OPINION
West Ham United right back Sam Byram hasn’t had the best of luck with the east London club. His career at the London Stadium has been mired by injury and unfulfilled potential.
It did appear, though, that he might get the exit he needs to revitalise his career this summer. The Nottingham Post reported in May that the former Leeds United man is Nottingham Forest’s preferred choice of signing at right back, with the player having spent this season on loan at the City Ground.
However, reliable Hammers news source Claret & Hugh reported on Wednesday that while Forest are sniffing around the 25-year-old, they don’t have much money to spend and so are a way off securing a deal for the player.
That very much appears to leave Byram, on a reported £30,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], in no man’s land for the foreseeable future.
It’s difficult to see the Englishman ever breaking back into Manuel Pellegrini’s plans. The Chilean has Ryan Fredericks firmly installed as first choice right back, with the former Fulham star enjoying a phenomenal end to the campaign. Plus, Pablo Zabaleta and Ben Johnson are at the club as Fredericks’s deputies.
Due to Johnson’s youth, you wouldn’t think there’s much room for Byram to ever usurp him in the pecking order behind Fredericks. So, what is he to do then?
All the defender can do, really, at this point, is hope and pray that Forest manage to wrangle a deal with the Hammers for his services. Although he spent much of the season injured, he clearly did enough to impress Martin O’Neill and co.
However, while he remains at the London Stadium his career will seemingly stagnate, as evidenced by his 36 appearances in three years with the club [Source: Transfermarkt].
