La Liga side Real Betis have opened talks for Marc Roca from Leeds United on a permanent basis with the midfielder impressing on loan under Manuel Pellegrini, having left Leeds in the summer.
Roca, 26, struggled at Elland Road last season after joining the club from Bayern Munich in 2022. It comes after two difficult years with the German champions, where he managed just 24 appearances.
While his game time was better in a Leeds shirt, he did little to convince fans why he had been signed by Bayern in the first place. But now at Betis, he is finally showing the kind of promise he did at Espanyol.
Roca has starred for Betis, with Pellegrini’s side enjoying a very solid start to the season. They sit in seventh place, losing two of their 13 league games. Nine points from a possible 12 in the Europa League.
Roca has clocked up 18 outings, featuring in all 18 for Betis – starting 16 times, being rested twice. He has even scored four goals. Little surprise then, Betis are looking to keep Roca beyond his loan spell.
Real Betis open talks to sign Marc Roca from Leeds permanently
Spanish outlet El Chiringuito’s reporter Gonzalo Tortosa claims on Twitter that Betis have now opened talks to get a deal done for Roca, on a permanent basis. They want it done ‘sooner rather than later’.
Tortosa also reports that talks are going ‘very well’. That is despite earlier claims this week from Mucho Deporte, which said Betis may struggle to afford Roca permanently. It looks as if Roca will leave Leeds.
Leeds have since brought in replacements in the middle of the park, spending the money raked in for Tyler Adams on Ilia Gruev, Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev – and having cash left over. Good business, then.
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