Leeds United supremo Massimo Cellino says that he has already drawn up a list of potential replacements for winger Sam Byram amid a breakdown in contract talks with the 22-year-old.
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Leeds United manager Uwe Rosler has insisted that he has a good relationship with the club’s controversial chairman Massimo Cellino, saying that the Itlian has not interfered with his team selection during his time at the club.
“It leaves the club in an awkward position of having a young lad playing here who has his mind elsewhere”.
“Sam Byram is the only one that maybe thinks Leeds is too small for him”, Cellino told Sky Sports News headquarters.
‘But when I hear that a player from Leeds, with his agent, that he thinks that Leeds is not big enough for him, that he wants something bigger, I felt really embarrassed.
22-year-old Byram has a year remaining on his current contract, which will expire in the summer of 2016, and Cellino has expressed his disappointment at the youth academy graduates’ decision. I want to grow something, to farm this team in the right way, and to look in 24 months’ time to see how the team will be to try to go to the Premier League.
Speaking of his personal relationship with the player, Cellino stated: “I need to fall in love with my players”.
Byram, who in in the last 12 months of a three-year deal, has continued to play for Leeds amid the wrangling but head coach Uwe Rosler admitted that his form was being affected by speculation about his future.
“This year, if we get close, maybe we can make the play-offs”.
His agent has been asked to respond to Cellino’s comments.
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“I don’t think anybody has been asking for him and I’m not selling anyone“. They are like my kids and I don’t want to let them go. The players want to show that they are very good but they think a bit too much and play a bit less at the moment.
