The possible player departure Leeds fans should be concerned about

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Could another club be interested in this Leeds United man?

Liam Cooper won’t feature heavily on a list of players who Leeds United fans are terrified of losing in the January transfer window. And why would they?

Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson have formed an exceptional partnership at the heart of Leeds’ defence and there is plenty of optimism that Garry Monk will ensure the club’s return to the Premier League after a 12-year absence from the big time.

But when things are going well, supporters of any club tend to forget just how quickly the you know what can hit the fan and this is especially true in the two-match-a-week environment of the Championship.

Promotion to the Premier League is a possibility at the moment, but a return to the top flight might seem as far away as it did back in August if the next few results go against Leeds.

Their hopes might well hinge on whether Jansson and Bartley can stay fit for most of the final six months of the season but, despite what their performances suggest, the lads are only human and a serious injury to either of them could be detrimental.

But it would be a lot worse if a player like Cooper winds up leaving in January and Monk might well be up a very famous creek without a paddle if he can’t call on the 25-year-old to deputise for either of his first-choice centre-backs.

Cooper is not a universally-loved figure among Leeds fans but not many would deny that he is a very able defender. He has only started five Championship games, but that’s very much a reflection on his competition rather than him as a player.

The ex-Chesterfield man has done well when called upon this season but, with only 18 months to go on his contract, he is most probably considering his future at Elland Road and Monk is vulnerable to losing a player who is still vitally important.

The United boss needs to have a word and try tie him down to a new deal, a gesture which would show Cooper that he still has a part to play even if he feels otherwise.

He started 64 Championship games over the past two seasons and settling for a fringe role under Monk can’t be an easy pill to swallow. Nevertheless, you need only browse his Twitter feed to get a sense of his professionlism and commitment.

Whether he plays or not, Cooper is on Twitter after every match reacting to the result, acknowledging his team-mates and thanking the supporters. Little things like that say a lot and these sort of team players are the ones who can be trusted.

Bartley or Jansson missing a long period of time is a nightmare, but it would be much more manageable if Cooper was available to step in. Monk needs to act as soon as possible. It could make all the difference this season.