Leeds United: Pundit tips Liam Cooper Elland Road exit talks done after Phil Hay update
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United …
Liam Cooper probably already knows whether he is leaving Leeds United this season with talks likely to have already been had behind the scenes, believes Paul Robinson.
Phil Hay told the Square Ball on 19 January that he didn’t expect any contract extensions to be on the horizon for either the club captain or fellow veteran Stuart Dallas.
With another 32-year-old key man already gone with Luke Ayling’s loan to Middlesbrough this month Robinson believes it is a “big decision” to weaken one of the strongest squads in the Championship.
He says the Elland Road skipper has been a “fantastic servant” to the club so even if it hasn’t been made public he may well already know the plan for his future, with his contract set to expire in the summer.
“I think he probably has got clarity on the situation but we’re just not privy to that information,” the former Whites and England keeper exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“There’s a lot of talk in the media and speculation about different people and players where conversations have gone on inside training grounds. We don’t know that they haven’t.
“Liam Cooper’s been a fantastic servant for Leeds, and he still is, when he plays his captain’s role on and off the field, the loyalty that he’s shown to the club through promotions, in the Premier League, he’s somebody who’s got the club at heart.
“However his future plays out, in a similar way to Luke Ayling’s, they both deserve to have a hand in how it’s controlled and how it’s done.
“Losing anybody, whether it’s Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, whoever it is at this stage of the season, it’s a big decision because the team’s playing so well.
“The squad’s going so well that to take players out of a good situation it’s a big decision to make.
“I understand why Luke went to Middlesbrough. He wants to play football, he wants to play games.
“But we’ve got one of, if not the strongest squads, behind Leicester, in the Championship. There’s no reason to weaken it in any way, shape or form in January.”
In other Leeds United news, a new agreement is now close at Elland Road this month according to Phil Hay.
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