Phil Hay has reported in his latest piece with The Athletic that Leeds United captain Liam Cooper chose to turn down a huge £40,000-a-week after-tax bid from Robbie Fowler’s Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah.
Cooper, 32, is in the final 12 months of his contract at Leeds. It might end up being his final year as a Leeds player – nine years after joining from Chesterfield. He joined in Massimo Cellino’s first summer.
This season, it has already been a bit of a tumultuous one for our captain. A goal in our first game but at a cost, picking up an injury that ruled him out for a few weeks. He is fit again, but lost his starting spot.
It could have been very different. Al Qadsiah had already signed Joel Robles on a free, with Fowler in the role as manager of the second-tier Saudi side. They made an offer to bring Cooper to the Middle East.
A two-year deal, worth £2m a year after tax. Hay reports that it equated to around £40,000 a week net. But, days before the opener against Cardiff, Hay reports he rejected the offer to join Fowler’s new side.
Hay: Leeds captain Cooper turned down Saudi Arabia offer
Indeed, it is claimed that Cooper requested a 12-month extension to his contract but of course, injury occurred and nothing has been confirmed since. So, does Cooper pen a new deal? Time will now tell.
Pascal Struijk has been excellent and Joe Rodon has arrived on loan from Tottenham – combining well. Charlie Cresswell has signed a new deal and is seen as maybe, the future of this Leeds United defence.
So, there are things to way up from Cooper’s side – and Leeds. It might be that Cooper sees his deal expire at the end of the season, while he is representing Scotland at Euro 2024 – after they qualified.
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