Former Leeds United veteran Liam Cooper has joined CSKA Sofia, marking the first time he’s played for a club other than the Whites since his stint at Chesterfield in the 2013-14 season.
Cooper’s departure from Elland Road closes a significant chapter, as he was a crucial part of Leeds for the past decade. Over his time with the club, he made 284 appearances, scored 11 goals, and provided six assists across all competitions.
The 33-year-old was also a crucial part of the squad that secured promotion to the Premier League by winning the EFL Championship in the 2019-20 season. On Wednesday, Leeds published a heartfelt letter from Cooper to the fans as he bid them farewell.
“When I arrived at LUFC I had one ambition and that was to leave the shirt in a better position than when I arrived,” Cooper wrote in the letter. “I do believe I have done that, with the help and support of some incredible people…
“I leave the Club proud of what we achieved together, I was never perfect, but throughout my time I tried to represent you and the club with dignity and modesty at all times.”
Details over Liam Cooper’s arrival at CSKA Sofia
Some might ask why Cooper opted to go to Bulgaria instead of staying in England and playing for another Championship club or perhaps going to Scotland, well the veteran defender was given a lucrative offer.
Nonetheless, the Bulgarian outlet Top Sport reports that Cooper will be the highest earner at the club, earning around €750,000 a year or €62,5000 a year. He even turned down offers from Blackburn and Hull City to accept the deal.
The center-back also might not have wanted to play for another English side after Leeds or sign with a club that can potentially play the Whites. While Cooper will be the top earner at CSKA Sofia, it is a comedown from what he earned at Leeds, where he reportedly earned €1.3 million per year.
Despite the high wages, manager Aleksandar Tomash is praising the traits that Cooper is bringing to his side.
“In the years that I have been a head coach, there has been almost no player that I have spoken to before bringing him in,” Tomash said. “With Liam, I had four or five conversations on camera because energy is a very important thing. The whole club helped to convince Liam to accept this challenge.
“A difficult decision because throughout his career he has been in the mecca of football. I have explained to him what I want as a coach.
“For me, it is more important at this moment to have a footballer whose qualities may not be “wow,” but who has character.”
