A reunion between Victor Orta and Rodrigo Moreno in La Liga appears to be off the cards with Sevilla seeing talks with the Leeds United forward break down.
This is not the start Orta would have been looking for in his new role. Leeds United’s former director of football already has big shoes to fill at Sevilla following the departure of the almost-mythical Monchi to Aston Villa, and reports of a breakdown in negotiations over Orta’s top target represent an early blow to his summer plans.
Vamos di Sevilla claimed that Rodrigo Moreno was due to become a Sevilla player this Saturday. Barring a sudden U-turn, however, those best laid plans have now gone very much awry.
“The negotiations between Rodrigo Moreno and Sevilla, who cannot meet his demands at this time, have broken down,” reporter Javier Bautista explains on Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.
Rodrigo Moreno could now leave Leeds United for Qatar
Rodrigo reportedly earns £100,000-a-week at Leeds. It is not certain how much the 32-year-old forward wanted at Sevilla but, whatever his demands, they were too much for a side who claimed yet another Europa League title a month ago.
“We do not have anything firm. I know about the of interest but (is it) concrete? No,” Rodrigo’s agent and father, Adalberto Machado, told DAZN.
“Of course, there is nothing fixed. But Sevilla will always be a team that will have our interest, obviously”.
According to Bautista, the Middle East now looks like Rodrigo’s most likely destination. The Spain international, who joined Leeds from Valencia in a £26 million deal back in 2020, will not necessarily follow Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia, however.
“He rules out playing in Spain,” Bautista adds. “Since he has offers from several teams from Qatar and the Emirates.”
One Leeds player who should end up in La Liga, however, is Marc Roca. The former Espanyol midfielder is reportedly returning to his homeland with Real Betis.
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