Liam Cooper has been crucial for Leeds United both on and off the pitch but it now looks likely that he will leave the club at the end of the season – as Phil Hay reports a ‘decision’ has now been made.
Cooper, 32, is approaching 10 years at Leeds. It comes after joining the club from Chesterfield way back in 2014. The Scotland star has gone on to play a whopping 277 games for Leeds – over a whole decade.
But it feels like the end of an era for a handful of Leeds players. The core group of stars that got Leeds promoted under Marcelo Bielsa are slowly exiting. Luke Ayling the latest, moving to Middlesbrough.
Stuart Dallas has not played for Leeds since April 2022 and is out of contract in the summer. Cooper is also set to see his deal end in the summer. Stoke City are said to be showing an interest in the defender.
Phil Hay has previously said that it is unlikely Cooper, Dallas and Ayling were to be offered new deals when their current ones end in June. Now, Hay reports on The Athletic, a decision is in place for Cooper.
“Somewhere down the line, though not in this window, Cooper is highly likely to follow, with all the indications that his deal will not be renewed in May. He is more involved under Farke than Ayling was.
“A presence on matchdays if not routinely in the line-up, but there has been a conscious decision that most of the remaining members of Bielsa’s title-winners are too far beyond the peak of their powers.”
Decision made as Liam Cooper set to leave Leeds on a free
Probably the right decision. Cooper is still an excellent option for this Leeds side, and has played a whole lot more than Dallas and Ayling. But, the issue for Cooper is not one of quality, these days.
It is that with his game time intermittent, he cannot stay fit. The skipper is out injured again and has only managed 12 league outings this term. It would be great to keep him, but the best move is to let him go.
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