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Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has joked that he would “tear his groin” if he tried to replicate a piece of skill recently pulled off by teammate Raphinha.

Raphinha, who joined in the summer, has been a superb addition to the Whites squad at Elland Road and quickly become one of the most eye-catching players in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old recently tormented Crystal Palace defender Gary Cahill with a mesmerising nutmegs in a Premier League fixture earlier in the month.

But the Brazilian winger has been pulling off similar individual moments all season, which is why he’s quickly become a fan favourite at the Yorkshire giants.

Cooper, 29, is a traditional centre-half that has joked he couldn’t get near to achieving the skill by wide player Raphinha.

“Definitely not,” Cooper replied when asked if he could replicate Raphinha’s skills, as quoted by the Premier League’s Youtube account.

“That one the other night [against Cahill] was ridiculous. I think if he’d done it to me he would have known about it after the game.

“He’s such a talented player. The clubs done unbelievable to get him over from France. It’s just ridiculous. I wouldn’t even try something like that. I’d tear my groin or put my hip up… He’s been unbelievable for us and been a great coup for the club.”

TBR’s View:

There aren’t many players in the Premier League that could get close to Raphinha in terms of individual flair, let alone Leeds’ powerful centre-back Cooper.

The left-footed attacker has the confidence on the pitch to play with real creativity and bravery on the ball, scoring four goals and setting up five assists in 19 games this season.

But his defensive work can be overlooked, as he does an excellent job tracking back and working hard out of possession.