Brian McDermott insists Sam Byram wants to stay at Leeds, we want to keep him and there have been no bids for him. However is it a worrying sign that the Leeds boss is talking publically again about the 19-year-old sensation?

Byram was one of a few plus points during a dreadful campaign. Despite initially joining the pre-season tour of Cornwall to make the numbers up, Byram became a permanent fixture in the Leeds side and walked off with just about every accolade at the end of season awards.

Now the focus is on whether or not we can keep him? Sam was rewarded with a new three-year deal in January, about the same time Cardiff were reportedly sniffing round him but apparently baulked at an £8m valuation of him. West Brom are believed to have kept tabs on him and prior to Roberto Mancini's sacking, you would have fancied him pulling on a blue Manchester City shirt next term.

For the second time in a matter of weeks, Brian McDermott has tabled the notion that Byram will stay. He is quoted by the Yorkshire Post as saying: “Sam wants to be here next season and the club want him to be here next season. I’m absolutely certain of that. If someone does try to push him in a different direction then it won’t be the player or the club who are doing the pushing. I’m not concerned about it.

“For me his development as a player will be so much better and quicker through regular football, and the games he’s had at Leeds have done him the power of good. You can see that he’s loving it and I feel very strongly that he’s in the right place. I know he thinks so too. Why would he want to go anywhere else?”

So who could be this "someone" wanting to push him? An agent perhaps or even a wealthy Premiership club?

I still say that given the uncertainty over how much GFHC wish to invest in the club, or sell a majority or smaller stakeholding even, if a bid in the region of £8m was tabled then young Sam would be on his way in my opinion.

In an ideal world he will stay on for at least another campaign to try and get us back into the Prem, however the prospect of the owners banking a big fee or realising an asset would surely be too much a temptation to snub?

Photo: Action Images

PaulG added 19:25 - May 23 The club really are in a no-win position, aren't they? If there was no comment, some fans would criticise them on the basis that "if he was going to stay, the club should say so". From what I've read, McDermott's comments have been pretty unequivocal .... I've said for some time that, if a Prem club makes a serious offer of £8m+ for Byram, it'll be almost impossible for Leeds to stop him going - if he (or his agent) decides he wants to go. Nothing to do with a lack of ambition from Leeds - or, at least, not necessarily a lack of ambition - just the realities of football in this day and age ....

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