Leeds United captain Liam Cooper is reportedly earning £20,000-a-week in his new deal at the club.

Cooper signed a new five-year deal at Elland Road yesterday, which looks set to keep him at the club until the summer of 2024.

The centre-back has been an integral member of the side since Marcelo Bielsa took charge, making 36 Championship appearances last season and starting all but one of their league games this term.

That status appears to have been rewarded as, according to Football Insider, the 28-year-old’s new long-term deal includes a significant pay rise to £20,000-a-week.

Cooper arrived at Elland Road from Chesterfield in 2014 and has gone on to make 165 appearances for the club.

The defender enjoyed arguably his best season in the 2018/19 campaign as he helped his Leeds side finish third, was ranked as the second-highest rated defender in the division by WhoScored, and earned a place in the EFL Team of the Season.

This season, the 28-year-old has formed a solid partnership with summer arrival Ben White and helped the Whites concede the fewest goals of any side in the division.

Such has been the quality of the Scotsman’s form that he was given his international debut last week, starting in a 2-1 loss to Russia in the European qualifiers.

The Verdict

£20,000-a-week is not cheap for a Championship defender but if that is what it takes to secure Cooper’s future at the club then it looks to be worth the money.

The central defender has been an excellent servant for the club and has become a particularly important player in recent years.

He also deserves some credit for how well White, a 21-year-old who has taken the place of Pontus Jansson, has settled into the side.

It seems that he is likely to play an integral role alongside the 21-year-old in Leeds' promotion push this season.