Manchester United could sign Pau Torres in a player plus cash deal, with the Villarreal star reportedly keen on a switch to Old Trafford.
According to Manchester Evening News, Villarreal are now seemingly willing to part ways with Pau Torres. The defensive gem was initially valued at €60 million, but the club could consider a player plus cash deal, should any of the interested parties, including Manchester United, fail to afford the asking fee.
Torres himself is believed to keen on making the switch to Old Trafford in the summer, as he seeks to take the next step in his career. In addition to Manchester United, though, the Spaniard is also courted by the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, all of whom are determined to bolster their respective units.
As such, Torres has emerged as a top target, having enjoyed unrivalled success during his time at Villarreal. Making just 75 competitive appearances within a couple of seasons, the 24-year-old has already established himself one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in La Liga and has recently grabbed a place in the Spanish national side.
Torres’ ability to rotate possession, pass in between the lines and brilliant positional awareness set him apart as one of the more sensible defenders in Spain. And although the Villarreal star may not provide the physical dominance as much as other defenders, his towering 1.91m figure does indeed make him an intimidating presence for any opposite attacker – making him a relatively well rounded centre-back.
The Spaniard’s abilities, combined with his consistent have, thus, attracted the interest of Manchester United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eyeing a strong competitor for the likes of Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly.
Bailly has already been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, joining the likes of Phil Jones and Edinson Cavani, who are facing an uncertain future at the club. The potential arrival of Torres could, thus, be a welcome one for Solskjaer as the Manchester United boss eyes a defensive transition in the upcoming campaign.
The 24-year-old’s exorbitant €60 million asking price is certainly unrealistic considering the current financial climate. However, in Donny van de Beek, Manchester United have a promising prospect who can be used as an ideal makeweight in a deal to sign Torres or any other high profile individual in the upcoming summer transfer, although it remains to be seen whether the Dutchman is willing to move to Villarreal.
The former Ajax midfielder has most recently been linked with Borussia Dortmund, as part of a player plus cash to deal to acquire the services of Jadon Sancho. It will be interesting to see whether Manchester United employ a similar method in their reported pursuit of Torres.