This time last week it seemed for all the world that he was heading to Everton, but West Ham have today completed the signing of Sam Byram from Leeds on a four-and-a-half-year deal.
The promising 22-year-old right-back had been flirting with Everton for several weeks until the Hammers stuck their oar in recently – the promise of more regular first-team football apparently proving to the deciding factor.
Indeed, Leeds president Massimo Cellino went as far as saying he felt sorry for The Toffees because “they really acted like gentlemen” only for Byram to opt for Upton Park in the end.
£3.7million later, here we are…
BREAKING: @sambyram93 is a #WestHam player! Full story at https://t.co/t8krgbScpB #SamIsAHammer #WHUFC pic.twitter.com/Q5P20H4pSM
— West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) January 20, 2016
Good little player, solid defender with an eye for a goal and plenty of first-team experience despite his relatively tender years.
West Ham have got themselves a bit of a snip here.