Sam ByramMick Jones admitted it would be almost impossible for Leeds United to refuse a decent offer for teenage sensation Sam Byram if any of the Premier League’s biggest clubs came in for him this January.

Quizzed about speculation surrounding Luciano Becchio and Sam Byram, Jones said he wasn’t surprised by the interest but there was no pressure on Leeds United to sell key players.

19 year old Byram is believed to have caught the eye of Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool, so it was worrying to hear Jones list Liverpool as one of the clubs Leeds would struggle to resist an approach from;

“In a perfect world he’s going nowhere but I know football and it’s a pressurised industry. If Man United, Tottenham, Liverpool or Arsenal want Sam Byram then somehow they’ll get him. That’s something you’ve got to live with.”

While the top clubs continue to keep an eye on Sam Byram’s progress, Luciano Becchio is once again at the centre of transfer speculation, this time linking him with a £4m move to struggling Wigan Athletic.

Becchio is the club’s leading goalscorer this season and recently made the top ten list of all-time Leeds United goalscorers, so it’s no surprise to see him catching the headlines. However, the rumour – which originated in the Mirror late December – is merely the latest in a long line linking Luciano Becchio with a move away from Elland Road.

Considering how effective the Argentinian has been this season and how important he is to the way in which Neil Warnock has Leeds United playing, I sincerely doubt the club will be entertaining offers for him. The only real concern this January is the potential departure of yet another young star.

How did you interpret Mick Jones’ comments – was it an open invitation to make Leeds United an offer for a player they’re already resigned to losing? Or was it something more innocent, perhaps an Assistant Manager revealing his January fears? Let us know below…