Far removed from Leeds United’s approach in the recently closed transfer window, which saw the Whites spend within their means to pick up talents such as Largie Ramazani and Ao Tanaka, the West Yorkshire outfit used to significantly splash in the cash when in the Premier League.
The frantic window before a ball was kicked ahead of the 2022/23 season saw the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra join for bumper amounts, before Georginio Rutter arrived in January, costing the then top-flight Whites a club record amount of £35.5m to win.
Leeds were very much vindicated with that example, however, as the tricky Frenchman left for Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this year for £5m more, after an exceptional 2022/23 campaign in the Championship.
However, not every purchase around this time was a rip-roaring success, with Marc Roca entering the building definitely now going down as a dud buy.
Roca's transfer to Leeds
Roca would join with plenty of intrigue attached to his name, with the Spaniard arriving from Bayern Munich for £10m.
Making 24 appearances in total for the Bavarian giants before sealing this unexpected switch to Leeds, the holding midfielder was potentially expected to fill the void that had opened up at Elland Road in those positions too, considering Kalvin Phillips had just packed his bags for Manchester City.
Much like the aforementioned Sinisterra, however, Roca’s time at Leeds would come and go in a flash, with only 36 appearances tallied up for the Whites in the end across a forgettable stint.
One particular display from the holding midfielder against Liverpool during his one full season donning a Leeds shirt even saw Whites content creator Conor McGilligan brand Roca as “embarrassing”, with then manager Javi Gracia – who was in charge for a mere 12 games during the 22/23 season – watching on stunned as the Reds tore his hopeless side to shreds 6-1.
Roca definitely didn’t trudge off the Anfield turf with his head held high on that occasion, with a complete lack of his steel present in his game, as the ex-Spain U21 international then walked away from the toxic environment at Elland Road at the end of that season to move back to La Liga initially on loan.
Real Betis ended up securing a permanent deal for the Leeds flop this summer, after a bright loan stint, with the Whites having to then take a significant hit just to get him off their books for good.
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Roca's value in 2024
Roca exited West Yorkshire for a cut-price in the end, as the La Liga outfit acquired his permanent services for only £3.7m.
Leeds will have to hope new midfield talents that they managed to snap up themselves this summer make Roca’s departure look like even more of a correct call, with Tanaka joining for just £3.4m towards the close of the busy window to bolster Farke’s men in the holding midfield spots.
Games played
6
Average minutes*
88 mins
Goals scored
0
Assists
1
Touches*
62.8
Accurate passes*
45.5 (90%)
Ball recoveries*
5.0
Total duels won*
3.5
The ex-Bayern man has impressed those back in his native Spain so far this campaign, away from his wobble in England, with an impressive 90% pass accuracy averaged per La Liga match.
But, the promotion-chasing Whites will have just been relieved to get the 27-year-old off their roster when they could, with the midfielder – who was once boldly touted to be a Xabi Alonso heir for Bayern when still playing in the Bundesliga – falling way short of his expectations.
Leeds will have learnt a lesson with Roca, with no extravagant spending taking place this summer, as Farke aims to win promotion back up to the Premier League with his current crop of players away from the Spaniard.
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