On June 28th, Marc Roca left Leeds United and completed a permanent transfer to Real Betis.
The Whites allowed the midfielder to spend last season on loan at the La Liga side, where he was a regular under Manuel Pellegrini’s orders.
Real Betis had a clause to extend his loan deal for one more year after Leeds’ failure to secure promotion back to the Premier League. However, they didn’t exercise it and agreed a new deal with Leeds to sign the 27-year-old on a permanent transfer.
Saturday’s edition of ABC Sevilla have published detailed interview with Roca and one of the topics he discussed was about his exit from Elland Road.
The newspaper asked the player to share what he went through during the negotiations between the Spanish club and Daniel Farke’s side.
When responding to that, the Spaniard talked about wanting stability in his career as one of the reasons for deciding to extend his stay with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
“From tranquillity and normality. I’m not an expert in these types of situations. In reality, no one is usually an expert in these situations,” he said.
“But in the end, when you have experienced the transfer market three or four times and you move from one place to another, you are more accustomed and experience it more from a normal perspective.
“I knew where I wanted to be, which was here at Betis. I was very happy last season. I want to continue being that. I needed stability in my career, a place where I could continue growing, where I was comfortable, and I think Betis is the ideal place for me.
“Very happy that in the end all parties were able to reach an agreement, and with great desire and enthusiasm.”
ABC asked the former Bayern Munich man if there ‘any moments of nerves or tension’ during Real Betis’ negotiations with Leeds.
“Yes, there are always certain tensions, certain nerves,” Roca explained.
“Each one protects or wants to get more share, each one has their needs, and you have to know what you want to put first in all areas of a negotiation, and more so in this case such as football.
“And well, there were times when it was done, others when it wasn’t, then it was… In the end, we know how this works. Thank God it could be done, all parties ended up happy and satisfied, so happy and with great desire and enthusiasm, which is the most important thing.”
