Leeds United captain Liam Cooper to wait over decision on future after Euro 2024 Scotland call

The Hull-born centre-back was named in a 28-man party to be whittled down to 26 on June 7.

When Cooper came off the bench at Elland Road for a late cameo in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Norwich City, it felt like a farewell for a player who has made over 250 appearances since joining from Chesterfield 10 years ago.

The 32-year-old is out of contract next month and has only made three league starts since Christmas.

But Leeds manager Daniel Farke insisted no decisions would be made until after Sunday's Championship play-off final against Southampton, to decide what division Leeds will be playing in next season.

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Farke has always spoken highly of Cooper's leadership, but it has not translated into game-time.

"I'm blessed with a really good skipper," said Farke. "If you're a leader of men it's not always that easy if you're not always playing. He's always our main leader in the dressing room and on the training pitch.

"He makes sure everyone is spot on and although he was not involved in every second on the pitch, he was one of our key players in the season.

"We're just living in the here and now and after the season the decision will be made.

"Our focus and Liam's focus will just be on Wembley because he is one of the very few who has written a chapter in the history of this club."

Scotland play Gibraltar in a friendly in Portugal a week on Monday, then host Finland on June 7.

They open the tournament against Germany on June 14, play Switzerland five days later and Hungary on June 23. With four of six third-paced teams joining the knockout stages, Scotland will hope to be in Germany longer.

"If we play to the best of our abilities we could be – could be – the first Scottish team to come out the group stages," said coach Steve Clarke.

"That would be a magnificent achievement. That'll be the aim."

Cooper has made just 11 Leeds starts in all competitions this season as Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu have established themselves as a dependable centre-half partnership since Pascal Struijk's campaign was ended by injury.

But the off-field qualities Farke alluded to are very important playing away from home in a tournament.

Unlike his English counterparts, Cooper has only two players to see off to make the cut, and fellow centre-back Grant Hanley has only had one 82nd-minute substitute appearance for Norwich City since March 6.

"I've probably got half a dozen who are not playing regularly or coming back form injury," explained Clarke. "So it (the size of the squad) is just to give us more breathing space.

"We can take a look at them over our 10 days together in the pre-camp."

Uncapped players Ross McCrorie of Bristol City and Liverpool’s 18-year-old Ben Doak got the call. Doak has not started a Premier League game and his last first-team appearance was a start at Union Saint Gilloise in the Europa League in December.