Leeds United employee issues Marc Roca verdict as training ground footage emerges
Noel Whelan has claimed Leeds United new boy Marc Roca will have an advantage over his fellow summer arrivals after he arrived for his first day of training at the club.
The former Whites striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 25-year-old will be better embedded into the squad ahead of their first friendly against Brisbane Roar on 14 July.
As seen in footage posted on club media (27 June), Roca arrived at Leeds United’s Thorp Arch training base to participate in training for the first time as a Whites player.
The midfielder joined on a four-year deal after leaving Bayern Munich earlier this month for a reported £10million.
Rasmus Kristensen and Brenden Aaronson, who both joined from RB Salzburg, will have to wait longer before their integration into the camp after their international involvement earlier in June.
Whelan suggested the players will already be “building relationships” with Roca despite a lack of “pattern play” at this early stage of the pre-season programme.
“I think right now you won’t be seeing too much pattern play,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“There’ll be a lot of cones out, a lot of bleep tests, and a lot of running. They’ll be checking body fat and doing a lot of fitness-based work.
“They’ll be eased back into the swing of things – the players won’t want to rush straight into full load. That could be detrimental to health.
“It’s good for Roca to be signed and in the building already. He can get in the training ground, learn his surroundings, build relationships with his new teammates.
“He’ll feel more bedded into the club before they go away for the tour as opposed to the other signings.”
In other news, Leeds United and Chelsea race to sign England Under-19 international sensation.