Liam Cooper could quit Leeds United amid ‘Lucrative’ Saudi Arabia offer
Liam Cooper has received a “lucrative” offer from Saudi Arabia to quit Leeds United, according to a report by talkSPORT.
Writing on their official website (3 August), the national radio station reports that the captain’s commitment to Elland Road is being tested by an offer from former Whites striker Robbie Fowler’s new side Al Qadsiah.
It is unclear if the player is open to the move or how much Leeds would receive if a move were to happen, but the offer is on the table for the Scotland international.
“Liam Cooper’s commitment to getting Leeds back in the Premier League is being tested by a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia,” they wrote.
“Cooper was one of the first players to take to social media to apologise to fans after the Whites were relegated from the Premier League and vowed that he would ‘never turn my back on the club.’
“But talkSPORT understands the Scotland international, 31, a Leeds player since 2014 and stalwart of their last promotion-winning side, is attracting interest from Al Qadsiah, managed by Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler.”
Shock
This would be the biggest shock of the summer, potentially in English football never mind just at Leeds.
Cooper is the biggest Leeds man going and as captain of the club, he has taken that responsibility on his shoulders and stood up to be counted in these hard times.
But we have seen this summer that Saudi money talks and is a different kettle of fish, with the likes of Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante, Ruben Neves and even Jordan Henderson moving to the Middle East.
Rodrigo already opted for a move to Saudi too and that means Cooper will have someone he knows well to have a conversation with about the potential move, and in the twilight of his career it would be tough to begrudge him the move.
But the Whites are struggling for defensive options after Max Wober and Robin Koch upped and left for the Bundesliga, so to lose Cooper on the eve of the new season would be a huge blow to Daniel Farke’s plans.
In other Leeds news, club chiefs make contact with CL defender as loan-to-buy deal on the cards.