Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing a summer move for Spanish centre-back Pau Torres, valued at over £50 million by Villarreal.
As per Football Insider, Tottenham are on the lookout for a top central defender, and have identified Pau Torres as a potential signing. The north London club had shown interest in the Spanish defender last summer, but their move did not come to fruition. And they will reportedly enter the market again to convince Torres to join them this summer.
A Villarreal youth product, Torres has been a mainstay in their defence since returning from a year-long loan from Malaga in 2019. He has made 123 appearances for the Yellow Submarine, and his solid performances have put him on the transfer wishlist of quite a few European giants.
This season, Torres has started all 26 La Liga games for Villarreal for which he has been available. In the Champions League, the 25-year-old has been one of the first names on the team sheet. He also helped the club win the UEFA Europa League last season, defeating Manchester United in the competition’s final.
Torres also played a crucial role in overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit in Round of 16 of the Champions League against Juventus last week. The aggregate score read 1-1 going into the second leg in Turin. And Villarreal spoiled the Bianconeri’s party, scoring three goals without reply at the Juventus Stadium, with Torres getting on the scoresheet as well.
? Villarreal earn stunning win at Juventus!
⚽️ Gerard Moreno, Pau Torres, Danjuma#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/MgIagPP4VB
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 16, 2022
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is believed to be a big fan of the Spanish international and considers him one of the best defenders in Europe. Villarreal are holding out for a £50 million-plus transfer fee for Torres, whose contract with the Yellow Submarine runs down in 2024.
Conte, who employs a three-at-the-back system at Spurs, has Cristian Romero, Eric Dier and Ben Davies as his three first-choice centre-backs. And he wants to add reinforcements to the area in the summer as he tries to drag Tottenham back to the Champions League.
Tottenham are currently fifth in the Premier League table, three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand. Whether Spurs manage to get hold of Torres or divert their attention to the likes of Milan Skriniar remains to be seen.
