Norwich City have completed the signing of West Ham United right-back Sam Byram for a fee reported to be around £750,000.
The Essex-born defender joins the Premier League newcomers off the back of a season-long loan spell at Nottingham Forest last season.
The 25-year-old spent three-and-a-half years at West Ham, playing 36 times in all competitions. He talked about his move to Norwich saying:
“I had a nasty injury last year and it was nice to finish the season with a couple of games. This feels like a new chapter, a fresh start.”
Max Aarons, the club’s starting right-back, was the only player in the position at the club. A move for Byram may be useful for Farke to introduce both competition and squad depth in that area.
However, Byram’s career seemingly stalled at West Ham United after the 25-year-old only made 36 appearances over a three-and-a-half-year period. This is a bad move from Norwich City, who would have been more wise to assess other options first rather than purse someone who has played such minimal football over the last three-and-a-half-years.
Over the previous two seasons, Byram has played just 21 games in all competitions, eight in the 2018/2019 season and 13 in the 2017/2018 season. Last season, Byram suffered a serious knee injury towards the beginning of his loan spell with Nottingham Forest, putting him out of action until the back end of the Championship season.
A move for Byram seems baffling by Norwich, despite the lack of options in the right-back position. If the club wanted to add depth in the position, it’s a wonder they didn’t pick another target than a player who has rarely played over the previous two seasons.
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