Leeds United: Good contracts could be on table for Liam Cooper to complete Elland Road exit
Leeds United should allow Liam Cooper to leave Elland Road on a free transfer come the end of the season to earn a big contract elsewhere, according to Brian Deane.
The Scottish international has been a bit part player for Daniel Farke’s side this season, making only seven Championship starts for the Whites having fallen behind Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu in the pecking order.
Cooper’s contract at Elland Road expires at the end of the season with suggestions he is unlikely to be offered a new deal and Sky Sports pundit Deane thinks that would be the best call for all parties.
As quoted by Football League World (7 March) he said: “I think that if they go up, they should realistically let him go and get a good contract somewhere else, as they’re going have to refresh in that position. If they keep him, he’s not going to get game time.
“I know from my own experiences that you can sit and be frustrated when you think you want to stay, but unfortunately time moves on. He’s been a great servant to the club, but I’m sure they’ll come to the right agreement.
“If they keep him, it’s because they think he will be a great leader for next season, but sometimes as a player, you have to start thinking about these things, and you need to be playing all the time.”
Will Liam Cooper leave Elland Road and Leeds United this summer?
Most pundits and supporters would have expected Cooper to be a regular feature of Leeds’ backline this season following their relegation from the Premier League, but other players’ form has pushed him down the pecking order.
Rodon has been a revelation since joining on loan from Tottenham, while Struijk had been one of Farke’s most impressive performers this season before his injury which has seen him sidelined in recent weeks.
Even with the Dutchman stuck on the treatment table, the Leeds United boss has opted to push Ampadu back into defence rather than recalling the 32-year-old back into the starting XI.
Whether or not Cooper earns new terms could depend on whether or not the Whites win promotion back to the Premier League this term, but it seems almost certain that the Scotsman won’t be a Leeds player for much longer.
In other Leeds United news, Simon Jordan has shared a “fascinating” new promotion verdict in a new Leicester City admission
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