Villarreal defender Pau Torres is a wanted man, with Aston Villa among the Premier League clubs interested in securing his signature in the winter transfer window.
Pau Torres, 25, has been long linked with a move away from Villarreal in recent years, but a deal for some or the other reason has not materialised. The centre-back has been called up to the Spanish national team for the Qatar World Cup, and he is certain to have scouts from several clubs watching how he performs in the mega event.
Aston Villa, of course, are now managed by Unai Emery, who left Villarreal to replace Steven Gerrard at Villa Park. Emery, 51, couldn’t have asked for a better start to life as the Aston Villa head coach, winning his opening two Premier League games against Man United and Brighton.
It would now appear that Emery is eyeing a reunion with Torres at Aston Villa, but there is plenty of competition for the defender’s signature with Tottenham, Wolves and Everton also firmly in the mix.
Unai Emery wants reinforcements in January
It has been an underwhelming season for Aston Villa and one of the biggest problems that Unai Emery wants to address in January is his team’s defence. Back-to-back wins over Man United and Brighton have seen Villa rise up to 12th in the table, but they have conceded 22 goals in 15 games so far.
A lack of defensive organisation under Gerrard—Emery’s predecessor—coupled with long-term injury to summer Diego Carlos and the poor form of Tyrone Mings—has resulted in Villa’s poor showings at the back. Under Emery, the Midlands club will hope they become defensively robust and mean whilst exciting going forward.
Emery will be keen to attract top talents in world football to Villa Park, as the club tries to motor up the table and stay as much away as possible from the relegation zone. Villa’s management are certain to back the Spaniard with a decent transfer kitty in January to plug his team’s glaring holes.
Aston Villa keen on Pau Torres
Emery are Villa are apparently scouring the market for defensive reinforcements. Pau Torres, for one, has been earmarked as a potential target by a number of clubs including Villa.
It’s easy to see why some top clubs want Torres. The Spanish international has already established himself as one of La Liga’s best defenders, amassing over 150 competitive appearances for Villarreal. Emery managed Torres for two seasons at Villarreal and clearly likes the highly-rated left-footed centre-back’s attributes.
However, it is doubtful that the Spanish club would be willing to let go of their prized asset on the cheap. Torres’ current contract includes a £55m release clause, and the Yellow Submarine will be aiming for a deal upwards of £40m, for the 25-year-old.
A reunion with Emery at Villa Park is emerging as a possibility for Torres as the Villa tactician feels he could be well suited to the robust and physical demands of the Premier League, but the Midlands club will face competition for his signature.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
