Former Espanyol boss Quique Sanchez Flores believes Marc Roca will be a total success when he completes his move to Real Betis. The Leeds United midfielder is expected to seal a loan move to the La Liga side, in a deal that could be made permanent according to reports in Spain.
AS claim Real Betis have agreed a deal with Leeds which will see a £10 million option-to-buy clause inserted into his contract. The 26-year-old made 36 appearances in all competitions last season, but was unable to help steer the Whites to safety after arriving from Bayern Munich las summer.
The Spanish midfielder was tipped for big things but never really hit the heights expected of him. Former Watford boss Sanchez Florez told El Desmarque: "(Roca will be) a total success. He is going to add a lot, it seems to me that he is going to adapt to Manuel Pellegrini’s philosophy well.
“He is a player with an important role with the ball. Very organised, he has very good vision, and knows (how to play) the transition between defence and the striker.”
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“He can complement anyone. If you play him as a ‘number eight’ he plays as an ‘eight’. If you play him as a ‘number six’ he plays as a ‘six’. He is a very good player, it doesn’t matter who is next to him.”
The Estadio Benito Villamarin has been a venue where plenty of Europe's stars have landed to revive their stagnating careers and Sanchez says there's no reason why Roca can't repeat the likes of Nabil Fekir, Sergio Canales and Gio Lo Celso's successes.
“We saw a kid with a lot of personality (at Espanyol). Very obedient and capable,” Sanchez Flores said. “He has spent his whole life between Spain, England and Germany.
“Always in the elite and in good teams.”
