No sign of Leeds United agreement as trio of Championship clubs look on

Cooper was one of two players said by the club to be in talks over a potential contract when their existing deal ended in June. Both he and Jamie Shackleton were in the same bracket, until the latter opted to move down the M1 to join Sheffield United. Shackleton penned a three-year deal with the Blades after 17 years with his boyhood club.

For Cooper, who would celebrate a 10-year Leeds anniversary in August should he extend his stay, there is also the potential to secure a move to another Championship outfit. The 32-year-old's preference is understood to be staying put at Elland Road but with longer contracts than the one the Whites appear to be considering and more significant gametime expected to be on offer elsewhere, a departure has become a very real possibility. At present there is no movement towards an agreement between Cooper and Leeds.

Cooper captained Marcelo Bielsa's promotion-winning team and led the Whites in the Premier League. To date he's made 284 appearances for the club he supported as a boy, 64 of which came in the top flight before the 2022/23 relegation. Last season however Cooper picked up an injury at the outset of the campaign and then struggled to regain his place as Daniel Farke favoured Pascal Struijk and latterly Ethan Ampadu at left-sided centre-back. Though Farke often lauded Cooper's leadership, that was delivered mostly in an off-field role and at 32 the Scotland international still has plenty of football left in him which may well be a defining factor in the decision to be taken over the next week or two.

Pre-season began at Thorp Arch earlier this week and 18-year-old centre-back James Debayo has spent time with the first team. New permanent signing Joe Rodon returned early from his American training camp to rejoin Farke's preparations and Struijk is fit again following last term's season-ending surgery. With Charlie Cresswell now set to complete a £3.8m move to Ligue 1 side Toulouse, Leeds are looking to strengthen Farke's central defensive options. To date £10m capture from Tottenham Hotspur Rodon is the only incoming business in the summer transfer window.