Sam Byram will add much-needed cover in Middlesbrough's defence
Sam Byram of Leeds United
Sam Byram of Leeds United(Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
Middlesbrough are closing in on the signing of former Leeds United defender Sam Byram on a free transfer.
The 32-year-old former promotion winner is a free agent this summer after his second spell came to an end at the end of last season.
Byram is on Teesside on Monday to finalise his move, where he will become Boro’s ninth summer signing - and eighth new arrival, with Jeremy Sarmiento’s loan made permanent.
Head of football Kieran Scott confirmed on BBC Tees last week that signing cover at full-back was being considered, with Boro moving fast to secure the veteran defender, who’d been linked with a return to Norwich City earlier in the summer.
Byram is capable of playing at both right and left-back, but is naturally right footed and will be expected to predominantly provide competition for Callum Brittain on the right.
As well as two spells at Leeds - whose academy he graduated from - and Norwich, he has also represented West Ham and Nottingham Forest in his career.
He has plenty of Championship experience too. He made 39 appearances as Leeds won promotion back to the Premier League in 2024-25. In total, he’s made 220 career appearances in the second tier.
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Last term, after Leeds promotion to the top flight, he made only five appearances before his contract expired and he left Elland Road on a free.
He has made 61 Premier League appearances over the course of his career, however, and will add considerable experience to Kim Hellberg’s Boro defence.
Speaking on Tees last week, Scott spoke about being aggressive in the final two weeks of the summer transfer window.
As well as Byram, Boro still hope to strengthen in midfield and their forward ranks, with a wide forward the current desire. Using the Premier League loan market was not ruled out.
More players could still leave too, with Boro needing to trim their own squad numbers, which in turn would trim the wage bill of players unlikely to feature much in the season ahead.
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