West Ham are to loan out right-back Sam Bryam to Nottingham Forest next season, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim the Hammers will given the January 2016 signing from Leeds United the chance to resurrect his career in the Championship after becoming the “forgotten man” at the London Stadium.
The Sun report Forest are in the market for a senior right-back and manager Aitor Karanka has jumped at the chance of taking Byram for the 2018-19 campaign.
Good move for West Ham?
Yes, especially if new boss Manuel Pellegrini has little intention of utilising the Leeds academy product next season. Byram has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot with the Hammers since joining two-and-a-half years ago and the writing is on the wall for his Hammers career following the summer signing of Ryan Fredericks from Fulham. With Pablo Zabaleta also on the books, Pellegrini has two senior right-backs already at his disposal, and there is no place for Byram. It will benefit both the player and West Ham if he is playing regularly, and able to re-establish a reputation that has suffered during a time in which his senior appearances for the Premier League side amount to only 27 in 30 months.
This Is Futbol verdict: 6/10
Likely to happen?
The Sun are reliable, if far from perfect, when it comes to calling transfers. The same goes for the author, Alan Nixon, who is a transfer specialist who gets more right than he gets wrong. There could still be a twist or turn, or two, but the Sun have gone very strong on Byram joining Forest and you would imagine their source is close to the story.
This Is Futbol verdict: 7/10