Graham Smyth: Struijk can be long-term successor for Cooper at Leeds

Pascal Struijk is a “leading candidate” to be Liam Cooper’s long-term successor at Leeds United, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth.

Struijk, 21, has emerged as a regular for Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League this season due to continual injury issues among Leeds’ senior options.

The defender, who’s been earmarked for a possible call-up to the Belgium national squad, has made 17 Premier League appearances this term and looks a far cry from the youngster who looked well out of his depth in that game against Cardiff in the Championship.

Cooper, 29, won’t see his Leeds contract expire until 2024 but Smyth claims Struijk is already likely to be the Scotsman’s replacement in the future if he stays at Elland Road.

“Struijk can regard himself as the leading candidate to be Cooper’s long-term successor as an aerially-dominant, left-footed, left-sided centre-half at Leeds,” Smyth wrote on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.

“The return to fitness of Llorente and, in time, Koch is likely to see Struijk slip back down the pecking order but, if he can remain patient – because there will surely be interest and attempts to turn his head – and if he can tuck himself under Cooper’s wing, a big future awaits.”

Going from strength to strength

Struijk is still some way off being the finished product, don’t get us wrong, but the Leeds defender has improved a ridiculous amount in just over a year.

He doesn’t look out of place in the Premier League at all and that is bound to lead to speculation surrounding his future at Elland Road with so many players above him in the pecking order when they’re fit.

Leeds signed Diego Llorente and Robin Koch in the summer and both players have had injury issues this term.

Cooper too has missed matches due to injury while Struijk’s also stepped in as a defensive midfielder to cover Kalvin Phillips when he’s been out.

Struijk’s versatility is a massive plus point and it should mean he’ll continue to get game-time even when Llorente, Kock and Cooper are all fit.

Leeds players do tend to suffer with injuries quite frequently – perhaps due to Bielsa’s rigorous training regime – so game-time will never be too far around the corner for the young Belgian.