Defender made just five Premier League appearances last term and will not be in new boss Manuel Pellegrini's plans for 2018/19

Sam Byram will spend the 2018/19 season on loan at Nottingham Forest after being frozen out by new West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini, according to reports.

The 24-year-old right-back made just five Premier League appearances last season and was told by the Hammers’ new Chilean manager that he would be a fringe player again if he stayed.

1 Byram has barely featured since his move to West Ham from Elland Road

Byram was one of the hottest young prospects in English football when he joined West Ham from Leeds in January 2016, but has made just 36 appearances in all competitions since.

According to the Sun, he will now return to the Championship with Forest after Pellegrini signed Fulham’s Ryan Fredericks, further blocking Byram’s progress.

Forest boss Aitor Karanka is said to be desperate for a player to solve his right-back problems, and a loan would not eat into his transfer budget for other potential targets.