Liam Cooper joined Sheffield Wednesday as a free agent on a contract until the end of the season.

The former Leeds United player left CSKA Sofia after just over a season, and he returned to English football in November.

The 34-year-old has made 14 appearances for the Owls, who have had a terrible year both on and off the pitch.

Henrik Pedersen’s side have already been relegated to League One, having won only one of their 35 Championship games this season.

The Yorkshire club is on minus seven points after being fined 18 points by the EFL for entering administration, as well as financial regulation violations, which all but sealed their destiny months ago.

Financial troubles have hampered the club this season, but they were still able to bring in free players like Cooper, who has added depth and experience to Sheffield Wednesday’s team.

Henrik Pedersen shares up about Liam Cooper’s future.

Pedersen has stated that Cooper wishes to extend his contract with Sheffield Wednesday beyond the end of the season.

He has disclosed that the defender sees himself as a long-term member of the club and that he has enjoyed his daily life with the Yorkshire outfit since his arrival in November last year.

“For Liam Cooper, he’d really, really love to stay here, he’d really love to be a part of Sheffield Wednesday,” Pedersen stated on the club’s official YouTube channel.

“He enjoys his everyday routine at Sheffield Wednesday.

“He also expressed that he can also see himself as a part of the future of Sheffield Wednesday.”

Since joining Sheffield Wednesday, Cooper has made 14 appearances, including 10 starts.

He scored his first goal for the Owls in a 3-1 loss to Ipswich Town in December, and he has been an important part of Pedersen’s plans when available.

The 34-year-old has Premier League experience, having led Leeds achieve promotion under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020, appearing 64 times for the Whites.

Sheffield Wednesday are currently at the bottom of the Championship table, trying to stop a 12-game losing skid.

The club remains in administration, with Begbies Traynor looking for a new preferred bidder after James Bord’s consortium backed out of their deal to buy the Yorkshire club.

According to reports, a bid deadline of March 6 has been established, with Mike Ashley and David Storch both linked to a potential purchase.

Sheffield Wednesday’s next match is against eighth-place Derby County on March 7 at Pride Park, with a 3pm kickoff.

Liam Cooper staying at Sheffield Wednesday makes sense.

Cooper adds valuable defensive experience to Sheffield Wednesday’s otherwise inexperienced roster.

The defender is a leader and has been a beneficial addition to the group since his arrival, despite the fact that results are still poor.

Keeping him would be a positive decision for the team’s future in League One, and it’s something the new owners should look into once they’re in place.

Building a squad for the following season will be difficult, therefore retaining someone like Cooper will be a wise financial decision.