Sam Byram's departure from Leeds United '˜inevitable' '“ Paul Raynor

THE exit of Sam Byram from Leeds United to Premier League West Ham United was inevitable, says assistant coach Paul Raynor.
Sam Byram.Sam Byram.
Sam Byram.

Byram was sold to the Hammers for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £3.7m.

But Raynor says Leeds had no choice but to cash in on the star right-back who had turned down the club’s offer of a new contract and was all set to leave in the summer when his current deal expired.

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Raynor described the 22-year-old as the “ultimate professional” but the Whites No 2 is keen to now start a new chapter at Leeds with chairman Massimo Cellino making the full money from Byram’s sale available to fund new recruits.

“It was a deal that had to be done,” said Raynor.

“Unfortunately we lost Sam and that was disappointing but that was the way it evolved and Sam wasn’t going to stay.

“Sam was offered a new contract, chose not to take it and moved on and we wish him all the best. We just got to a point with Sam that the decision had to be made.

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“But it will hopefully help us to bring one or two players in and it was inevitable we were going to lose Sam.

“I know that the gaffer spoke to him long and hard about trying to persuade him and, make no mistake, if we’d have been pushing for promotion to the Premier League, Sam Byram wouldn’t have been leaving because he wants to play in the Premier League and good luck to him in terms of doing that.

“He has joined a fantastic club and I feel as though he will play a part there.

“They have sold him the dream that he will play a part moving forward and all we can say is good luck to him.”

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Paying tribute to Byram both as a person and a player, Raynor added: “He was a popular lad, he’s a great lad, he was an ultimate professional and probably, bar the staff, he was first in and last out, doing his rehab, doing his work and doing his fitness sessions.

“It’s another chapter for him and it’s another chapter for us moving forward.”

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