Sam Byram turned down multiple offers elsewhere to reunite with former Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke at Leeds United this summer.
The versatile full-back was released by the Canaries following the expiration of his contract in July, before embarking on a trial period at the club where he started his career.
Byram struggled with injury throughout his time at Carrow Road, making just 54 appearances in four years on the City books. He was liked by all three of his head coaches in Norfolk, however, including Farke, who invited the 30-year-old back to Elland Road.
That trial period then ended with a one-year deal, and Byram's become a regular starter again for the Whites.
"There was definitely no guarantee [of a contract]," Byram told the official Leeds United podcast. "I'd come off the back of not the best injury situation at Norwich, I was obviously a free agent and not heard a lot, to be fair.
"There were a few clubs that were interested, a couple of options abroad as well, and I was just waiting to hear what the next step was. I'd done a lot of fitness and extra training through the summer, so I felt like I was in a really good position fitness-wise.
"I got a message off the boss (Farke) and his staff saying: ‘You're a free agent and we know you know the club, we've worked together before, do you want to come and train with us?’"
"At the start, it was just a case of ‘come and train with us, it’s good for you, you're in a team environment to keep fit’.
"And then just as it progressed, I feel like I did well in training, they said: ‘Look, we've got pre-season games, do you want to be involved in them? We'd like you to play in them.’
"It’s always a risk being out of contract, but for me the chance to impress and to sign again for Leeds massively outweighed any potential risk.
"Obviously I know it's a huge opportunity to come back here, to work with a manager I'd worked with before, so for me it was just pure excitement and relishing the opportunity."
