Daniel Farke says Leeds United can still bank on Liam Cooper even after defender's overseas move

Liam Cooper officially cut playing ties with Leeds United this week, but manager Daniel Farke is convinced the defender will always be there when the club needs him.

On Thursday it was announced that Cooper had joined Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia after an anti-climactic end to a 10-year Elland Road career.

The central defender's final game was a fitting one, making a cameo substitute appearance at a sold-out and raucous Elland Road as Leeds reached the Championship play-off final, then doing a lap of honour in front of fans who knew there was a good chance it was his last game there for the club.

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Cooper was in the squad for Wembley, but did not feature as Leeds lost 1-0 to Southampton to miss out on promotion.

At the end of the season it was announced the clubs was "in talks" with the captain about a new contract but it was never forthcoming, with Ethan Ampadu named as the new skipper during the radio silence that followed.

In that time, Cooper went to the European Championship with Scotland, but did not play in a disappointing campaign.

The Hull-born centre-back came close to rejoining his first club, pictured in the stands watching Hull City's 0-0 draw with Millwall only for negotiations to break down. Now the 33-year-old's future has finally been decided.

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And now Cooper has moved abroad rather than to a divisional rival, Farke says he will not hesitate to pick up the phone if he feels Cooper can help the club in future.

FAREWELL: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper thanks fans after what turned out to be his final game for the clubFAREWELL: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper thanks fans after what turned out to be his final game for the club
FAREWELL: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper thanks fans after what turned out to be his final game for the club

"He's an unbelievable person, a real club legend," said Farke. "In the last decade it's more or less second to none.

"He lives our mantra – side before self. He will always be with us in our hearts and will always be a club legend. What he has done for this club will live forever.

"From the bottom of my heart I wish him all the best for the future.

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"I also know when I have a question or need him with some recommendation or need him to be there to support Leeds United he is there within a second. He will be with us in his thoughts."

But Farke, who phased Cooper out of the team in the German's first season at the club, limiting the defender to eight league starts and only two in 2024, felt it was the right time for the 2020 promotion-winner to move on.

"We made sure he had the best possible farewell within the group because he was important last season," said Farke.

"It's always better to go in the moment when people say, 'Perhaps one or two more years,' instead of you stay too long and everyone says 'You should have retired two years ago.'

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"It was good that he finished with a strong last season with 90 points. He didn't play each and every game but he was still uneblievably important within our group, there was no doubt there was just one captain leading the group.

"Whenever we needed help on the pitch he was there and delivered. I could always count on him."

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