Birmingham City should move swiftly for ex-Leeds United defender in ambitious free agent swoop: View | OneFootball

The Scottish international is free to find a new home after reaching an impasse with the Yorkshire outfit

Birmingham City mean business this transfer window, with the Blues not hanging around in making their intent on swiftly returning to the Championship crystal clear.

Getting goalkeeping duo Ryan Allsop and Bailey Peacock-Farrell through the door means Chris Davies has already addressed that conundrum, with John Ruddy and Neil Etheridge setting sail this summer.

2023/24 League One top scorer Alfie May has also made the move to St Andrew’s with the former Charlton Athletic hotshot putting pen to paper after finding the back of the net 23 times for the Addicks last season.

Now, Davies could really make a statement by luring another top Football League star to the club this summer, with Liam Cooper expected to wave goodbye to Leeds United this summer.

Birmingham City should be eying up move for experienced central defender Liam Cooper after Leeds United exit

After being with the Yorkshire side for close to a decade, it looks as though Cooper’s time with the Whites is coming to an end, with club and player currently in a stalemate about a latest contract offer.

Having made 263 league appearances during that time, many as captain, the Scot has seen his fair share of ups and downs at the club during his ten years at the club, with promotion to the Premier League in 2019/20 the pick of the bunch.

But after making just 15 league appearances in the previous campaign, Cooper has found himself on the periphery at Elland Road of late, and despite a new offer on the table, the 32-year-old is said to be considering a move elsewhere.

The differing opinions on the deal seem to be coming down to the length of the contract, with Cooper pining for a two-year extension, while Whites boss Daniel Farke is only keen to extend his stay by a further 12 months.

The discontent between player and club could play into Birmingham’s hands this summer, as Davies continues to build a squad capable of competing in the second tier, never mind the third.

What Liam Cooper can add to Birmingham City if Leeds United exit is confirmed

Although there are sure to be a number of Championship sides looking to bring Cooper in should he leave Elland Road this summer, City have been splashing the cash in the past few weeks, and would see the Leeds skipper as a prized possession to get their hands on.

Having seen their supposed £2.1 million deal for Sparta Rotterdam defender Mike Eerdhuijzen break down earlier this week, the Midlands side definitely have the budget to lure top names to St Andrew’s this summer, with the Scotland international’s extra experience in the backline sure to be invaluable in League One.

With over 350 appearances to his name across the Football League, Cooper has proven himself to be a top operator at the highest level, and despite having his injury issues in the previous campaign, he could prove to be a top partner to Dion Sanderson in the year ahead.

The Blues are currently short on the defender front as it stands, with Sanderson the only recognised centre back at the club as they return for pre-season, with Krystian Bielik deputising in the middle of the backline for large parts of last season.

It would be hard to see much getting past a pairing of Sanderson and Cooper should the Blues get any sort of deal over the line for the Leeds United man this summer, with the pair proving they are a step above the third tier over the course of their respective careers.

And although Cooper won’t come cheap in terms of wages, it could prove to be a wise investment if City do manage to get out of League One at the first time of asking, because they only have to look at the likes of Sunderland and Ipswich Town before them to realise the task isn’t as easy as they may think.