He’s been there and done it for 46 games to lift the title, and we’ll need him again.
The Whites are less than 24 hours away from their first Championship game of the season, with the defence under Daniel Farke far from settled and complete in the transfer market.
A shrewd move has already been confirmed in the form of Charlie Cresswell being handed a new contract, keeping him at the club until 2027
He’s not the only player that the club need to have tied down to a new deal in the coming weeks, to ensure their futures remain at Elland Road.
Here, we look at two more than ought to be joining the centre-back by signing on the dotted line…
Like Cresswell, Cody Drameh is in the final year of his contract coming into this season, and is knocking on the door for starting every week.
He has been brilliant in the Championship for two seasons in a row with Cardiff City and then Luton Town, and if Leeds don’t start to appreciate his talent, someone else surely will.
Luton’s signing of Issa Kabore for the wing-back slot effectively rules them out of pursuing Drameh, meaning Leeds have a real chance of finally making progress with him at right-back.
Rasmus Kristensen is out of the door and Luke Ayling surely won’t be getting a new deal after this season, meaning we have all-but paved the way for Drameh to nail his place – all that remains is a new deal to show his worth.
Many saw the links to a Saudi Arabia move for Liam Cooper as Leeds’ chance to get their piece of the pie with inflated transfer fees.
It’s fair to consider that Leeds could cash in, in order to reinvest, but Leeds have enough to do with rebuilding the defence, without losing someone genuinely important as well.
Cooper has a year left on his deal, and going beyond that would bring him the chance for a testimonial at 10 years with the club, a brilliant achievement that not many manage in the modern day.
Beyond just that landmark, Farke needs leaders in this relatively young side, and Cooper is absolutely one of those players we need in the dressing room.
