Leeds United and La Liga outfit Real Betis are reportedly set to meet today [12 June] to attempt to agree upon terms for a deal which would see Whites midfielder Marc Roca depart the West Yorkshire club this summer.
That is according to Spanish media outlet Estadio Deportivo, who claim that the deal would initially see Roca leave on loan, but that the option would exist to make the move permanent.
A transfer would perhaps be the best choice for the 26-year-old who – despite brief flashes of quality for Leeds this season – has not truly lived up to the hype which his £10m move from Bayern Munich last summer generated.
Given that Roca has also expressed his desire to be part of Luis de la Fuente’s Spanish side for the European Championships next year, it is unlikely he will get much attention from his national side’s head coach following Leeds’ relegation into the Championship this season.
A move to the top-flight of his home country would certainly help put him more in the frame in this regard, with impressive performances at this level much more likely to catch de la Fuente’s eye.
Roca made 36 appearances for the Whites across all competitions during his first season at the club, but struggled to make the deep-laying playmaker role which he was presumably brought in to fill his own in this time.
The Spaniard’s potential departure could mark the start of a significant summer exodus for Leeds following their drop to the English second-tier, with several of Roca’s teammates also subject to transfer speculation in recent times.
Yet, given the fact that the former Barcelona man is contracted with Leeds until the summer of 2026, the West Yorkshire club have the power to negotiate a deal agreeable for both parties involved.
