Whether Marc Roca returns to Leeds United in the summer from Real Betis is a question the Spanish media have been trying to work out for some time.
The midfielder is on loan from Elland Road this season after the English club’s relegation to the Championship, and his future could be decided by what Daniel Farke’s side achieve in the coming weeks.
Estadio Deportivo cover the situation on Monday morning, and explain that both the Leeds loanee and the LaLiga side ‘want to extend’ their working relationship, but there are a ‘series of conditions’ that need to be overcome first.
It’s immediately made clear that these can be met, but only ‘as long as all the parties involved make an effort’.
Roca and Betis are already ‘working to continue together’ next season, but the signing has not been made, as the Spanish club are ‘waiting for the season to end’.
They can buy him at any time by spending €12m, but for anything to happen that way, they need to first qualify for a European competition, as doing so would have ‘great benefits’, but failing in that endeavour would ‘impact the budget’ and make a deal more difficult.
What works in their favour down Leeds’ end is that if the Elland Road side fail to make it back to the Premier League, Roca could once again use the clause in his deal allowing him to go out on loan.
However, this option has been complicated by the fact the Whites currently top the table after 38 games, albeit having played one more match than Leicester.
There is also a third and final way he could stay if Betis fail to qualify for Europe and Leeds are promoted, but that would require both parties to ‘make an effort’, likely with the Spanish club putting some money on the table and Roca lowering his wages.
What is ‘certain’, however, is that if Betis make it into the Europa League or the Conference League, the player ‘will stay’ in Spain.
As things stand, they are ‘not going to execute’ the €12m release clause in his deal, but all signs point towards him staying in some shape or form once the season ends, with the manner in which he remains depending on what scenario has played out.
