Leeds United transfer news: Max Wober and Liam Cooper tipped for Elland Road stay in ‘epic’ battle after relegation
Liam Cooper is predicted to “definitely” want a Leeds United stay after relegation and Max Wober is tipped to be convinced of the same, according to Graham Smyth.
The former Red Bull Salzburg man had briefly looked like the saviour of a chaotic Whites defence after his January arrival, and while his form trailed off he is mooted to be a player the club will push to keep hold of.
A host of players are expected to leave Elland Road in the wake of returning to the Championship after three years, but club captain Cooper is not one, and the pair of centre-backs have been tipped to stage an “epic tussle” for supremacy at their position in a promotion bid.
Smyth wrote on the Yorkshire Evening Post website of the Austrian: “Clearly more than good enough for the Championship, at a good age, only joined in January.
“If he’s happy to stay, Leeds will be more than happy to keep him. He’s one they’ll actively try and convince to remain. There’s a good chance of it, too.”
And for the club captain he added: “Has his critics, has made mistakes but by and large was fine in the Premier League and would be more than fine in the Championship.
“If Wober remains, it’d be an epic tussle for the left-sided centre-back role. Definitely a player who will want to stay and fight to get Leeds back up.”
Stability
It isn’t saying a great deal but the two senior central defenders were the players who arguably brought the most organisation to a back line that was all too often the Achilles heel this year.
Without Wober getting injured during Javi Gracia’s reign, and Cooper’s own fitness seeing him move in and out of the line up, it is fair to wonder if the Whites might have escaped the drop under one of their many mangers.
As it was neither to could maintain form or fitness long enough to hold things together and a miserable season ended in a bottom-three finish.
The same can’t be said of every member of the Leeds United squad, but Wober and Cooper are probably two that any incoming manager would look to keep around for a promotion push.
If an answer to who will actually own the club next season can be found soon, amid ongoing wrangling between Andrea Radrizzani and 49ers Enterprises, the next boss should be appointed as a priority.
When they arrive defence should be at the top of their to-do list, but having the 25-year-old former Salzburg captain, and the current Whites skipper, to provide some leadership would be a good starting point.
In other Leeds United news, Angus Kinnear has already been in talks with manager candidates in preparation for an answer at the top.