FC Bayern is interested in Marc Roca. However, if the record holders want to sign the defensive midfielder from Espanyol Barcelona, they will have to pay his exit clause of 40 million euros.
According to information from SOCCERSCORE and Goal, Espanyol is under no circumstances prepared to let the Spanish U21 European Champion draw for a lower transfer fee.
Radio Catalunya had recently reported about an offer of 18 million euros by the Munich company, but Bavaria’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stressed shortly afterwards that they had neither made such an offer nor made contact with the Spanish first division team.
The Bavarians don’t have to do the latter either. If he activates his clause, Roca can leave his employer despite his contract, which runs until 2022, without the club being able to veto it.
According to the sports newspapers Marca and AS, an agreement between the 22-year-old and the Bavarians has been in place for several days. In Barcelona such reports are dealt with calmly, coach David Gallego stressed after the 4-0 first leg win in the Europa League qualification against the Icelandic club UMF Stjarnan that Roca is concentrating “one hundred percent” on Espanyol.
“There’s no problem at all, it’s more of a media thing,” Gallego explained, also with a view to striker Borja Iglesias, who has been associated with league rival Betis Sevilla for weeks. “Marc and Boca both give their all for this club. They know our fans love them.”
The situation with Iglesias is similar to that with Roca. The goalscorer’s contract (20 compulsory goals in the past season) includes an impressive 28 million euro withdrawal clause. Betis would like to pay less after Lyon star Nabil Fekir’s 20 million euro commitment, but Espanyol is also unwilling to negotiate with the 26-year-old and vehemently insists on the clause.
Espanyol followed the same pattern in the recent sale of Mario Hermoso to Atletico Madrid. The central defender was only allowed to leave because the capital city transferred his fixed transfer fee of 25 million euros to the “Pericos”.
“We’re not in a sales crisis,” said Carlos Garcia Pont, the Catalan vice-president, when he was asked last Thursday about the speculation surrounding iglesas. “If a change is made, it is only because it is good for all parties and makes sense.” This also applies to the Causa Roca.
