Leeds United defender ruled out for eight weeks as opening day hero struck by injury

The Whites’ skipper has ruptured his plantar fascia, an injury suffered by ex-Leeds striker Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford previously, and will subsequently miss eight weeks.

Leeds have also confirmed Sunday afternoon’s last-minute hero Crysencio Summerville will be out for three weeks after picking up a groin strain in the draw with Cardiff.

In addition, a timeline has been set for Junior Firpo’s return to action with the Spanish left-back still four weeks from a comeback after tearing lateral knee ligaments earlier this summer.

Cooper and Summerville join Tyler Adams, Jack Harrison, Patrick Bamford, Mateo Joseph, Georginio Rutter, Stuart Dallas, Sam Greenwood and Firpo in the treatment room.

Cody Drameh is expected to return to the first-team fold shortly, while Rutter’s core injury is not understood to be severe. Adams recently returned to light training, while young forward Joseph is set to spend three to four weeks on the sidelines with an ankle problem.

Versatile player Greenwood has recently come off crutches, while there is no timeline for Dallas’ return from a femoral fracture sustained towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign.