Marc Roca explains Junior Firpo, Joel Robles role in Leeds United transfer decision
Marc Roca explained how his former Leeds United teammates Junior Firpo and Joel Robles helped sell the city of Seville to him ahead of his move to Real Betis.
The 26-year-old midfielder was one of several players to make use of a contractual clause allowing him to depart Elland Road on loan following the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League.
Both Firpo and Robles, who is also no longer with Leeds, have previously played for Betis and Roca consulted with them before making the move having spent just one season with the club.
In an interview with Spanish paper Marca (5 October), Roca said: “I spoke with Junior and Joel, who were with me at Leeds.
“They told me not to think about it, that I would be very comfortable. They told me about the coach, the coaching staff, the locker room, the city, everything.
“In the end it is a plus that people very close to you give you this encouragement, this advice and the truth is that, just as they told me, I am feeling it now and I am [enjoying] it here in Seville.”
No way back
It probably will not sit too well with Leeds supporters that two players were talking up the benefits of a different club to Roca, especially in the case of Firpo who is still a part of Daniel Farke’s squad.
At the same time, Roca was one of several players – alongside the likes of Robin Koch, Max Wober, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen – who opted to take an easy way out and depart Elland Road courtesy of a baffling clause.
Frankly, Leeds do not need anyone who is not committed to the cause anyway, and even if they manage to get promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking it is difficult to imagine a way back for Roca or any of the players who chose not to stay and fight for the badge.
Daniel Farke’s men rebounded from the 3-1 defeat at Southampton over the weekend to beat QPR 1-0 on Wednesday (4 October) and sit sixth in the table after 10 matches. The squad he has assembled are working hard to achieve the ultimate goal, and that is all you can ask from any player.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has spoken about the Whites’ medical concerns over Tyler Adams before his summer exit.