Leeds United midfielder Marc Roca is quickly earning admirers back in Spain after completing a loan move to Real Betis this summer.
ABC Sevilla cover the player today alongside comments from his former manager Quique Sánchez Flores praising the Spaniard.
Roca joined Leeds last summer in a move from Bayern Munich and was a key player for them last season despite their relegation to the Championship.
He ultimately became one of the numerous players to depart Elland Road this summer, taking advantage of a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave on loan for the season and join Real Betis.
He’s made a flying start to life with the club, with ABC stating it only took a short time before for him to ‘earn the recognition’ of the fans in the stands and establish himself as ‘one of the most outstanding’ footballers at Betis this season.
His impressive performances have been key to a strong start to the season for Betis, seeing them pick up seven points from 12 and sit joint fourth with several other sides.
The deal to sign him from Leeds is looking like a smart one, to say the least, and Flores says it’s clear to see his year in England has had an effect.
“Let’s say that he has developed the ability to always be in the right place, something that he already showed years ago,” he said.
“And then there’s the physique, nothing to do with a boy of 18-19 years old. You can tell he’s been in the gym; you can tell he’s been in the English league.
“It’s a physique that goes with him and a lot for everything he does, which is to have a peripheral vision and stay to be able to link the defence with the midfield.
“He seems to me to be a footballer in constant progress. Another very important thing is that he cares a lot about his profession. There are players who play football and are not so interested in their development. Marc is.
“From minute one he asks everything. From minute one he wants to know what the coach asks of him. From minute one he has always wanted to be better, to progress. I think that’s an added value to any good footballer.”
