Manchester United are reportedly willing to shell out a transfer fee of €50 million to sign Villarreal and Spain defender Pau Torres in the summer window.
According to MARCA, Manchester United are ready to step up their pursuit of Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres heading into the summer transfer window. The Red Devils are prepared to fork out a sum of €50 million to sign the Spaniard.
Torres came through the ranks at Villarreal and became a first-team regular at the club from 2019 after spending the 2018/19 campaign on loan at Malaga. The 25-year-old has since developed into one of the finest defenders in La Liga and is a mainstay in the Spanish national team.
Torres was a permanent fixture in the Villarreal side that made it as far as the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League this season and secured a top-seven finish to secure qualification for the Europa Conference League next season. In total, he has played 47 times in all competitions this term, even contributing with six goals in the process.
Torres is a player that has been on Manchester United’s radar for a while now. And, it seems like they are prepared to act on their interest in the 25-year-old in the upcoming transfer window.
Manchester United’s defence was woeful in the 2021/22 campaign. Harry Maguire endured a torrid season, while Victor Lindelof did not cover himself in glory. With Raphael Varane struggling with injury issues, the Red Devils leaked goals in plenty and need to address the issue.
Furthermore, Eric Bailly will be allowed to leave in the summer, while Phil Jones should also depart, which would leave a vacancy in the centre-back department in the roster. So, at least one new centre-back is a priority for incoming manager Erik ten Hag, with AFC Ajax’s Jurrien Timber emerging as a target, while Merih Demiral of Atalanta is also on the agenda.
At the same time, Manchester United are also considering the possibility of signing Torres as he is seen as a good fit in the side due to his ball-playing abilities. To that end, the 20-time English champions would be prepared to shell out a transfer fee of €50 million to land the Spanish international in the summer.
Even though he still has two years left on his contract, Villarreal could be open to the possibility of a sale for a significant fee. Whether the €50 million that Manchester United are willing to offer will be enough remains the question.
