Chelsea are ready to table a €60 million bid to sign Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres amid interest from Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City.
A recent report from La Razon has offered an update on the future of Pau Torres. It appears the Villarreal defender could be set for a move to England this summer, with multiple clubs including Chelsea ready to make a move for the defensive stalwart.
The Blues are reportedly prepared to table a bid close to €60 million in an attempt to convince Villarreal to offload him in the summer. They have identified the Spaniard as an ideal replacement for Antonio Rudiger, who could be on the verge of joining Real Madrid after agreeing a contract ahead of a Bosman move.
Torres has been a first-team regular for Villarreal for quite some time now. He already has over 120 competitive appearances for the club and is regarded as one of the best centre backs in La Liga thanks to his positioning sense and technical ability.
Torres is indeed a crafty defender whose partnership alongside Raul Albiol has been critical in helping Villarreal win the UEFA Europa League last term and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in the ongoing campaign.
The Spaniard’s performances have not gone unnoticed with Chelsea identifying him as an ideal replacement for Rudiger. With Andreas Christensen also on the verge of an exit, the Villarreal starlet could have the opportunity to become a defensive stalwart at Stamford Bridge in the years to come. To that end, they are ready to offer a sum close to his release clause amount of €60 million.
Torres’ technical prowess and positioning sense are also tailor-made for Thomas Tuchel’s tactical setup, making him an ideal defensive partner for hard-working defenders like Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Trevoh Chalobah.
Chelsea, though, are not alone in the pursuit of the Villarreal defender. The report suggests Manchester United are another club closely monitoring the progress of the Spaniard, potentially as a replacement for Eric Bailly, who has been linked with a switch to Marseille.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are the other club to have joined the bidding war. It appears Pep Guardiola is keen on shoring up his options in the defensive unit this summer, which is why he is also courting Leicester City’s defensive ace, Wesley Fofana.
Tottenham, too, are interested in Torres. The Lilywhites tried to sign him last summer only to be snubbed by the defender himself. But with Antonio Conte keen to bolster his defensive ranks, he is back on their radar. Given the talent Torres has shown, a big-money move could very well be on the cards for the Spaniard in the summer. As to who ends up signing the left-footed centre-back, only time will tell.