Sport nationLiam Cooper, the captain of Leeds United, is reportedly set to leave the club at the end of the season as his contract comes to an end, with no signs of an extension on the horizon. According to Phil Hay from The Athletic, speaking on The Square Ball podcast on April 5, 2024, Cooper’s time at Elland Road appears to be drawing to a close following a challenging performance in the 2-2 draw against Watford post-international break on March 29. This match marked Cooper’s first start in the Championship lineup since New Year’s Day, highlighting his reduced role in the team’s defensive setup, which has been solidified by Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon.
Hay pointed out that while not all the blame for the goals conceded against Watford can be placed on Cooper, the match did underscore the difficulties in altering the central defensive partnership of Ampadu and Rodon, which has been effective throughout 2024. With Pascal Struijk out for the season due to surgery, it seems unlikely that anyone could displace Ampadu from his position.
The departure of Cooper wouldn’t come as a surprise, especially considering manager Daniel Farke’s decision to move on from another long-serving player, Luke Ayling. With Cooper, Ayling, and Stuart Dallas—all 32 years old and integral to Leeds for many years—seeing their contracts expiring, a new era under Farke seems to be taking shape. This shift away from the core group that achieved success under Marcelo Bielsa is becoming more evident.
Despite Cooper’s significant contributions to Leeds United, including captaining the team to Premier League promotion in 2020, his influence on the pitch has diminished over the past few seasons due to injuries and the emergence of a new defensive lineup under Farke. With Leeds potentially returning to the Premier League next season, the time appears right for both the club and Cooper to part ways, allowing younger players like Charlie Cresswell to gain more experience.
Citations:
[1] https://theathletic.com/4959432/2023/10/16/liam-cooper-saudi-leeds/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Cooper
[3] https://www.teamtalk.com/news/leeds-stance-liam-cooper-exit-revealed-blackburn-approach-two-prem-stars-targeted-late-window-surge
[4] https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/03/28/leeds-liam-cooper-could-leave-in-summer-even-if-they-are-promoted/
[5] https://thepfsa.co.uk/liam-cooper-underlining-his-value-to-leeds-united/
[6] https://www.leedsallover.com/leeds-united-already-planning-for-summer-exit-after-resisting-january-approach-phil-hay/
[7] https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/liam-coopers-leeds-united-future-28545416
[8] https://www.premierleague.com/players/3622/Junior-Firpo/overview
[9] https://www.footballfancast.com/leeds-united-transfer-news-liam-cooper-exit/
[10] https://motleedsnews.com/players/leeds-united-liam-cooper-expects-to-leave-elland-road-amid-contract-situation-phil-hay/
[11] https://www.footballcritic.com/liam-cooper/profile/36865
[12] https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-make-stance-clear-28546619
[13] https://www.leedsallover.com/liam-cooper-wages-how-much-is-leeds-united-captain-earning-amid-exit-links/
[14] https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/leeds-united-simply-have-to-make-this-player-contract-decision-despite-pascal-struijk-evolution-under-daniel-farke/
[15] https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/the-19-players-set-to-leave-leeds-united-as-time-for-key-contract-decisions-approaches-4536693
[16] https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-players-that-could-follow-liam-cooper-out-of-leeds-united-this-summer/
[17] https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/liam-cooper-verdict-given-as-ex-leeds-united-man-spells-out-skippers-uncertain-future-4573576
[18] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3F9bB9stCI
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