Arsenal are reportedly considering a January bid for Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres in an attempt to add to their defensive options.

Unai Emery is under a lot of pressure and a big part of the problem at Arsenal is the folly defending this season. According to The Sun, Arsenal are set to dive into the January transfer window to strengthen their backline, with Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres linked to the Premier League giants.

Arsenal do have the likes Sokratis, Calum Chambers, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Rob Holding and Shkodran Mustafi as options worth considering, along with summer arrival David Luiz. The truth though, is in the numbers, with Arsenal conceding 17 goals in 12 Premier League matches so far.

Sokratis is the only one that has proven to be somewhat reliable and Unai Emery will be looking to bring in someone to partner the Greek international with as soon as possible. The January window is a tough time to complete good deals but Arsenal are desperate to salvage their season and Pau Torres has emerged as a good option.

Pau Torres is a new and rising name in the world of football. The 22-year-old is a Villarreal local and rose through the ranks at the Spanish club. But, it was his loan spell at Malaga in the 2018-19 campaign that saw him lock down a regular place for himself in Villarreal for the ongoing season.

Heading in the right direction! (Picture Courtesy - AFP/Getty Images)
Heading in the right direction! (Picture Courtesy – AFP/Getty Images)

Now, the 22-year-old has played every minute of Villarreal’s La Liga season so far and has impressed so much that he was rewarded with his senior cap for Spain in the ongoing international break. Torres is known for his ability on the ball, which has become oh-so important in modern football and disciple, something Arsenal are in need of at the back.

But, the concern for Arsenal will be the transfer fee, if they do pursue Torres in the January transfer window. The Villarreal star has a £43 million release clause embedded in his contract and Arsenal are unlikely to get the Spanish club to negotiate mid-season.

Hence, Arsenal would have to bankroll the entire release clause to bring Pau Torres to London. Although, the Gunners managed to pull off some impressive deals during the summer transfer window through structured payments and that is likely to be the approach they would take for Torres.

All of 22, Torres has a lot to grow and is not necessarily a player who would instantly be an upgrade for Arsenal, despite the Villarreal star clearly heading in the right direction. To add to it, the defender could take some time to settle into the new surroundings and a new league a-la Victor Lindelof at Manchester United, which makes Leicester star Caglar Soyuncu a more suitable target.

Arsenal though, as mentioned above, could make a move in desperation, with Torres, Dayot Upamecano and a couple of other names doing the rounds.

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