The former Leeds United right-back has struggled for minutes in a West Ham shirt – and that would not be aided by the club signing Man City’s veteran.
It would seem somewhat harsh if West Ham were to dispense with Sam Byram’s services this summer. After all, his full debut campaign with the capital club has been disrupted by injuries and, as his well-crafted assist for Andre Ayew’s goal against Bournemouth on Saturday showed, he has plenty to offer Slaven Bilic’s side.
Yet, the Daily Mail reports that The Hammers are considering whether or not to offer Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta, whose contract expires at the end of the season, a Premier League lifeline with Bilic a big fan of the marauding right-back.
And although the Argentinian’s best years are clearly behind him at the age of 32, Zabaleta’s arrival at the London Stadium would not bode well for a player who has struggled to nail down a place since signing from boyhood club Leeds United in January 2016.
Though, if Byram is hoping that next season represents a major step forward in his stalling career, perhaps taking a step back could prove beneficial – perhaps on loan if the Hammers were reluctant to let him go for good.
There is a very real chance that Leeds will return to the Premier League next season if they can navigate the play-off minefield and, while Luke Ayling has been one of the most inspired signings of the Championship season, Garry Monk could benefit from his added depth in the full-back positions.
However, the fact that Byram’s Elland Road career ended amid controversy means that a return home is not exactly a clear cut option. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the full-back refused to sign a new deal at the club after Massimo Cellino asked him to cut his wages, leading to his departure to West Ham just a few weeks later.
The Italian, whose public criticisms usually need to be taken via a pinch of salt, claimed that Byram had gotten ‘too big for his boots’ while then manager Uwe Rosler confirmed that the right-back’s performances had been affected by off-the-pitch speculation.
Therefore, with Cellino still present at Elland Road, the bridges would need to be repaired before a return is a viable option.
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