he has the consistency to remain focused. And by then, Leeds may have well returned to the top.
It would be foolish to rule out a move entirely for one of the big clubs who will almost certainly step in for this youngster within the next season or two, however I definitely feel it is crucial that current Leeds boss Brian McDermott offers him that experience for a couple of seasons yet, just to ensure he does not become one of the ‘nearly players’ who moves but then does not gain enough first team football. Leeds should certainly feel proud though, it has been a while since they have had a great deal to be cheerful about, however having rekindled their excellent youth system, and produced a player of Byram’s calibre, I for one hope Leeds can return to the Premiership and resume where they left off before financial meltdown struck the club a cruel blow.
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