Orta oversaw three new signings at Leeds United last month.
Ian Poveda’s January move to Leeds United was a year in the making according to the Whites’ director of football Victor Orta.
Poveda was one of three new players added to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad last month, arriving for an undisclosed fee, on a four-and-a-half-year deal, from Manchester City.
But there were times when Orta thought that Leeds were ‘losing’ the England youth international, whose parents are Colombian.
Speaking to Leeds Live last week, the Spaniard said: “(Leeds pursued Poveda for) One year.
“Last January we start to evaluate the possibility. It was really open. Then he start to grow, grow, grow and reach the level of the first team playing in City in friendlies in pre-season.
“Then in a moment I feel we are losing him because perhaps in this level the next step for him is different from Leeds United.
“Then happened the situation with the contract, his family decide to sign or not sign. Then with a lot of insistence, we start the race.
“To be honest, when I started the race we are in the bottom position because my feeling is he wanted to be in Germany or Italy because his agent has a lot of connections in Germany and Italy.
“With a lot of work behind, with a lot of meetings, with a lot of phone calls, with a lot of explanations of the club, I need to be really grateful to Txiki Begiristain [the Manchester City director of football], who made this easy and helped me like (a) workmate, like a friend. I am really grateful to him.
“We start to pass other teams and the family and the player feel our security to convince he can be a success here. This spirit, this security, changes his first opinion to go abroad.”
Poveda has remained an unused substitute in both of Leeds’ Championship fixtures following his move.
But after the last of those ended in yet another scoreless home defeat for the Whites, the winger, along with Orta’s other offensive winter recruit Jean-Kevin Augustin, could get his chance soon.
Poveda, who has also spent time on Arsenal, Barcelona and Brentford’s books, made his one and only Manchester City appearance against Burton Albion last season, but was part of the Blues squad which travelled to Atalanta in the Champions League earlier this campaign.
Leeds fans – how do you rate your club’s January business?
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