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Sheffield Wednesday are in pole position to sign one former Leeds United captain as they look towards Championship experience during the club’s ongoing crisis.
The Sheffield Wednesday first-team squad has been decimated this summer, with several players moving on amid vast uncertainty at the club.
Owls players, as well as coaching and backroom staff, have faced delayed wages this summer, with Dejphon Chansiri being handed the blame.
As a result, Sheffield Wednesday’s squad has been stripped to its bare bones, with Josh Windass, Callum Paterson and Michael Smith just a handful of the notable names who have moved on from S6 on free deals.
Sheffield Wednesday have lost several experienced heads in the dressing room, but they look set to paper over the cracks with the potential addition of one former Leeds United star.
- READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday enter race to loan ‘incredible’ son of Premier League icon from Manchester City
Liam Cooper is open to Sheffield Wednesday move
It has been reported, via The Star, that Sheffield Wednesday are keen to sign former Leeds United centre-back Liam Cooper, and that the Hull-born man is open to a move to Hillsborough this summer.
There is hope that a move can accelerate ahead of the home clash with Stoke City, and that further positive discussions could lead to a medical in the next couple of days.
At the age of 33, Cooper has notched vital experience in the Championship, having played on 207 occasions in the second-tier of English football, predominantly for Leeds United.
The defender played a significant role in Leeds United’s 2019/20 promotion-winning Championship season, before going to play 64 games in the Premier League with the Whites before their relegation.
What Marcelo Bielsa said about Leeds United favourite Liam Cooper
Liam Cooper is highly thought of from his time at Elland Road, playing an integral role in their rise towards a return to the Premier League.
The successful Leeds United side who he captained to glory was led by Marcelo Bielsa, who was a huge fan of Cooper whilst at the club.
“In principle, I think he will play and Cooper is a huge part of this club,’ Bielsa once said about Cooper via The Mail. “I’m referring to the patrimony between him and the institution.
“Institutions are bigger when they have patrimonies like this, when they have someone who behaves in an impeccable manner, as Cooper does.”
The former Leeds United man may be in the swansong of his career, but he will be integral in leading the current crop of young Sheffield Wednesday players this season. It will be a challenging campaign for the Owls’ ranks, but Cooper could have a significant impact on easing the expectations on the lesser-experienced players.