Leeds United: ‘If we prepare right in pre-season, it can be a good one’ - Cook

The 18-year-old missed the final weeks of the season with an ankle injury, but is now refreshed and recuperated and raring to go again ahead of the start of pre-season.

Cook proved a wow with United fans during an outstanding maiden season in the Football League, which was crowned when he was named as the LFE Apprentice of the Year for the Championship at the Football League Awards evening at the gala ceremony in London in April.

Cook beat off competition from Charlton Athletic’s Joe Gomez - who has just been transferred to Liverpool in a £3.5m deal - and Millwall’s Fred Onyedinma to claim the overall LFE Apprentice of the Year for the Championship award.

Seeking to back up his sublime first season, the England U19s midfielder said: “I can’t wait to get back and get started again.

“We had a couple of weeks off doing nothing and a couple of weeks just ticking over and getting back up to that fitness for pre-season to make it a bit easier.

“It’ll be great to see the lads again and hopefully we’ll prepare right for the season ahead. We’ll see what can happen in the season.

“If we prepare right in pre-season, it can be a good one.”