Leeds United trio expected to say Elland Road goodbyes after Leeds United v Norwich City
Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Sam Byram are set to say their goodbyes to Elland Road after Leeds United’s clash with Norwich on Thursday, according to LeedsLive.
Writing on their website (16 May), LeedsLive report that the trio with 60 appearances between them in the Championship this season look likely to leave the club with their contracts set to expire next month.
Cooper is “extremely unlikely” to be handed a new deal after making just eight starts this season, while Shackleton is also expected to leave after a frustrating campaign which has seen him make just seven starts.
Byram has made 33 appearances for the Whites but it’s unclear on Farke’s plan for the versatile full-back should Leeds earn promotion back to the Premier League and so he is likely to say his goodbyes at the stadium with his future uncertain.
Leeds United sensible to move on this summer
While Cooper will go down as a modern great for the Whites after his leadership and longevity at the club, it’s absolutely the right decision to let him go at the end of the campaign.
Currently the team captain, Cooper has lost his place in the team and currently stands as the fourth-choice centre-back behind loanee Joe Rodon, midfielder Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk.
That situation isn’t something he’ll be happy with considering the stage of his career he is at, and after rejecting a “lucrative” offer from Saudi Arabia last summer he could look at an exit as a fresh start for himself.
Shackleton proved earlier in the season that he is capable of playing well at the Championship level but he has struggled for minutes and even if the team don’t go up, that shows Farke has alternative plans and an exit makes sense.
As for Byram, his situation will surely depend on which division the club are in. However he has had his own injury issues this season and if the club can find a reliable alternative, then it could be shrewd business.
In other Leeds news, Phil Hay has shared if Georginio Rutter could be dropped for the playoff clash vs Norwich.
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