‘Amazing’ Leeds man explains why he picked Elland Road over two other options

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Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has spoken highly of the Elland Road club in conversation with the Yorkshire Evening Post, explaining why he picked the Whites over two other options in his native Spain.

Orta joined Leeds in the summer of 2017 after having spent 17 months as Middlesbrough’s head of European recruitment.

He was personally chosen by Aitor Karanka and upon his arrival, the former Boro boss said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It’s an amazing step for us.

“His job for the last 13 years has been amazing – Sevilla, Zenit, last season in Elche – so we are really, really lucky that he is here with us. We are lucky, he is an amazing person.”

Unfortunately, Orta left Boro on a sour note, with some of his signings involved in a dressing room split in the Premier League relegation season, as reported by Teesside Gazette in 2017.

It’s a different story at Leeds, where he has masterminded the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa, not to mention the inspired signings of Ben White, Gianni Alioski and Jean-Kevin Augustin.

In addition, Orta’s passion for the Elland Road club – his emotional reaction to the failed Dan James signing, for example – has helped endear him further to the Whites fanbase.

Orta told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the passion within Leeds and the Whites fans helped him make the decision to link up with the Elland Road club ahead of other suitors.

“When I arrive at Leeds, I felt a Latin club behind Leeds, fans who take this club like a religion,” he said. “But that was part of my decision, when I chose Leeds.

“I had two options to go back to Spain but I knew the weight of the history of football at Leeds United and I always said if I can, I want to work in clubs with history, with passion. For me, I chose Leeds for this reason.”

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Orta arrived at Leeds having left his previous job on a sour note and it took him a while to win over the Whites fanbase, but thanks to several recruitment coups and his passion for the club, he is now loved by the supporters.

Leeds had been a mid-table team prior to his arrival, but last season they came within a whisker of promotion to the Premier League, and this time round – obviously once the unprecedented football hiatus is over – they’re very much on course for a top-two Championship spot.