Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has been singing the praises of new signing Kiko Casilla as the former Real Madrid man joins the Bielsa revolution at Elland Road.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Cooper hailed the acquisition of Casilla as a coup, stating he can't wait to get working with him.

The 32-year-old began his career with Real, playing for their C team and their B team but without making a senior appearance. He later represented Espanyol and Cadiz before returning to Madrid as understudy to Keylor Navas.

He's made 43 appearances for them over a three year period, winning three Champions Leagues in the process. He now moves to Elland Road to potentially replace Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the young Northern Irishman who has impressed during his one year stint between the stick.

Cooper has hailed the signing as a huge one for Leeds, waxing lyrical about the impact he can have.

"All players demand respect and he's got that aura about him," the captain told the YEP.

"Obviously the boys aren't stupid, they know what he has done in the game and what a great coup for the club. I can't wait to get working with him and learn from him.

"His English was surprisingly good so that seems okay but if there's a few words that he is struggling with then I am sure Pablo and the boys will help him out.

"He's a great addition to the squad, he obviously pushes Bailey and it's welcome competition into the squad."

He won't feature at Stoke tomorrow, but will be pushing for inclusion when Leeds take on Rotherham United next weekend.

The Verdict

Cooper is right, this is a coup for Leeds. Casilla hasn't played a lot of football for Madrid, but he's played enough to have earned the respect of his new teammates, that is for sure.

It's tough on Peacock-Farrell, he's likely to miss out now as the club progress, but if they're heading to the Premier League, they need to be ready for the fresh challenges.

Thoughts? Let us know!