Leeds United confirm big Liam Cooper news ahead of 2025 curtain-raiser | OneFootball

Liam Cooper will return to Elland Road on New Year's Day.

Liam Cooper will return to Leeds United on New Year's Day as a 'special guest' and will be presented to the fans at half-time of the Whites' clash with Blackburn Rovers.

Leeds host Blackburn in their first game of 2025 tomorrow, with Daniel Farke's side looking to push on for automatic promotion, having finished 2024 top of the Championship table.

Blackburn's visit promises to be an emotional day, too, with former captain Cooper set to return to Leeds for the first time since his move to CSKA Sofia - and exit from Elland Road - was confirmed.

Cooper set for Leeds return

Ahead of 2025 and Leeds welcoming Blackburn, the club have let fans know on social media that Cooper will be returning to Elland Road, where they will be offered to show their appreciation for the man that captained the club to promotion in 2019/20 and played across 10 seasons for the Whites.

Writing on X, the club said: "Former #LUFC captain Liam Cooper will be our special guest at tomorrow's game against Blackburn Rovers, with fans able to show their appreciation at half-time."

Cooper made almost 300 appearances for Leeds across his 10 years with the club, including 66 in the Premier League during the club's recent three-year stint in the top-flight.

Farke retained Cooper's service last season in the Championship, with the centre-back playing 16 times in the league as the Whites missed out on promotion to the Premier League in the play-off final.

Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and, then, Ethan Ampadu were all preferred to the Scotland international as options in the heart of defence, with the latter two sharing the captaincy when Cooper was out of the side. His final appearance for the club was during their 4-0 rout of Norwich City in the play-off semi-final.

Cooper exited at the end of his contract, linking up with CSKA Sofia, a move that was confirmed in September.

Cooper's Leeds legacy

Cooper signed for Leeds heading into the 2014/15 campaign, joining from Chesterfield.

His early years at Elland Road were a struggle, as Leeds failed to compete for promotion back to the Premier League, going close to the play-offs in 2016/17 but ultimately falling short in a campaign where Cooper wasn't first-choice.

However, things changed for Leeds and Cooper under Marcelo Bielsa.

The now-33-year-old captained the Whites to third and the play-offs in 2018/19, before the club won the Championship title 12 months later and ended a 16-year wait for Premier League football.

Upon announcing his exit from the club, Leeds wrote: "A true Leeds United legend, Cooper now departs with the love and best wishes for all those who had the pleasure of working with him, alongside him, supporting him and cheering his name.

"He helped transform the fortunes and culture of the club and had a monumental impact.

"Liam and his family will always be welcome back at Elland Road, he will go down in history as one of the club’s greatest ever captains.

"Thank you for everything, skip."