What Sam Byram has been ‘complaining’ about behind-the-scenes at Leeds United recently

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Daniel Farke has shared the brilliant story about what Sam Byram has been secretly complaining about at Leeds United recently.

Byram is now one of the most senior figures in the dressing room at Leeds but at one stage in his first spell was a fresh faced youngster just out of the academy.

Having signed a new one-year extension in the summer, Byram has had to settle for a more reduced role this season, with Junior Firpo and Jayden Bogle both preferred ahead of him.

Farke knows that Byram will always be a reliable asset to call upon whenever he is needed, as shown by his consistency last season.

However, it is not the lack of game time that Byram has been complaining about recently, but actually something that has gone on in the terraces.

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Byram makes hilarious Ao Tanaka complaint at Leeds

Leeds’ current squad has a very different look to it than the one that was here when he arrived on an initial trial in July 2023.

Four new faces arrived in the final eight days of the most recent summer transfer window, one of which included Japanese midfielder Ao Tanaka.

Tanaka has not yet been handed his full debut at Leeds but has come off the bench in both of his appearances so far.

And despite his lack of proper match action, it did not take long for Tanaka to earn himself his own individual chant from the Elland Road faithful, which was on display during the win over Hull City.

Speaking in his pre-Cardiff City press conference, Farke joked that Byram has been in disbelief behind-the-scenes that Tanaka already has one when he hasn’t ever across either of his two spells.

He said: “Sam is versatile due to competition but we’re all happy that we have him, can play different positions and one of the most experienced, we don’t have many of those.

“Sam was complaining a bit the other day, an academy product, he said ‘Boss, I’m from this region, lifelong supporter and Ao Tanaka has been here two days and has a song’. Come on, let’s change this.”

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Farke non-committal on Byram Leeds contract

Farke’s little anecdote on Byram actually came as a result of a question about his current contract situation at Leeds.

Byram has just 10 months remaining on his current deal and so clearly Leeds have not yet made any effort to start contract talks.

Farke seemed pretty non-committal either way about the prospect of him getting a new deal, which seems the best way to go about it.

If Leeds get promoted, Byram would almost certainly not be needed in the Premier League. His reduced role this season also suggests it may be the case in the Championship as well.