Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has spoken of his surprise following the club's decision to let Pontus Jansson join Championship rivals Brentford.

The Swedish centre-back sealed his switch to Griffin Park last week following a breakdown in his relationship with the Whites' hierarchy which ended his three-year association with the club.

Leeds agreed a reported £5.5million fee with the Bees for Jansson's services, and the 28-year-old then signed a three-year deal with Thomas Frank's side to further bolster their squad ahead of the new season.

Jansson was an integral figure for the Whites last season as they narrowly missed out on promotion, as he formed a solid defensive partnership with fellow centre-back Cooper. The duo excelled in Marcelo Bielsa's side to earn themselves a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

Cooper has now spoken out following Jansson's dramatic exit from the club, and the Leeds skipper said he was surprised when he first heard the news last week.

“It’s always a surprise but, at the end of the day, the club has got to do what the club has got to do,” Cooper told TEAMtalk.

“He was a great player to play with, he was a great lad. We just wish him all the best in his new venture.”

The Verdict

Cooper's comments come as no surprise, as Jansson's seemingly forced departure from Elland Road was very much unexpected following his impressive form last term.

The duo formed an excellent pairing at the back, and it now feels like Leeds have created more work for themselves by letting Jansson go.

These quotes from Cooper also suggest there were no signs that Leeds were planning on letting Jansson go, which must have made the revelation quite disconcerting for the 27-year-0ld.

Jansson may have been a disruptive presence in the squad, but his leadership qualities will be missed and Leeds must now look to fill this void before the window closes.