West Ham United pip Everton to £3.7m signing

West Ham United have completed the signing of Leeds United full-back Sam Byram for a reported £3.7m.

The Premier League side; who currently sit sixth in the league standings, just four points adrift of the top four, have beaten Everton to the highly-rated Championship star after both clubs agreed a fee for the 22-year-old last week.

Byram, who has been at Elland Road since he was 11-years-old, scored three goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for Steve Evans’ Whites this season.

After signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Hammers; Byram told the club’s official website, “I’m unbelievably proud and happy to join a club as big as this.

“I’m just looking forward to what the future holds and hopefully I can achieve things with the team.”

Byram; who can operate at right-back and as a right winger, leaves the Yorkshire outfit after 11 years at the club, where he made 143 first-team appearances, scoring ten goals and providing 12 assists.

“I spoke to the manager [Slaven Bilic] and he is one of the main reasons which attracted me to West Ham,” Byram added.

“I think he’s done unbelievably well with his team so far, so I’m really looking forward to working with him and his staff.

“My uncle and my cousin are big West Ham fans and have bought their tickets for the new stadium. My uncle was down here yesterday getting a shirt with my name on the back.”