Liam Cooper willing to take Leeds United pay cut for Blackburn Rovers amid contract talks update
Liam Cooper is willing to take a pay cut from his Leeds United wages to sign for Blackburn Rovers, according to the Lancashire Telegraph.
The outlet reported via their website on 12 July that the Whites captain is in talks with the Championship club with wages expected to be the deciding factor.
Cooper, 32, featured 19 times under Daniel Farke last term but wants regular playing time so is deemed “unlikely” to sign a new deal at Elland Road.
His experience is seen as the main reason Leeds and Blackburn would want him for next season but it was reported by TEAMtalk on 3 July that talks over a new Whites deal had failed with both sides unable to agree on contract length.
Daniel Farke set to lose Leeds United captain
Cooper’s exit in itself isn’t overly surprising or disappointing for the club as it had been expected for some time when Farke looked like he had Leeds on course for the Premier League.
But having sold Charlie Cresswell it would leave the central defensive options looking light, with last season’s loanees Robin Koch and Diego Llorente also gone.
Ethan Ampadu may return to midfield after the exit of Archie Gray to Tottenham and transfer interest in Glen Kamara [Ouest France, 3 July] and Ilia Gruev [Sky Sports Germany, 3 June], while the future of Max Wober remains undecided but could also prove to be a factor.
Cooper’s influence in the dressing room is perhaps more significant than on the pitch now but it would appear he still wants to be the latter as well so an exit makes some sense on both sides.
But with the Whites said to be in active pursuit of multiple new signings [Yorkshire Evening Post, 8 July] the fanbase will hope there more arrivals set to follow loanee Joe Rothwell through the door after much focus on departures so far this summer.
In other Leeds United news, a Premier League ace that Farke wants to sign is a “big admirer” of the German.
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