Leeds United are expected to allow Liam Cooper to leave the club at the end of the season, according to a report by Phil Hay.
The captain is out of contract at the end of the season, and the Yorkshire club are showing no signs that they will renew the deal at this stage.
At 32 years of age, Leeds are expected to look towards a younger crop of players to carry them back to the Premier League. The defender has featured just 12 times this season, with Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk holding down the two starting positions at the club.
This comes after Luke Ayling joined Middlesbrough on loan earlier this month. It feels like a passing of the torch moment at the club, with all the old guard beginning to make way.
Speaking on the situation this morning in The Athletic, Phil Hay had the following to say about the situation regarding the former Chesterfield player.
“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.”
It will be a sad day for the Whites to have to say goodbye to a player who has played 277 games over nearly ten years. There is no public interest from other clubs as of yet in regards to the English defender, but if he can stay fit there are expected to be several teams queuing up to acquire him on a free transfer.
The next task for Daniel Farke will be trying to sign Tottenham Hotspur loanee Joe Rodon on a permanent deal this summer as a replacement. A deal is not in place as of yet between the two clubs, with the Welsh defender performing admirably so far this campaign.
Writer’s View
Cooper has been a revelation over the years for Leeds, but injuries as of late have seen him struggle for any sort of consistent game time. With his age and injury record, it’s a decision the club has to make. It will be a hard farewell for a player who has achieved so much at the club, but it’s something that has to happen if they want to move forward.
Marcelo Bielsa’s promoted side is beginning to show their age, and it’s better to let go of what was than to try and make it part of what’s to come.
