By Callum O'Connell

3rd Oct, 2023 | 4:10pm

Leeds United will wonder what went wrong with Marc Roca after international call made

Leeds United may regret allowing Marc Roca to leave the club on loan after his performances for Real Betis have resulted in a provisional call-up to the Spain international squad.

It may come as a surprise to Leeds fans after Roca’s Elland Road displays would have had him nowhere near international recognition, but as shared by journalist Pedro Morata, the midfielder has made the provisional squad.

Since moving away from Yorkshire, Roca has been performing consistently in La Liga on loan. It doesn’t look like he will be a Leeds player for much longer, with a reported £10.2million option to buy included in his loan deal [Mundo Deportivo, 10 July].

Fans will be questioning why Roca couldn’t show this type of form while they were fighting for Premier League survival, with his string of abject displays in the white shirt failing to impress after his £10.2million move to Elland Road from Bayern Munich.

It feels somewhat typical that, while Leeds lick their wounds from a heavy Championship loss to Southampton, one of the reasons they ended up in that position is enjoying a potential international call-up to one of the most respected sides in world football.

While there is no guarantee that the Spaniard gets the call-up, with the squad a preliminary 49-man list of players in consideration ahead of the official squad announcement, his name being in the discussions is plenty enough to make Leeds fans wonder what went wrong at Elland Road.

His departure, however, has led to the emergence of 17-year-old Archie Gray in the centre of Daniel Farke’s midfield, providing plenty of hope for the future of the club. Attention should be turned away from what could have been, and towards what may still be.

In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has suggested Luke Ayling could be finished at Leeds.