This summer, numerous players have been linked with moves to Saudi Arabia, but few football fans anticipated Leeds United captain Liam Cooper to be one of them.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s January move to Al-Nassr opened the door for a slew of talent to leave prominent clubs in Europe and head to the Middle East.
Neymar, Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Fabinho, N’Golo Kante, Aymeric Laporte, and Jordan Henderson are among the biggest stars to have moved to the Saudi Pro League this summer – and Cooper could have been among them.
Instead of joining the likes of Ronaldo and Neymar in the Middle East, he is said to have elected to stay at Elland Road and has been open to signing a new contract with his current terms expiring next year.
Sadly for the Hull-born Scotland international, he played against Cardiff City on the first day of the season, scoring a goal in the 2-2 draw at Elland Road, and hasn’t played since due to an ankle injury.
Cooper’s career is nearing its conclusion.
He’ll be the first to acknowledge that Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League last season wasn’t up to his standards. Last season, the ex-Hull centre-back only appeared in 18 league games due to several periods out with injuries and fitness concerns.
Cooper has just turned 32, and with injury concerns rising and his form not looking fantastic, who knows if a move to Saudi Arabia is still on the cards before their transfer window closes at 10 p.m. (British time) on Thursday, 7 September?
It’ll be a life-changing move for Cooper based on the figures that have been splashed on players from Saudi Arabian clubs this summer.
Of course, he wouldn’t be typically named amongst the likes of Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema when people discuss the influx of talent to the Saudi Pro League (maybe he’s more on a par with the Jason Denayer signing at Al-Fateh).
But that wouldn’t matter to Cooper if money was on the table.
If he has similar injury problems for Leeds this season, who is to guarantee he will even play 50% of the club’s Championship games?
Even if he is fit, will he be able to replace Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, or Charlie Cresswell?
Cooper’s time in the spotlight at Leeds ended a long time ago, and we wouldn’t mind if he headed to Saudi Arabia in the next 24 hours or so, notwithstanding what he told the squad at the end of last season when relegation was inevitable.
