There is a special bond between Leeds United fans and the players that made the Marcelo Bielsa era special, and none represent that link more than former Elland Road skipper Liam Cooper.
A decade of Cooper’s career was spent at Leeds United. A whopping 284 appearances for the club despite numerous injuries, Scotland international Cooper finally left Leeds in 2024 under manager Daniel Farke.
A brutal, yet fair decision made by the German gaffer. Cooper’s final season at Leeds saw him suffer a few injuries, even injuring himself when bulleting home a header in Farke’s first game, a 2-2 draw with Cardiff.
Cooper says he would have liked to have remained at Leeds, but Farke made the decision that he would not receive a new deal. Farke has since done the same to Bielsa greats, Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford.
Liam Cooper posts on Instagram after finding new club
Since his Leeds exit, Cooper made the shock move to go abroad and join Bulgarian giants CSKA Sofia. Instantly wearing the captain’s armband, Cooper played 27 times for CSKA but left in the summer.
His departure came only a year into a two-year stint abroad, and now Cooper is back in England. It has been six months since he left CSKA Sofia, but it has now been confirmed he has found a new club.
Cooper took to Instagram after finally being permitted by The EFL to join Sheffield Wednesday on a contract until the end of the season. He posted a simple three-word caption: “Been a while”.
Joe Gelhardt, Adam Forshaw, and others react to Cooper’s move
Much-loved was Cooper during his Leeds spell, that Leeds fans and some of his old Elland Road mates reacted to his move to Sheffield Wednesday. A deal that had been delayed due to Wednesday’s embargo.
In administration, clubs are restricted to free transfers and loans in the summer and outside of the window, rules state they couldn’t sign free agents. It’s why Darko Gyabi was released before joining Hull.
But after talks with the EFL, Wednesday have been allowed special dispensation to sign free agents after a points deduction. Cooper has finally signed, prompting responses from Joe Gelhardt and Adam Forshaw.
Cooper will face Gelhardt and Forshaw this season, with Gelhardt flying at Hull and Forshaw currently at Blackburn. He could even face new Blades signing Patrick Bamford on Saturday, in the Sheffield derby.
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