When Liam Cooper came on in the final 10 minutes of Leeds United’s play-off semi-final second-leg clash with Norwich City, there were more than a couple of signs that the captain was potentially saying goodbye to Elland Road.
Liam Cooper was a peripheral figure under Daniel Farke, with his previous appearance before the 4-0 win over the Canaries coming away at Watford in March. So it seemed that significant that Cooper was keen to acknowledge the Elland Road crowd before the play-off tie had even finished.
Cooper is now out of contract, and it is not yet clear where his future lies. Reports this week suggested that Cooper is expected to leave Leeds due to the length of contract on the table from the Whites.
Liam Cooper still weighing up Leeds future
The Yorkshire Evening Post has now provided a further update, noting that it is actually believed to be Cooper’s preference to stay at Leeds this summer, but the two parties are not moving any closer to reaching an agreement.
The report adds that three clubs in the Championship want Cooper, and a departure is said to be a very real possibility.
Head versus heart dilemma for Leeds and their captain
It definitely like a head versus heart decision for Leeds, particularly with Cooper approaching a decade at the club and spending most of that time as captain.
Of course, Cooper is not the same player as the one who was initially transformed under Marcelo Bielsa, and he is highly unlikely to play a great deal moving forward, particularly now that Leeds have re-signed Joe Rodon on a permanent basis.
But if Cooper is content to stay with the role he has, then Leeds could do a lot worse than hand him a two-year contract to ensure that his leadership is not missed.
Whatever you think of Cooper’s quality, you cannot deny that he has been an outstanding captain, having worn the armband under various managers and clearly retaining the full respect of the squad. And he will forever be remembered for the moment he lifted the Championship trophy in 2020.
Much may depend on who else Leeds bring in this summer, particularly with Charlie Cresswell now set to join Toulouse. But the interest from Championship rivals shows that few teams have a better fourth-choice centre-back than the Scotland international.
Many will disagree, but if a two-year deal keeps Cooper at Leeds this summer, then the Whites should get it done.
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