Manchester City are reportedly ready to battle Juventus in the hunt for Pau Torres as Pep Guardiola switches his attention on central defensive signings.
According to 90 min, Manchester City have switched their attention to Pau Torres and will have to battle Juventus for the Spanish international’s signature. The 25-year-old Villarreal defender has been on the radars of Premier League clubs, with City and Juventus among his suitors.
The market for centre-backs has exploded in the last few weeks, with many top clubs across the continent chasing viable targets. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur have either signed their preferred players or are about to, and it may be time for Manchester City to enter the fray.
Manchester City have been busy offloading players that were ready to move on and have since sold Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling. They are on the verge of selling Nathan Ake to Chelsea after the two clubs agreed on a fee for the Dutchman.
Manchester City’s primary defensive target is Marc Cucurella, and the club had stepped up their efforts to sign the Spaniard some time ago. However, the Premier League champions are not planning to pay over the odds for the Brighton defender, as reports suggest they might not exceed a fee of more than £50 million.
Hence, Pep Guardiola is looking at alternative targets, including Pau Torres. The Spaniard has been linked with many Premier League clubs in the last couple of years. Manchester United were considered favourites at one stage, but they have since switched their attention towards Lisandro Martinez, whose arrival at Old Trafford seems imminent.
Manchester City are reportedly looking at Torres to replace Ake, and his profile of being a left-sided, ball-playing defender fits Guardiola’s requirement. However, Juventus could pose a problem for the Premier League champions, as the Serie A giants are also keen on signing the 25-year-old Villarreal defender.
After a tough three-way battle involving Juventus, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, Juventus came out empty-handed. They are close to selling Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern, and while they wanted Kalidou Koulibaly to replace the Dutchman, the Senegalese international has agreed to join Chelsea.
So Juventus now want Torres to replace de Ligt, but the competition with Manchester City could be challenging. Guardiola could be critical in this chase, as the Spanish international has previously shown the desire to play in England, although the lure of playing in Serie A could also play a part in his decision-making.
